17-year-old teen arrested after motorbike shooting kills 23-year-old man

2026-01-30 - 02:56

PHETCHABURI — 29 January 2026, a 17-year-old boy riding a dirt bike shot dead a 23-year-old man on Phetkasem Road in Phetchaburi province on Wednesday night, police said. At about 20:00, investigators at Khao Yoi police station were alerted to a fatal shooting on the inbound carriageway of Phetkasem Road, on the parallel lane in Moo 2, Sa Phang subdistrict, Khao Yoi district. Senior provincial officers, forensic police, an on-call doctor from Khao Yoi Hospital and rescue volunteers were sent to the scene. Police found a grey-and-black Honda PCX 150 motorcycle, Phetchaburi registration 1กต-6801, lying on its side by the roadside. Nearby was the body of Thanarat Wonglai, 23, a local resident of Sa Phang. He had been shot with a 9mm handgun, suffering six wounds to the abdomen and one to the right elbow, with the bullet passing through the arm. Investigators recovered an electronic cigarette, seven 9mm cartridge cases and two bullets at the scene. The suspect fled on a red dirt bike of unknown make and registration, riding against traffic towards Mueang Phetchaburi district. Police issued an alert to intercept the rider. Witnesses told police that the victim had been riding alone when two teenage males on a red dirt bike followed him and signalled for him to stop to talk at the location. One of the pair then pulled out a handgun and opened fire, leaving the victim motionless on the road before fleeing. Bystanders called an ambulance and police, but the victim later died from his injuries. Police said they have identified one suspect, a 17-year-old male. Investigators believe the motive stemmed from a previous dispute between the parties, though the cause of the earlier altercation remains under investigation. The suspect’s mother has contacted police to arrange for her son to surrender on Thursday. Officers said the youth has a history of fights in the area. Police are continuing efforts to track down those still at large and proceed with legal action.