The man, 53-year-old Chana Rotket from Hat Yai, was also wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant for conspiracy to murder in his home province Songkhla in 2003, Capt Ratthanachai Siengsanoh of the Wichit Police explained.
“He had a hot temper,” Capt Ratthanachai told The Phuket News.
Chana worked at the The Beauty Spa on Wirat Hongyok Rd in Wichit, where he shot 73-year-old South Korean national Kwanghee Kim, the father of the owner of The Beauty Spa, Mrs Eun Mikim.
Mr Kim was shot once in the chest.
Chana also shot 55-year-old staffer Somsri Chueathonghua.
“She was shot in the back and her right arm. Another bullet grazed her right cheek,” Capt Ratthanachai said.
Both Mr Kim and Ms Somsri were taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital. (See story here.)
“His relatives told me that he had been stressed for days from being picked on by Mr Kim,” Capt Ratthanachai said.
“He had said he was tired of working with Mr Kim, and that he found it very frustrating trying to communicate with someone in a different language,” he added.
However, Capt Ratthanachai said that he did not believe the stressful working situation was the motive for Mr Chana committing suicide by gun when confronted by police at Saphan Hin park yesterday afternoon. (See story here.)
“I believe that his motive for suicide was being confronted by police after knowing that a warrant for his arrest had been issued for conspiracy to murder,” he said.
The investigation into the shootings and suicide is continuing, Capt Ratthanachai added.
“There are many details I still cannot reveal at this stage, and right now I am still looking into how he got the gun,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Kim’s condition in hospital has improved from critical to stable, Capt Ratthanachai noted.
“Doctors are waiting for him to be stable enough to remove the bullet,” he said.
Chana’s other victim, Ms Somsri, is also improving at Vachira Phuket Hospital, but she too awaits surgery to have the bullet from her back, he added.
“Doctors need to be sure that their health has improved enough before they can operate on them,” Capt Ratthanachai said.