Three teenagers - two boys and a girl - were killed and two policemen injured after their motorcycles collided following a chase in Phasi Charoen district early Sunday.
Pol Lt Col Prasong Chamnansilp, deputy chief investigator of Phasi Charoen police, said the bodies of Wanlop "Tong" Khotpali, 17, Asada "Bee" Chandahan, 14, and Benjamas Baikhieo, 18, were taken to the morgue of Phetkasem 2 Hospital after the incident which occurred at about 2am.
At the same hospital, Pol L-Cpl Pipatporn Kao-ian, who was unconscious with dislocated neck bones and three broken teeth, and Pol L-Cpl Yanpat Preechasonthikul, who suffered a dislocated left shoulder and a broken nose, both of Phetkasem police station, were being treated in a room on the sixth floor.
About 30 motorcycle racers gathered in front of the hospital out of concern for the fate of their friends.
Police were despatched to the hospital for investigation.
Bancherd Thiangtham, 20, of Samut Sakhon, said he and about 20 friends, including the deceased, went for a ride on about 10 motorcycles from their homes in Phetkasem area to Wat Bukkhalo temple along Phetkasem highway.
On the way back, while passing the mouth of Soi Phetkasem 12, they found they were being chased by two policemen on a patrol motorcycle. In fear of being caught, they sped away. But a motorcyle driven by Wanlop, with Asada and Benjamas as pillion riders, collided with the police motorcycle.
The three young motorcycle racers were killed, while the two policemen were injured in the collision.
Pol L-Cpl Yanpat gave a similar account of the incident. He said he and Pol L-Cpl Pipatporn chased after the motorcycle racers, all without safety helmets, did not stop for a search on being told.
Pol Col Supiranat Sattatanachaipat, deputy chief of Metropolitan Police Division 9, said he had reported the incident to his superiors. He said the teenagers lost their lives mainly because they were not wearing crash helmets.
He said the relatives of the teenagers who died in the incident could file a petition if they had evidence to show that the two policemen were acting beyond the line of duty.