Buriram man, 71, beats neighbour to death after years of insults

2026-03-08 - 07:13

BURIRAM — 7 March 2026, A 71-year-old man allegedly beat his 63-year-old neighbour to death with a hoe after years of verbal harassment in Prakhon Chai district, a village headman said. The victim, Prayoon Khrutram, 63, of Ban Saraphi village, Si Liam subdistrict, was found dead by the roadside in the village after being struck several times on the head. The attack allegedly occurred at about 18:00 on Saturday. Police identified the suspect, 71, who lives across the road from the victim. According to Wichian Phutthachat, 57, the village headman of Moo 6 in Si Liam subdistrict, the two men had been in conflict for more than two years. He said the suspect had previously complained that the victim frequently insulted him while intoxicated, often shouting derogatory remarks such as calling him “poor” or from a “poor family.” Wichian said he had attempted several times to mediate and asked the victim to stop using abusive language, but the insults allegedly continued whenever the victim drank alcohol. Reporters found alcohol bottles around the premises, consistent with reports that the victim had been drinking On the evening of the incident, the victim was again intoxicated and shouting insults, the village headman said. The suspect reportedly approached him to confront the issue, but the victim allegedly grabbed a hoe and tried to attack him. A struggle followed, during which the suspect gained control of the tool and struck the victim repeatedly, causing fatal injuries. The victim’s niece, acknowledged that her uncle often shouted insults at the suspect while drunk, sometimes extending the abuse to his family. However, she said the violence was excessive. “Even if he was insulted, it should not have ended with someone losing their life,” she said. The victim’s niece, said her uncle often shouted insults at the suspect while intoxicated but said the fatal attack was excessive The incident has drawn attention on social media, where users questioned how similar neighbourhood disputes—often fuelled by alcohol—can escalate into deadly violence in Thai communities.