A jealous ex-husband laughed as he told police how he shot off his wife's new lover's penis with a handgun.

Bunteurm Oonkaew, 37, had been drinking with his own girlfriend when he flew into a rage and stormed over to his former partner's home in Chumphon, southern Thailand, on Thursday night, November 10.

He allegedly pushed open the door before pointing the gun at Somchai Sakoolchai, 40, and blasting him in the groin.

Horrified ex-wife Ubonrat, 35, called the police and Bunteurm, a lottery ticket seller, was arrested at his nearby home.

He told officers the gun had gone off 'by mistake'. However, he was remanded in custody on suspicion of attempted murder. Somchai was taken to hospital where he was conscious but his penis was so badly wounded that medics fear it will not function again.

Bunteurm laughed as he told police: 'I just came back from work and sat drinking alcohol in the room with my girlfriend before getting up and taking out the gun, which I keep in the cupboard.

I walked past my ex-wife's house so I stopped to talk with her but I accidentally had the gun in my hand and pulled the trigger by mistake. The gun fired and hit the area between Somchai's legs, but I didn't mean to do that.

'I was shocked so I left quickly and put the gun back in the clothes rack as before and closed the door to the room until the police arrived.'

Bunteurm's ex-wife Ubonrat told police that she had two children with her former husband - a 15-year-old boy and a nine-year-old girl.

However, Ubonrat said he had failed to move on since they were divorced around six years ago. She said that Bunteurm had pushed open the door to her single-story home and yelled 'where is he?'

The angry ex then allegedly thrust the gun into the groin of her new partner before pulling away and firing into his groin. The bullet hit him in the penis.

Paramedics rushed the man to hospital and he is in a stable condition but his penis has been damaged.

Ubonrat said: 'I have told the police what happened. My ex-husband shot my boyfriend. It was not a mistake.

'I am praying that he will be OK. He is good to me. I do not mind if his penis does not work anymore. The doctors said it was shot off and it will not function.'

Lieutenant colonel Prapas Wi-Prajong, Deputy Police Commissioner of Mueang Chumphon Police Station, said Bunteurm was being held in custody and questioned on suspicion of 'attempting to kill another person using a firearm, possession of firearms without permission and carrying a gun in public without permission'.

The policeman added: 'The suspect has admitted shooting his wife's new partner but he claims that he did it by mistake. We do not believe it was a mistake.

'Prosecutors have been instructed to prepare charges of attempting to kill another person.'

Attempted murder carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.