UDON THANI, THAILAND – A robbery at a gold shop opposite Khong Cow Market ended fatally when an armed assailant turned his pistol on himself following a shootout with the shop owner.
Failed robbery leads to fatal self-inflicted gunshot
At 16:40 on Tuesday afternoon, investigators in Udon Thani province reported that 51-year-old Sakda entered a gold shop across from Khong Cow Market claiming to retrieve a pledged necklace. Officers later confirmed that the necklace was counterfeit, exposing his deception.
“He claimed the chain had been pawned here,”
said Investigators, Udon Thani Police.
When confronted, Sakda pulled a 9mm handgun and demanded 200,000 baht (€5,000) from the shop owner. The woman, the wife of a police colonel and trained firearm user, pretended to gather cash but instead reached for her revolver behind the counter.
“I had no other choice,”
said Shop Owner, Jewellery Store Proprietor.
Exchange of eight shots inside small storefront
Witnesses and responding officers confirmed that eight rounds were fired inside the compact jewellery store. The owner hit Sakda in the left shoulder, forcing him toward a corner as an automatic door lock sealed off his escape route.
“He sat on a chair and shot himself in the right temple,”
said Police Spokesperson, Udon Thani Provincial Police.
Emergency responders pronounced the suspect dead at the scene. His white pickup truck was later removed from the crime site after forensic teams completed examinations.
Police confirm legitimate self-defence
Investigators collected both firearms and the fake gold chain as evidence. Ballistic testing confirmed the fatal head wound came from the suspect’s own pistol.
“The shop owner acted clearly in self-defence,”
said Police Colonel Chakaj Thiamwong, Udon Thani Police Commander.
Authorities stated that the woman remains free as no charges were filed. Officials reopened the gold shop briefly after forensic processing.
Residents describe sudden chaos
Nearby witnesses recounted the rapid escalation within seconds of the initial confrontation.
“We first heard loud gunfire, then silence,”
said Unnamed Resident, Khong Cow Market Area.
Police recorded statements from multiple locals and seized CCTV footage showing the sequence of events.
Aftermath and local reaction
The Udon Thani Metropolitan Police Division documented the incident as an attempted armed robbery resulting in suicide. The gold store reopened after one day, with staff reporting trauma despite the confirmed lawful self-defence outcome. Investigation units are finalising reports for the provincial prosecutor.
– Incident time: 16:40, Tuesday
– Location: Gold shop opposite Khong Cow Market, Udon Thani
– Suspect: Sakda, 51 years old
– Weapons recovered: 9mm pistol, revolver
– Fatal outcome: Self-inflicted gunshot to right temple
– Police confirmation: Clear self-defence case
Forensic units, CCTV evidence, and eyewitness statements corroborated the official timeline released by investigators. The case remains under administrative review by Udon Thani Provincial Police Command.