A Thai businessman miraculously survived a point-blank gunshot to his chest when the bullet struck his lucky Buddhist amulet.

Pornchai Horasakul, 50, was shot in broad daylight during a business lunch at a busy restaurant in Bangkok on June 12.

He was discussing real estate bidding projects with his associates when they had a row over the division of profits. As tensions flared, one of his business partners, Phisek Samphaongern, 28, was said to have pulled out a gun and fired at close range.

Chaos erupted as terrified customers fled upon hearing the gunfire. CCTV footage shows panicked locals running out of the open dining area while some of them crouched behind tables and chairs.

Police responded to the shooting and found the restaurant in disarray, with Pornchai on the ground.

The businessman was injured on the left side of his chest but miraculously survived thanks to his lucky Buddhist talisman, which absorbed most of the impact. The life-saving charm - popular among superstitious believers as a protective accessory - was later found bent on the ground near Pornchai's table with the lead bullet head still lodged inside it.

Paramedics rushed Pornchai to the Paolo Kaset Hospital for treatment. Doctors said his life was not in danger as the gunshot wound was shallow.

Police Colonel Anan Worasat, superintendent of Bang Khen District Police Station, said: 'From the preliminary investigation, the suspect fired two shots at Pornchai with a 9mm handgun. One struck him, while the other shattered a nearby window. After the attack, the gunman fled in a white pickup truck, but no one could recall the license plate because they were shocked at how fast the incident occurred.'

A waitress said the businessmen were regulars who often dined in an air-conditioned area of the restaurant.

She said: ‘Today, I heard them arguing over how to split their profits. They had a heated exchange and not long after, shots were fired.'

Restaurant owner Prasit said some customers used the ensuing chaos to flee the restaurant without paying.

He said: 'I was so shocked. I have never encountered anything like this before. The gunshots were deafening. All the customers were scared and ran away. Some of them had not even paid for their food yet.'

The gunman Phisek turned himself in at the Bang Khen district station the next morning, claiming self-defence. He also surrendered the gun used in the shooting.

He claimed: 'I saw Mr Pornchai moving to grab his gun to shoot my father, who was at the same table. I had no choice but to shoot him first. It was self-defence.'

The brazen gun attack came after Thai authorities in February suspended the issuance of firearm carrying permits in a bid to curb gun violence in the country.

Thailand has one of the highest gun ownership and gun homicide rates among Southeast Asian nations.

Though Thai authorities have vowed to tighten gun control, there are around 4 million unregistered guns, often smuggled from war-torn countries, in circulation, the Ministry of Interior said in 2023.