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Pong village chief, family injured in assault-rifle shooting
Police found the assault
weapon used in the shooting still at the scene.
Boonlua Chatree
Three people were injured when a gunman sprayed automatic-weapon fire at
the home of a Pong Sub-district village chief.
Nikorn Kradkrai, 44, headman for Moo 3, his wife Paengsri Saensila, 45, and
son Mukhpol Kradkrai, 11, were hospitalized with treatable gunshot wounds
following the April 25 shooting at the Kradkrai family antique shop and
residence. Nikorn was grazed in the shoulder while his wife and son
sustained shots to the legs.
Nikorn stated that he was eating while sitting on the porch of his house
when a red Isuzu pickup truck approached and a man, seemingly drunk, got out
and ordered his driver to get him two beers. After paying, the drunk pulled
the Heckler & Koch HK33 and sprayed the house with 21 bullets. Nikorn and
his family dived for cover. The gunman left the rifle at the scene.
Nikorn told police he knew of only one dispute that could have prompted the
shooting. He has been in conflict with a property-development firm in Koh
Chang owned by a politician there. Nikorn, coming to the aid of a Moo 3
resident, accused the company of swindling a woman out of 10 million baht
during the sale of a 24-rai parcel of land in Pong.
Police said, however, they don’t have enough evidence to arrest the
politician and have not identified the gunman or the person who hired the
gunman. Royal Thai Police officials said, however, they are taking the
matter seriously as Nikorn, as a village chief, is regarded as a government
employee.
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