Police were called to the scene, the parking lot of the Nai Mueang Phuket pub and karaoke bar opposite Phuket Customs House on Phuket Rd, at 5:50am.
By that time Kusoldharm rescue workers had already arrived to find the man, Traitaewit ‘Got’ Chindamaikul, 27, a resident of Phuket Town, unconscious and unresponsive. He had been shot once in the chest.
Rescue workers performed CPR at the scene and en route to Vachira Phuket Hospital, but Mr Traitaewit was pronounced dead on arrival.
According to the police report no less than five senior officers from Phuket City Police Station arrived to inspect the scene, including Phuket City Police Chief Col Sarawut Chuprasit.
Lt Col Sakchai Chunyong, Chief Investigator at Phuket City Police, noted that Mr Traitaewit was found beside his white pickup in the car park.
On the ground nearby was a sword with a blade about half a metre long.
Police also found one spent bullet casing.
The pub security guard who fired the shot, Chaiwat ‘Od’ Chuwong, 35, was waiting for police at the scene. He immediately surrendered the Glock 9mm handgun he fired in the incident.
Mr Chaiwat, registered as living in Rassada, was taken to Phuket City Police Station for questioning, Lt Col Sakchai confirmed.
According to witnesses at the scene, Mr Traitaewit was involved in an altercation with a woman at the venue, Col Sarawut reported.
Security guards intervened, but Mr Traitaewit took exception to their involvement and grabbed a sword from his pickup and turned to attack.
In response, Mr Chaiwat fired one shot at Mr Traitaewit, hitting him in the chest.
All people involved in the incident will be questioned further, Col Sarawut said.
So far police have made no comment on why the venue was open at the time of the incident.