Nongprue – A local grocery store owner in Chonburi Province descended into chaos after allegedly consuming cannabis and brandishing a long knife to chase and intimidate residents while strutting around with a bandolier of shotgun shells. Terrified villagers, who had long avoided his shop due to previous threats, finally banded together to report him to authorities, leading to his arrest.
The incident took place around 9:00 PM on Thursday when Patcharapat Sritanyanon, the district chief of Banglamung, received complaints from locals about the erratic behavior of a shopkeeper along the entrance to Soi Thung Klon Tal Man 14 in Nongprue subdistrict. Witnesses described the man wildly swinging a knife and menacing passersby. Acting swiftly, the district chief dispatched deputy security officials, village defense volunteers, and officers from Nong Prue Police Station to the scene.
Upon arrival, authorities identified the suspect as Ekraj Saipong, a 28-year-old known locally as “Hack.” Spotting the officers, Hack fled into his bedroom and barricaded himself inside, shouting defiantly, “What did I do wrong?!” Despite over 30 minutes of negotiation and persuasion attempts, he refused to cooperate. Officers ultimately forced entry and subdued him safely without incident.
A search of the store uncovered a cache of alarming items: a sword-like knife over one meter long, 25 rounds of 12-gauge shotgun ammunition, a bullet bandolier, large packages of cannabis, and drug paraphernalia. All were seized as evidence before Hack was taken to Nongprue Police Station for further questioning.
Residents in the area expressed unanimous relief, telling The Pattaya News how Hack’s frequent intoxicated rages had made daily life unbearable. “He’d stumble around in a daze, knife in hand, threatening anyone nearby,” one villager said. “Sometimes he’d sling that ammo belt across his chest and parade through the village like some kind of vigilante. No one dared shop there – even customers who wandered in had to run for their lives.” The fear had crippled his business, with locals boycotting the store entirely.
In a shocking twist post-arrest, Hack showed no remorse and claimed his bizarre actions stemmed from a personal ambition. “I was just trying to fulfill my dream… of becoming a kamnan!” he allegedly told investigators. A kamnan is a traditional Thai village head position, showing the delusional state he appeared to be in.
Police are investigating charges related to drug possession, illegal weapons, and public intimidation. The community hopes the arrest brings an end to the reign of terror, allowing normalcy to return to the neighborhood.
