Cha-am shooting: teen suspect opens fire after Facebook dispute
A Cha-am shooting involving a 17-year-old suspect has left a local air-conditioning technician injured, with police linking the incident to a dispute that began on Facebook.
The shooting took place at around 11:57pm on 22 April 2026, when officers at Cha-am Police Station were alerted to reports of gunfire and an injured man. Pol Lt Col Sunthorn Phromsang, the investigating officer on duty, informed station superintendent Pol Col Apirak Permchai before attending the scene with rescue personnel from Cha-am Hospital.
The incident occurred outside a residence in Cha-am subdistrict. Police found Mr Theppitak (surname withheld), 32, with a gunshot wound to his right arm. He received initial treatment at the scene before being taken to hospital. Officers recovered 17 spent 9mm shell casings scattered across the road.
CCTV footage reveals Cha-am shooting suspects
Security camera footage showed two male suspects riding a motorcycle without a visible registration plate. They were seen circling the area before one of them drew a firearm and opened fire on Mr Theppitak. After the shooting, the pair reportedly rode past the scene once more before fleeing.
Investigators later identified one of the suspects as a 17-year-old male from Cha-am, referred to as Mr A. Police are continuing efforts to identify and locate the second suspect.
Initial findings indicate the Cha-am shooting may have been triggered by an earlier exchange of threats between the victim and the suspects on Facebook. Officers said further questioning would be carried out to establish the precise motive.
A manhunt is now under way for the second suspect, while authorities are also preparing legal action against those involved.
Mr Theppitak told police he had just returned home from installing an air-conditioning unit for a customer when the incident occurred. As he was unloading equipment from his car, the suspects rode past several times before opening fire. He said he attempted to avoid the gunshots but was struck once in the arm and could not clearly see the attackers’ faces.
