SURAT THANI: Three men and a woman were killed when a group of six or seven armed men stormed into a house in Khirirat Nikhom district on Saturday afternoon and went on a shooting spree, police said.
Pol Maj Chare Khamkaew, a Khirirat Nikhom police investigator, said the incident occurred at about 2pm at a house at Moo 8 village in tambon Kapao.
A group of six or seven armed men arrived in a pickup truck. They opened fire from in front of the house before storming inside and continuing shooting.
They fled after the attack, leaving four people dead.
At the scene, police found a woman, Nilthip Palakachen, 49, dead in front of the house near a large water jar. Three other people were found dead inside the house, police said: Pornsak Chuphet, 56, a former chief of Moo 13 village in tambon Tha Khanon; a man who was not yet identified; and Thammarong Nilniyom, 60, the owner of the house and former chief of Moo 1 village in tambon Bang Ngon.
The dead woman was Thammarong’s wife.
About 100 spent cartridges of M16 ammunition were found scattered in and around the house, which was riddled with bullet holes.
Police were investigating to find the motive of the attack.
On Dec 31 last year, Thammarong was shot in an assassination attempt. The bullet grazed his back, causing a minor injury.