PATTAYA, Thailand – A heated altercation between Chinese nationals in Pattaya escalated into a violent shooting, leaving one man critically injured and a suspect in custody as we reported earlier today here. The incident, which unfolded around midday on May 31, 2025, has led to the discovery of large quantities of illegal drugs, raising suspicions of deeper criminal activity.
At approximately 2:00 PM, police apprehended the suspect, identified as Mr. Ju Bin, a 32-year-old Chinese national, after a tense standoff near a pond at the entrance of Soi Khao Makok 9, roughly 800 meters from the crime scene. Mr. Ju Bin, a former friend of the victim, confessed to discarding the weapon—a modified blank-firing handgun—into the pond after the shooting. Within 10 minutes, divers from the Sawang Boriboon Foundation recovered the firearm along with a magazine found in nearby bushes. The items were seized as evidence, and Mr. Ju Bin was taken to Huay Yai Police Station for further questioning.
The investigation deepened when police searched a blue Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 with Bangkok plates linked to the victim. Inside the vehicle’s trunk, officers uncovered a large stash of narcotics, including liquid ketamine, powdered ketamine, crystal methamphetamine (ice), and a large quantity of ecstasy pills. Authorities also found equipment for manufacturing drug-laced vape pods, which has been confiscated for further analysis.
A neighbor across from the crime scene, who partially recorded the incident, told reporters that the house where the shooting occurred is frequently visited by groups of Chinese nationals who often argue loudly. On the day of the incident, the neighbor heard a commotion and saw individuals arguing both inside and outside the house. When they inquired about the disturbance, no one responded. Moments later, the neighbor spotted the barrel of a gun, began recording, and heard a single gunshot. Frightened, they immediately contacted the police. The neighbor noted that this was the most violent incident at the property to date, as previous disputes had not escalated to gunfire.
The victim, identified as Mr. Qiyang Song, a 26-year-old Chinese national, remains in critical condition due to severe blood loss and a shattered right ankle caused by the gunshot. Police have yet to determine the motive behind the shooting, as Mr. Ju Bin’s statements have been inconsistent. Mr. Song had previously been involved in a bizarre incident involving swimming in a rooftop water tank on top of a Pattaya condo two days prior, as we reported here.
CCTV footage from 11:09 AM captured the suspect, dressed in a black shirt and black-and-white shorts, exiting the driver’s side of the Mercedes-Benz and walking to the rear of the vehicle. The victim emerged from the house to close the front gate when the suspect fired a single shot, striking Mr. Song in the lower right leg. The suspect then returned to the house, retrieved a black backpack later found to contain drugs, and placed it in the car’s trunk. Other Chinese nationals at the scene assisted the injured Mr. Song back into the house before the suspect fled in a white car.
Col. Atthapol Itthayophasakul, chief of Huay Yai Police Station, has ordered a thorough investigation to uncover the cause of the altercation. Another Chinese national, seen wearing a black shirt at the scene, was detained for questioning. Due to the discovery of drugs, police have enlisted interpreters and coordinated with the Immigration Police and Tourist Police to expand the investigation into the drugs’ origins.
The case continues to unfold as authorities work to piece together the events leading to this violent encounter and the potential drug trafficking network involved.
