Pattaya waiter takes own life after gun threat

PATTAYA: A waiter shot himself dead late Saturday night as a group of taxi motorcyclists advanced towards him following the waiter’s earlier threat to shoot one of them. 
The deceased man was identified as Niroot Yamphuang, a 39-year-old waiter at an entertainment venue on Pattaya Sai 3 Road. He shot himself in his right temple with a .32 modified blank gun near his workplace at about 11pm on Saturday.
A few hours earlier, the waiter pointed the gun at himself and refused to surrender as requested by Pattaya police. Local people and tourists were evacuated from the area for safety.
The incident occurred after taxi motorcyclist Patipol Prapairat, 20, filed a complaint that Niroot had pointed a gun at him in the area at about 5am on Saturday. Mr Patipol reported the incident to Pattaya police.
On Saturday night Niroot returned to his workplace. Mr Patipol’s group approached him for a talk but Niroot drew his pistol and began walking around the neighbourhood.
Pol Lt Col Thananont Athipansee, deputy chief of Pattaya police station, reportedly phoned Niroot, who told him he was stressed because he was facing an arrest warrant for murder and attempted murder charges in his native province of Ratchaburi a decade ago. Niroot then took his own life.