Charges will be brought against people who rioted outside the Thalang district police station in Phuket, set fire to many vehicles and damaged government property on Saturday night, national police chief Chakthip Chaichinda said on Monday.
A large mob laid siege to the building, blocking the road in front of the police station on Saturday after two youngsters on a motorcycle were killed after they drove through a checkpoint. The police vehicle chasing them hit the bike, running it off the road and they died in the crash.
Hundreds of angry residents joined relatives of the two dead youths in the violent protest. They accused the police of overreacting and demanded justice.
Police claimed 50 methemphetamine pills and nearly a kilogramme of krathom leaves were found in the dead youths' possession.
Pol Gen Chakthip said legal action must be taken against the protesters. Police knew the names of the instigators of the riot.
"Throughout the siege police trying to keep the situation under control at the police station had only shields to protect themselves with. They did not want to have problems with the people.
"Some of the residents were highly emotional, some were drunk and others were on drugs. Authorities have both motion and still pictures of them as evidence," he said.
The police chief said he had watched a video of police trying to stop the two young men who breached the police checkpoint. Police had properly followed operational procedure.
People who had done no wrong would not try to flee, he added.
Pol Gen Chakthip said both sides would receive due justice.
A provincial committee of police, military and administrative officials had been set up to investigate the incident and the four policemen who were involved in the chase. It had 30 days to complete its task.
In addition, a separate case would be brought against those who caused damage to government property. Those responsible for the riot would be charged with violations of the Public Assembly Act and of the Criminal Code, Pol Gen Chakthip said.
Meanwhile, 16 riot police who were sent to the Thalang police station on Saturday night on Monday began filing complaints against the protesters with a team of investigators set up by Pol Maj Gen Pachara Boonyasit, the Phuket police chief. Some of them were reportedly injured during the riot.
Kannika Saengthong, director-general of the Rights and Liberties Protection Department, said her office had followed the Phuket incident and was awaiting the report of the investigation by the committee set up by the provincial governor.
If the provincial committee ruled that the two young men killed in the incident were damaged parties, their relatives would be eligible for up to 100,000 baht compensation for each of the youths.
If it was found the deaths were related to drugs, they would not be eligible for compensation, she said.