Police seek warrants for 9 teens over riot in Phuket

Police seek warrants for 9 teens over riot in Phuket

The riot control police are preparing to return to their office after the end of the incident on Sunday. (Photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)
The riot control police are preparing to return to their office after the end of the incident on Sunday. (Photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)

Police are preparing to ask a court to issue arrest warrants for nine teenagers believed to have been involved in the riot at Thalang police station in Phuket on Saturday, in which 6.4 million baht worth of public property was severely damaged.

Among the nine suspects -- all of whom are local residents -- some allegedly already have criminal records including drugs charges, Phuket police chief Phachara Bunyasit said yesterday.

Police investigators also said the rioters were drunk and behaved aggressively, he said.

They are the first group of wanted suspects in Saturday's violence which saw angry rioters hurl rocks and Molotov cocktails into the station compound, destroying 10 state-owned cars, causing 5 million baht worth of damage.

The rioters also stormed the police station, breaking windows and wrecking the building, causing 1.4 million baht in damage, according to Thalang police chief Pol Col Chanuchan Chonsuwat.

The riot was sparked by fury over the deaths of two men chased by police after evading a checkpoint. The men, who police said possessed speed pills and krathom leaves, were killed when the officers' pickup truck reportedly rammed into their motorcycle.

If the pair had not tried to flee, the event would have been a normal drug arrest, said Pol Gen Phachara, adding: "I am 100% sure the deceased were in possession of drugs."

He claimed witnesses could testify the drugs were not planted on the men. In a bid to quell widespread public fury over the deaths, Gen Prayut yesterday urged people to reflect on the chain of events.

"Is it correct to torch the police station because the officers may have committed a crime?" he asked.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT (1)