Police were investigating tonight after a former British soldier shot himself in the head in Thailand.

Ian Joseph, 36, rented the 9mm handgun before firing 10 shots at a paper target at the shooting range in Pattaya at around 11:30am this morning, July 13.

However, shocked staff watched as he reportedly lowered his head then put the gun to his right temple and pulled the trigger.

Paramedics who arrived at the scene found Ian on the floor gasping for breath in a pool of blood. He was rushed to the nearest hospital in the Banglamung district but died later in the evening.

Police are now interviewing staff and other witnesses who were at the range at the same time as Ian.

He was carrying an ID card that 'The British Army' printed on it and staff said he had visited the range around six times before.

Manager Santat Senkhor, 33, said: 'I am still in shock after what happened. The British person was a regular customer who has been to the shooting range about five or six times.

'Today, he rented two types of firearms, a short gun and a long gun, and bought 25 rounds of ammunition, which I didn't think was unusual . There were no signs of any abnormality and I served him as usual.

'He fired a handgun, two sets of five shots each. At the start of the third set hit the target twice, but then for the third shot he turned the muzzle to his temple. He lowered his head and shot himself one time in the brain and fell to the ground.

'I called the police straight away.'

Police arrived at the range and checked CCTV. They found that Ian had spent around 30 minutes sitting silently by a pond at the entrance to the facility before going inside.

However, staff said they did not find it unusual because 'he was a regular customer'.

Investigating officer Pacharak Suriya from the Huai Yai district police station in Chonburi province said 'many witnesses had to be interrogated'.

The cop added: 'The British man was taken to hospital and paramedics attempted to save his life.

'We now have to contact the relatives of the dead man to further deduce the true cause. There are also many witnesses to interview.'