Kosit Phromphiwat, 36, registered as living on Mae Luan Rd in Phuket Town, was tracked down by officers and arrested in Patong at about 1:40pm yesterday (Sept 5), Phuket Provincial Police reported.
Kosit claimed that he had been attacked by a group of individuals who had previously assaulted him, leading him to resort to “self-defense”, officers noted.
Kosit was taken into custody by officers led by Patong Police Deputy Chief Pol Lt Col Sutthachai Chumphasang.
Kosit was already wanted for the shooting on an arrest warrant issued by the Phuket Provincial Court on Monday (Sept 4).
The warrant included a list of charges against Mr Kosit, including attempted murder, illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, carrying a firearm in a public area without reasonable cause and discharging a firearm in a public area.
At Patong Police Station, Kosit maintained that he had resorted to using his weapon in self-defense after being assaulted by several men.
However, the initial cause of the altercation remains unexplained, despite police yesterday returning Kosit to the scene of the shooting, on Rath-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd about 50 metres north of Bangla Rd, to explain to police his version of events leading to the shooting.
Kosit also led police to Patong Hill, where it is believed he disposed of the weapon.
Police at the scene on Sunday recovered three .38-calibre bullet casings and one .38-calibre bullet. Officers also arrived at about 12:45am to find a red tuk-tuk with bullet holes in the windshield and in the driver’s side window.
The tuk-tuk driver shot by Kosit, Phongsak Pengporu, 42, is still receiving medical treatment at Patong Hospital. He had been shot once in the right side of his abdomen and once in his left thigh.
Kosit is being held at the Patong Police Station while officers continue their investigation and proceed to charge him in accordance with the warrant.