Three Myanmar Migrants Killed in Shooting by Thai Village Volunteer
Three Myanmar Migrants Killed in Shooting by Thai Village Volunteer
PHNOM PENH, 29 June 2026 — Three Myanmar migrant workers were shot dead and another man seriously injured following a confrontation with a village security volunteer in Chachoengsao province late on 27 June 2026. Police are investigating whether the shooting was an act of lawful self-defence.
The incident occurred at around 11.30pm in Ban Nong Nam Dam, Koh Khanun subdistrict, Phanom Sarakham district. Responding officers found the bodies of three Myanmar nationals with multiple gunshot wounds. Their identities had not yet been confirmed.
A Thai man, identified as Pichai Daphantha, was found with serious stab wounds to his left side and had already been transported to Phanom Sarakham Hospital before police arrived.
Investigators recovered more than 16 spent shell casings, a handgun and a knife believed to have been used during the confrontation. Forensic officers examined the scene and collected evidence as part of the ongoing investigation.
The shooter, 24-year-old village security volunteer Theerapat Nopthao, told police that he and a friend had gone to ask several groups of migrant workers to stop drinking alcohol and playing loud music near a residential area.
According to Theerapat, an argument broke out during which his friend was struck with a bottle, fell to the ground and was then stabbed. He claimed that around 10 men armed with knives subsequently ran towards him, prompting him to open fire in self-defence.
Police said they have not independently verified his account and are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident. Authorities have not announced whether charges will be filed, with investigators relying on forensic evidence and witness statements to establish the sequence of events and determine whether the use of force was legally justified.
Khaosod reported that the case has attracted widespread attention due to the multiple fatalities and conflicting accounts of the events leading up to the shooting. Police said the identities of the three deceased Myanmar nationals remain under verification as the investigation continues.
