Phuket Police Investigate Motorcycle Shooting on Thepkrasattri Road

Police in Phuket are investigating the fatal shooting of a motorcyclist on Thepkrasattri Road after the incident was initially mistaken for a road accident.

The emergency call came at around 8:10pm on September 17, reporting that a motorcyclist had fallen near the tunnel and the turn-off toward Phuket Airport. Rescue workers arrived at the airport tunnel junction and began resuscitation efforts, initially treating the incident as a traffic accident.

The situation changed when it was discovered that the rider had not simply lost control of his motorcycle. He had suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head. The injury was reportedly not immediately visible while he was still wearing his helmet.

The victim, identified as Kittiphit, worked as a concrete mixer truck driver and was returning home after finishing his shift when the shooting occurred. His white Honda Scoopy was found at the scene.

Police also recovered a .30-calibre cartridge casing from the road near the location of the shooting. The casing has been handed over to forensic specialists for examination and is being treated as a key piece of evidence.

A witness told police that two motorcycles had been travelling in the direction of Sarasin Bridge. One was Kittiphit's white Honda Scoopy. The two motorcycles stopped on the roadside near the tunnel. The witness then heard a single gunshot and saw Kittiphit fall onto his motorcycle.

Thalang Police are reviewing CCTV footage along the route in an effort to establish where the two motorcycles travelled before the shooting and to identify the movements of the second motorcycle.

Investigators are also working to determine the motive for the killing and whether the shooter was known to the victim. The identity of the gunman has not yet been established.