British tourist shoots himself at a Thailand gun range

A 21-year-old British tourist shot himself in the head in a suicide killing at the Thalang Shooting Range in Phuket, Thailand.

According to staff the man hired an 11mm pistol at the range and fired six bullets at a target. He then asked for another three rounds, turned the weapon on himself and fired.

The incident took place at 3pm (9am BST) on Saturday.

Shocking footage of the episode – which was captured on CCTV – has emerged in member of staff tries to intervene as the unidentified man kills himself. Moments later, the member of staff ran off to get help.

"He came by a taxi. He bought a ticket for shooting an 11mm handgun and then shot himself in the head," a worker at the shooting facility told Phuketwan, a website dedicated to tourism on the Thai island.

A taxi driver who has been questioned by police reportedly drove the British tourist to the range from the Sun Wing Resort in Bang Tao, on the island's west coast. He reportedly said the man was arguing with somebody on the phone during the journey.

"We have taken statements from some witnesses, but we will question more people at the scene and we have yet to review any CCTV footage the facility may have," Police Lt Kraisorn Boonprasop said.

Thai police are examining the possibility that the man travelled to the island intending to take his own life.

British consular officials have been notified of the man's death, but his identity has not been released.

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