A man went on a shooting spree, killing his stepson and family, including a five-year-old girl, and wounding another man before taking his own life in Chiang Kham district on Tuesday night.
The rampage began about 8.10pm at a house in Ban Nong Ha, in tambon Rom Yen, Chiang Kham district, Pol Col Chalermchart Yawichai, the local police chief, said.
The gunman was 51-year-old Yuthana Riewsakulchart, he said.
Yuthana went to the house alone, carrying a shotgun, and delberately shot the four people who were inside.
Three people were killed. They were Pongthep Riewsakulchart, 37, his wife Supaporn Sae Chao, 34, and their daughter Kalayaporn Riewsakulchart, 5. Another man in the house, Songpol Kitkaranphit, 40, was wounded.
Pongthep was Yuthana’s stepson. The gunman had married his mother, Moey.
Pol Col Chalermchart said that after the killing spree Yuthana went to a helicopter landing pad, about 300 metres from the house, and shot himself dead with the same shotgun.
His body was found lying near the landing zone with the shotgun by his side.
The wounded man, Mr Songpol, was rushed to Chiang Kham Hospital.
Local residents said that Yuthana and Pongthep had a conflict over a coffee business.
