Durian dispute turns deadly as Thanyathorn Songserm reportedly targets four members of her former partner’s family. His mother is killed, his brother seriously wounded and a teenager escapes when the gun malfunctions. He heard a shot fired after him.
A deadly family shooting tore through rural Surat Thani on Saturday after a 43-year-old woman returned to settle a durian orchard lease following a breakup. Police say Thanyathorn Songserm tried to shoot her former partner, seriously wounded his younger brother and then shot his 72-year-old mother dead outside her home. Her 17-year-old grandchild reportedly escaped only when the handgun malfunctioned. The violence followed disputes over reported taunts and ฿10,000 linked to durian. Police later intercepted Thanyathorn fleeing in a black pickup and seized a .38-calibre handgun as forensic teams began reconstructing gunfire across several crime scenes on a Saturday afternoon of murderous anger.
A 43-year-old woman went on a shooting spree targeting her former partner’s family in Surat Thani on Saturday. Her 72-year-old former mother-in-law was shot dead outside her home. Meanwhile, her former partner’s younger brother was shot several times and seriously wounded. Her former partner also reportedly escaped an attempt to shoot him.
The violence did not end there. A 17-year-old family member said the gunwoman then turned the weapon towards them. However, the handgun reportedly malfunctioned when she attempted to fire. The teenager fled before hearing another shot behind them.
Police identified the suspect as Thanyathorn Songserm, 43, also known as Paen. She was the former daughter-in-law of the family. Officers arrested her shortly afterwards as she fled through another district in a black Toyota pickup. Furthermore, police recovered a .38-calibre handgun following her arrest.
Police find Jaree dead outside her home while her son lies seriously wounded one kilometre away nearby
The shootings unfolded around Thung Tao Mai subdistrict in Ban Na San district. Police received the first report at approximately 1.36 pm on Saturday, September 19. Police Colonel Worawit Charoensuphaphol, Superintendent of Ban Na San Police Station, then led officers to the scene. Eight forensic officers also joined the investigation.
Police found 72-year-old Jaree Sukkit dead outside her home in Village 4. Her body lay in the dirt yard outside the two-storey timber-and-concrete property. She had suffered a single gunshot wound to her torso. Jaree died at the scene before she could receive hospital treatment.
However, investigators quickly discovered that her killing was only one part of the violence. Her son, Wachirawit Sukkit, 35, had already been shot about one kilometre away. Police found him seriously wounded at an oil-palm collection yard. He had been shot in the abdomen and also suffered wounds to both legs.
Despite his injuries, Wachirawit was reportedly conscious when rescuers reached him. Emergency medical workers rushed him to Surat Thani Hospital. His injuries were described as serious. Meanwhile, investigators began tracing the events connecting the two shooting scenes.
Durian orchard lease and belongings bring Thanyathorn back two months after her relationship ended
The violence followed Thanyathorn’s return to the area after separating from Jaree’s eldest son, Theerasak. The couple had ended their relationship about two months earlier. However, several practical and business matters remained unresolved. In particular, Thanyathorn still had to settle a durian orchard lease and collect her belongings.
According to Theerasak, Thanyathorn had been leasing the orchard and supplying durian to Chinese buyers. Problems had previously developed concerning production from the property. He said he had helped her deal with those difficulties. Nevertheless, their personal relationship subsequently ended.
Theerasak said Thanyathorn was the person who decided they should separate. She reportedly told him they “couldn’t go on together.” He described the breakup as amicable. Moreover, he said they had not remained in contact afterwards.
On Saturday, Thanyathorn returned to terminate the orchard lease and remove her possessions. A relative named Juree reportedly helped arrange the necessary paperwork. Jaree was asked to bring documents concerning the lease. Initially, the business was completed without any reported confrontation.
The relevant documents were signed and the parties went their separate ways. Afterwards, Jaree travelled to the orchard. Workers there were preparing a refrigerator belonging to Thanyathorn for collection. The appliance was among the possessions she intended to remove following the breakup.
Former partner escapes gunfire before his younger brother is shot and left seriously wounded nearby
Meanwhile, Theerasak learned from his mother that his former partner had returned. He later encountered Thanyathorn while she was collecting her possessions. According to Theerasak, he made only a brief remark. He told her that since she had returned, she should collect her clothes and other belongings.
However, Thanyathorn later gave investigators a different account of that encounter. She reportedly claimed Theerasak drove past and mocked her. According to her reported confession, she then lost control and tried to shoot him. Theerasak managed to escape without being hit.
