Two Teens Charged After Fatal Shooting at Rayong Festival

RAYONG — Two 18-year-old suspects have surrendered to police after a shooting at a festival in Rayong allegedly killed a 25-year-old bystander and injured three others. The shooting took place shortly after midnight on Friday, after a concert by Thai folk-rock band Maleehuana at the Mae Ramphueng Beach: Colours of the East festival in Rayong’s Mueang district. Police said the two suspects had argued with a rival group on the road after the concert. Although the groups initially separated, they allegedly continued shouting insults and challenges at each other. One suspect was riding a motorcycle while the other sat behind him and allegedly fired several shots from a magazine-fed gun at the rival group. A 25-year-old man riding home on a motorcycle was struck by a bullet, seriously injured and later died. Three other bystanders were injured. The suspects allegedly abandoned their motorcycle in a village in Tapong subdistrict before fleeing. At about 16:00 on September 20, the two contacted police and asked to surrender at an abandoned house in Pluak Daeng district. Officers later seized a modified blank-firing gun adapted to fire 9mm ammunition, which had been hidden in grass. One suspect initially confessed, claiming he fired in self-defence after the opposing group shot at him first. Police said the groups had a prior dispute. Police said one of the suspects had previously been arrested on a firearms charge and had escaped from Rayong’s juvenile observation and protection centre. Both suspects have been charged with jointly committing intentional murder using a firearm, attempted murder, and firearms offences.