Officers were called at 7 am to the Fong Beer pub on Pang Muang Sai Kor Road in Patong. There, they were shown the body of 27-year-old Sawitree Kaewnin, sitting at a table outside, her head on the table in a lake of blood. She had been dead about two hours.
Next to her was a black leather pistol holster. On the ground was a shoulder bag, an 11mm pistol and an case for spare ammunition. In the pub near the door, they discovered an 11mm bullet casing and a magazine containing five bullets.
They discovered that Ms Sawitree had been shot behind the ear, with the bullet exiting through her forehead. They took the body to Patong hospital for further examination.
In the hospital they encountered Pol Sgt Phongsagorn Treeyut of Kathu Police, being treated for a gunshot wound to his left wrist.
Witnesses told them that Sgt Phongsagorn came to see Ms Sawitree, who worked as a waitress in the pub, and they sat having “sweet talk” at the table. Then staff heard a single gunshot.
Police say their inquiries lead them to believe that Sgt Phongsagorn was “just teasing” Ms Sawitree by holding her around the neck and pointing the gun at her ear.
The sergeant, they say, had removed the magazine from the weapon but did not realise there was still a round in the chamber.
In among the “teasing”, he pulled the trigger, firing the fatal shot and also injuring himself.
Investigators continue to collect evidence to see if it matches with this theory.