Capt Udom Petcharat of the Phuket City Police was called to Wat Saen Suk in Phuket Town at 4:30pm after people attending a funeral there reported hearing a single gunshot ring out, then finding a man dead on the ground with a single bullet wound to his head beside one of the buildings.
Police arrived to find the body of Thanet “Oley” Chuisod, 42, of Rassada, slumped over on the ground beside a crematorium building at the temple.
Mr Thanet had suffered a single bullet wound to the head, and a revolver was beside his right hand, Capt Udom reported.
The revolver contained five spent bullet casings and one bullet yet to be used. Officers also found 10 more bullets in a pocket of Mr Thanet’s shorts, he added.
Capt Udom explained that before Mr Thanet’s body was found at the temple, police had been called to a small “spicy food” shop in nearby Suthat Rd Soi 10 in Phuket Town, where Mr Thanet had pulled up on his motorbike, dismounted and then gunned down Suphattra “Meesia” Suwanworn, 27, before speeding off on his motorbike.
Miss Suphattra, also a resident of Rassada, was shot three times.
People at the scene rushed Miss Suphattra to the Phuket Provincial Hospital (often called the OrBorJor Hospital), but she was later pronounced dead, Capt Udom said.
Capt Udom reported that officers conducting the police investigation had been told that Mr Thanet and Miss Suphattra were involved in selling drugs together.
They reportedly had just had an argument.
Capt Udom noted that Mr Thanet had been arrested for breaking the nightly curfew.
“Police will question more from people who had close contact with them and other people living near them,” Capt Udom said.
Mr Thanet’s body was taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital for further examination, he added.