A man in Thailand was allegedly lured to his death through an online relationship after suspects posing as a woman arranged a late-night meeting before ambushing and fatally shooting him.
The incident occurred around 3.56am on May 10 in Na Kluea Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province. Police discovered the body of 34-year-old Mr Chai lying face down beside the road with a gunshot wound to the head. A spent .38 calibre shell casing was also recovered at the scene.
According to investigators, the gunman fled immediately after the shooting, while witnesses reported hearing a single gunshot before authorities arrived.
The victim’s nephew, Mr Chok, who was with him during the incident, later came forward to provide a statement to police. He said his uncle had arranged to meet a woman believed to be his girlfriend at the location provided through online messages.
The pair reportedly travelled to the meeting point in a hired black sedan. Upon arrival, a white sedan was already waiting at the scene.
Mr Chok said that while he was paying the driver, a man suddenly approached him with a gun and ordered him to stop moving. At the same time, his uncle walked towards the white sedan, apparently expecting to meet the woman.
Moments later, a gunshot rang out and the victim collapsed to the ground. Fearing for his life, Mr Chok immediately jumped back into the vehicle and fled the scene before later reporting the incident to his family and police.
The victim’s sister said her brother had been in a relationship with a fair-skinned woman for about a year and frequently visited her. She said the family knew he had planned to meet the woman that night but never imagined it would end in tragedy.
CCTV footage reviewed by investigators showed a white sedan arriving at the location at around 1.46am. Three men reportedly exited the vehicle, with one suspect dressed in black hiding in nearby bushes while the others waited by the roadside.
When the victim arrived and approached the car, one of the suspects in a white shirt allegedly rushed towards him before the fatal attack took place. After the shooting, the suspects fled the scene in the white sedan.
Police believe the killing may have been linked to a love triangle dispute, with investigators suspecting the victim may have been deliberately lured to the location. Authorities are now tracking down the suspects and examining messages exchanged before the fatal encounter.
