Festival in southern Thailand ends in tragedy with 2 fatalities due to shooting incident
Shooting at Kam Lon Festival Leaves Two Dead and Seven Wounded
In a tragic turn of events, a shooting at the third annual Kam Lon Festival in Nakhon Si Thammarat's Lansaka district left two people dead and seven others wounded. The incident occurred late on July 29, 2025.
The shooting started when a man named Ek Wangsai, aged 41, got into a fight with Wannit Kanchanaphairote. As bystanders tried to intervene, Ek opened fire indiscriminately, firing about 10 rounds.
Ek Wangsai, who has a history of causing trouble when intoxicated and recently completed a prison sentence for firearms and narcotics offences, tried to flee but was apprehended by the police before residents could assault him. He sustained injuries during his arrest and is currently receiving medical treatment while in police custody.
One of the victims was Chatree Markkarach, a festival organiser who was fatally shot in the throat while trying to stop the fight. The identity of the second fatality was not immediately available. Seven other people were also wounded, including Mr Wannit, who is currently in critical condition at Maharaj Nakhon Si Thammarat Hospital.
Emergency responders from the Sawang Tham Khiri Rescue Unit transported the victims to hospital. Video footage captured by festival attendees showed the sequence of events, with Ek firing approximately 10 rounds after the initial confrontation.
The police subdued the gunman following the shooting. No further information about the identity of the second fatality has been released. The investigation is ongoing.
**Sources:**
[1] Nation Thailand
[2] Bangkok Post
- The tragic Kam Lon Festival shooting incident has also raised concerns about the rise in crime-and-justice-related general-news, as Ek Wangsai, a man with a history of causing trouble and recent prison sentence for firearms and narcotics offenses, was the shooter.
- Despite the intense focus on crime-and-justice and general-news, there remained an unfortunate shadow of accidents surrounding the shooting at the Kam Lon Festival, with one fatality yet to be identified and seven wounded victims. Meanwhile, sports events remained undisturbed across the region.