Moments later, the violence shifted towards his younger brother. Wachirawit encountered Thanyathorn at the nearby oil-palm collection yard. He was reportedly helping remove a metal cage or rack from the rear of her pickup. Then the situation changed violently.
According to initial police information, Thanyathorn pulled out the handgun and fired at Wachirawit. Reports said two shots were fired at the 35-year-old. He suffered a gunshot wound to his abdomen and wounds to both legs. He was left seriously injured at the palm yard.
At that point, another armed person intervened. The owner of the oil-palm collection yard reportedly fired his own weapon during the confrontation. Reports said he was attempting to stop the shooting or defend against it. Nevertheless, Thanyathorn managed to escape from the yard.
฿10,000 durian dispute ends with Jaree shot dead as teenage grandchild reportedly faces the same gun
She climbed back into her black Toyota pickup and drove away. The refrigerator she had collected was reportedly still loaded in the vehicle. However, she did not immediately flee the wider area. Instead, she reportedly headed back towards her former mother-in-law’s home.
There, another dispute developed. This time, the confrontation concerned ฿10,000 connected with durian. According to Thanyathorn’s reported statement, she demanded the money from Jaree. She claimed the ฿10,000 had been stolen from her.
However, Jaree refused the demand. An argument then broke out outside the family home. Meanwhile, Jaree’s 17-year-old grandchild was at the property. The teenager later gave reporters a direct eyewitness account of what happened next.
According to the teenager, Thanyathorn arrived at the house and called for her former mother-in-law. She called out “Mae”, meaning mother. Jaree then walked outside to meet her. The teenager said Thanyathorn was carrying the handgun.
Thanyathorn then raised the weapon and pointed it towards Jaree’s chest, according to the witness. Moments later, she fired. The bullet struck the 72-year-old woman in the torso. Jaree collapsed outside her home and died there.
Yet the teenager said the gunwoman did not stop. Instead, Thanyathorn reportedly turned the handgun towards the 17-year-old. According to the witness, she attempted to fire again. This time, however, the weapon reportedly malfunctioned.
Teenager flees after gun reportedly malfunctions before police catch Thanyathorn in her black pickup
The teenager immediately ran from the property. While fleeing, the witness heard another gunshot behind them. Thanyathorn then returned to her pickup and drove away. Police were soon dealing with multiple shooting scenes and an armed suspect on the move.
In response, Ban Na San Police circulated details of Thanyathorn and her vehicle to surrounding stations. Officers were warned that the fleeing suspect was believed to be armed. A search subsequently spread across surrounding roads and neighbouring districts.
Meanwhile, Thanyathorn continued driving the black Toyota pickup away from Ban Na San. However, officers intercepted her before she could leave the wider Surat Thani area. Police from Khiri Rat Nikhom Police Station located the vehicle in their district.
Officers stopped her near the entrance to Village 1 in Tham Singkhon subdistrict. They arrested the 43-year-old without any further reported gunfire. Furthermore, police recovered a .38-calibre handgun. The weapon was immediately seized as evidence.
Reports on Saturday night also said nine spent cartridge cases were recovered during the investigation. However, several rounds had reportedly been fired at different locations. Additionally, the palm-yard owner had discharged his own firearm during the earlier confrontation.
Forensic officers trace gunfire as Thanyathorn reportedly admits shooting members of former family
Consequently, forensic officers faced a complicated task reconstructing the gunfire. They had to establish which shots came from which weapon. Investigators were also working to determine exactly how many rounds Thanyathorn had reportedly fired.
After her arrest, police transferred Thanyathorn back to Ban Na San Police Station. Investigators then began questioning her about the shootings. According to reports, she admitted her involvement and described the events preceding the gunfire.
First, she reportedly confirmed separating from Theerasak approximately two months earlier. She described returning on Saturday to terminate the orchard lease and collect her possessions. Those belongings included the refrigerator later seen in her pickup.
Thanyathorn also described her encounter with Theerasak. She claimed her former partner drove past and taunted her. According to her reported statement, she became enraged and tried to shoot him. However, he escaped before she could hit him.
She then reportedly turned on Wachirawit. According to the police account reported on Saturday, she admitted shooting her former partner’s younger brother. Wachirawit was subsequently found seriously wounded at the oil-palm collection yard.
