This is the shocking moment a shooter opened fire on a security guard at a mall in Thailand.

Supornpong Yimkhem, 30, allegedly shot security guard Natdanai Lekkla, 30, for reporting his drinking habit at work.

The disgruntled former chef confronted Natdanai and shot him with an improvised short barrel shotgun, causing panic among shoppers as he opened fire at the Terminal 21 Korat mall in Nakhon Ratchasima, on March 2.

CCTV footage shows Supornpong in a black shirt and shorts arriving in front of the mall on his motorbike. He then walked over to Natdanai at the building's entrance before pulling out the firearm and shooting him.

Supornpong was seen escaping on his motorcycle as mall workers tried to stop him.

Natdanai miraculously survived the attack with only minor scratches from the shrapnel. He was rushed to the Por Phat 2 Hospital, with Supornpong surrendering himself to the Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima Police shortly after the incident.

The sacked chef said he was angry over Natdanai's 'persecution' as the latter had reported him to his supervisor three times for bringing alcohol to work. He also blamed Natdanai for getting him fired.

Supornpong later led police to a rubbish bin at the back of the mall where he had disposed of the improvised shotgun.

A police spokesman said: 'The suspect admitted to his crime and said he was defamed by Natdanai, which led to termination from his job.

'He will be charged with possessing a firearm without authorisation, possessing a firearm in a public place without authorisation, and attempted murder.

'He has been detained for further legal action and a re-enactment of the shooting.'

The Terminal 21 mall was also one of the sites of the deadly Nakhon Ratchasima shooting in 2020, in which rampaging soldier Sergeant Major First Class Jakrapanth Thomma killed 30 people and injured 58 before turning the gun on himself.

Last October, a schoolboy shooter opened fire at shoppers at the Siam Paragon shopping mall in Bangkok. The horrific attack killed two and injured five others.

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has vowed to tighten gun control in Thailand, which has one of the highest gun ownership and gun homicide rates in Asia.