Several escapees remained at large on Monday morning after 14 delinquents fled from a juvenile detention centre in Bang Phli district of Samut Prakan province on Saturday night.
Police from Bang Pu, Bang Phli and Khlong Dan police stations were called out to track down the 14 delinquents, who broke out of the juvenile detention centre at kilometre marker 45 on Sukhumvit road about 9pm. Sailors from the 3rd Naval Task Force also joined the hunt.
In the first three hours, eight of the escapees were recaptured in Soi Khlong Panya, off Lat Wai road, in tambon Bang Priang, about 3.5 kilometres from the detention centre.
The delinquents, aged 15-18, who were being detained for different offences, said they escaped because they missed their homes. Some said they wanted to take part in the Loy Krathong Festival on Wednesday this week.
They said they used small files taken from an occupational training class to cut through the iron grille fixed across a ventilation opening in a bathroom, and escaped through it.
A recent report said another juvenile had been recaptured, but no details were available.
The search was continuing for the rest.