Afterwards, Thanyathorn reportedly drove back to Jaree’s home. She demanded the disputed ฿10,000, claiming the money had been taken from her. When Jaree refused, an argument followed. Thanyathorn then reportedly admitted shooting her former mother-in-law before fleeing.
Former partner disputes taunting account as police examine ฿10,000 claim and troubled durian business
Theerasak’s account differed over the confrontation which reportedly triggered the first gunfire. He said he merely told Thanyathorn to collect her remaining possessions. He later said he could not understand how the encounter developed into the subsequent violence.
Significantly, Theerasak also described the previous relationship between Thanyathorn and his mother. He said the two women had previously helped each other. They had also lent money to one another. Therefore, financial dealings between them were not entirely new.
Police were examining the precise background to the reported ฿10,000 dispute. Initial accounts linked the money directly to durian. Thanyathorn reportedly claimed it had been taken from her. However, Jaree rejected her demand immediately before the fatal confrontation.
On another front, investigators were examining the durian business and orchard lease. Thanyathorn had leased the property while supplying produce to Chinese buyers. Problems had previously developed concerning production. Theerasak said he had helped resolve some of those difficulties.
He also told reporters that Thanyathorn had faced other problems recently. These reportedly included litigation connected with an accident involving her father. Additionally, there had been difficulties surrounding the orchard.
Police reconstruct attacks on four family members across palm yard and home after orchard settlement
Nevertheless, police focused on reconstructing Saturday’s violence through forensic evidence and witness accounts. Investigators had several separate locations to process. These stretched from the orchard area and palm yard to the family home.
The first reported target was Theerasak himself. According to Thanyathorn’s police account, she tried to shoot him after becoming angry over his remarks. However, he escaped without being hit.
The violence then moved to Wachirawit at the oil-palm yard. He was shot and seriously wounded. During that confrontation, the yard owner reportedly fired his own weapon. Even so, Thanyathorn managed to leave in her pickup.
The final confrontation unfolded outside Jaree’s home. There, the dispute over the reported ฿10,000 intensified. Jaree was shot once in the torso and died outside the property.
Finally, her 17-year-old grandchild reportedly faced the same handgun. The teenager said Thanyathorn pointed the weapon at them and attempted to fire. However, the gun reportedly malfunctioned, allowing the witness to escape.
Taken together, the reported sequence involved four members of the same family. One was killed and another suffered serious gunshot wounds. Two others reportedly escaped attempts to shoot them.
Police compare confession with witness and ballistic evidence as wounded son remains in hospital
Meanwhile, investigators were comparing Thanyathorn’s statements with the physical evidence. Her claims concerning the ฿10,000 and Theerasak’s reported mockery remained part of the inquiry. Her reported confession had not been tested in court.
Police were also collecting statements from people who witnessed different stages of the violence. The 17-year-old’s evidence was particularly important to events outside Jaree’s home. The teenager reportedly witnessed the fatal shot before becoming a target.
Forensic teams separately examined the oil-palm collection yard. Investigators also had to account for the yard owner’s reported gunfire. Therefore, ballistic examination of the different firearms and spent cartridges became important to reconstructing the sequence.
By Saturday evening, police had secured Thanyathorn, her pickup and the recovered .38-calibre handgun. Officers were continuing to process the separate scenes. They were also assembling witness testimony and forensic evidence.
Meanwhile, Wachirawit remained under treatment at Surat Thani Hospital. His injuries were described as serious following wounds to his abdomen and legs.
His mother, Jaree Sukkit, 72, was dead. Only hours earlier, she had reportedly helped provide documents needed to settle the durian orchard lease. Later that day, she was shot outside her own home.
Thanyathorn remains in custody as police trace shots and prepare further legal proceedings in Surat Thani
Thanyathorn remained in custody at Ban Na San Police Station on Saturday night. Investigators continued questioning her and preparing further legal proceedings.
Police were also establishing the final number of shots fired and their origin. The recovered .38-calibre handgun remained in police custody as evidence. Ballistic work continued alongside witness interviews.
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What began with orchard paperwork and the collection of belongings ended across several shooting scenes. Jaree was dead, while Wachirawit was seriously wounded.
Theerasak had reportedly escaped an attempt to shoot him. Meanwhile, his 17-year-old relative escaped after the handgun reportedly malfunctioned.
Within hours, police had Thanyathorn under arrest. The investigation remained centred on Ban Na San Police Station on Saturday night.
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