A Chinese female tourist was recently hit by a bullet at a shooting range in Kathu County, Phuket Province, Thailand, resulting in severe injuries to the right side of her face. She was promptly taken to the hospital for treatment.
The injured tourist, a 52-year-old woman from Jilin who resides in Sichuan, took her daughter on a trip to Phuket Island, Thailand. According to her daughter, Ms. Feng, on the afternoon of March 18, she and her mother were trying out shooting at a shooting range in the Kathu area of Phuket Island. After the shooting experience, they were taking photos near the shooting area.
Ms. Feng recalled that around 5 p.m., while her mother was taking pictures, she suddenly covered her face and squatted down. At first, she thought her mother’s face had been grazed by a shell casing, but upon closer inspection, she saw that her mother’s face was covered in blood, with blood trickling from her mouth, showing signs of great pain. Subsequently, they were taken to a local hospital by the shooting range staff, who also reported the incident to the police. After the doctors cleaned the wound, it was discovered that there was a hole in her mother’s right face from the bullet, several teeth were knocked out, and her tongue was injured.
Ms. Feng mentioned that the doctor said the bullet was very dirty, and the wound has not been fully cleaned yet. They can only clean a part of it each time and observe before proceeding with the next part, requiring her mother to undergo treatment in the hospital for at least a month.
According to Thai media reports, the perpetrator was a 28-year-old employee of the shooting range who, after work hours, was playing with his personal firearm in the staff area and accidentally discharged the weapon. The bullet passed through the wooden door and glass door on site, hitting the tourist who was taking photos. The perpetrator has been detained by the authorities and is facing charges of “causing serious injury by negligence” and “illegally possessing firearms and ammunition.”
Ms. Feng stated that the shooting range initially covered the medical expenses. However, being unfamiliar with the place and language barrier, she has no idea how to proceed or how much compensation to request.
Reportedly, the staff at the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Songkhla’s office in Phuket confirmed the incident. The injured tourist is a Chinese citizen, and she is currently still undergoing treatment in the hospital.