A park ranger was fatally shot as he and his colleagues were attempting to stop car thieves from smuggling three stolen vehicles across the Mekong River into Laos from the north-eastern province of Ubon Ratchathani early this morning (Monday).

According to Kanchit Srinoppawan, director of Protected Area 9 based in Ubon Ratchathani, a group of park rangers from Kaeng Tana National Park stumbled across a car in the park area, in Khong Chiam district, which was suspected to be stolen and awaiting to be smuggled into Laos.

The rangers called for reinforcements and then laid in wait, hoping to encounter the smugglers. Reinforcements from the police and army troops arrived this morning. Searches of nearby areas found two more cars, also believed to be stolen.

As the authorities were about to seize cars, they were shot at, believed to be by the car theft gang. One ranger, Suwan Muenthong, was seriously wounded and died on his way to hospital.