SONGKHLA: A boy celebrating his birthday and his younger sister lost both their parents when an intoxicated customer, irritated by a waiter, opened fire inside a busy restaurant in Hat Yai district yesterday night (Dec 22).
The 10pm shooting occurred at Khrua Paowana eatery on Nuan Kaew Uthit Road, Bangkok Post reported.
Police said eyewitnesses identified the man as Hatyai district defence volunteer Akarapon Pamchamnong, 50.
It was reported that he came to the restaurant alone to drink and stepped outside to smoke on the roadside.
A waiter who thought that he had finished drinking cleared the table.
Upon seeing this, Akarapon became irritated and argued with the waiter and the restaurant owner before eventually driving away.
The man later returned and resumed the quarrel before drawing out a gun and firing it repeatedly.
Two customers were killed - Sitthipong Siriphan, 48, and his wife Orachon Ieankham, 45, both shot in the head.
The couple had brought their children to the restaurant for a birthday party for their 12-year-old son.
The boy was unscathed, while his young sister suffered a wound to her head.
Two other people were injured, namely, Paowana Uttha, the 46-year-old restaurateur, who received a bullet wound to the head, and customer Suriya Supradit, 42, was shot in his right arm.The gunman surrendered to police.
Eight spent 9mm cartridges were found at the scene.