A major crackdown on street racing in Pathum Thani has resulted in the arrests of 152 motorcyclists, along with the creators of two Facebook pages promoting the illegal activity and the leaders of two rival racing gangs.
A combined team from the Tourist Police Bureau (TPB) and Pathum Thani police rounded up 137 adults and 15 teenagers taking part in dek waen racing at around 2am on Saturday. A total of 150 motorcycles were seized.
The racers were asked to undergo urine tests and 29 of them, including 23 adults and 6 teenagers, tested positive for illicit drugs. The tests found traces of speed and marijuana, said Pol Maj Gen Surachate Hakparn, deputy commissioner of the TPB.
Police also seized 227 illeglly modified exhaust systems for motorcycles from 42 shops in Pathum Thani during a raid on 131 locations.
As well, officers arrested the creators of two Facebook pages that they said promoted illegal street racing in Pathum Thani and nearby areas. Teeraphol Buajaturat, 24, and Pramote Bucha, 18, were picked up separately in the province on Friday. Their pages had a total of 2,750 followers.
The arrests followed complaints from the public that teenage speed demons frequently raced on the busy Rangsit-Nakhon Nayok Road, causing a nuisance to local residents and motorists using the route.
In another operation, police arrested two leaders of rival racing gangs wanted on warrants issued by the Thanya Buri Court for a violent brawl in Pathum Thani in which several people were injured.
Anucha Sornthong, 27, and Marut Suebthin 18, were apprehended separately on Friday. Anucha is accused of firing three shots into a crowd of people linked to Marut during a race on June 20. A friend of Marut was injured in the shooting. Marut reportedly retaliated by tossing a ping-pong bomb at his rivals and several were hurt, according to the TPB.
The pair were charged with attempted murder, illegal possession of weapons and carrying weapons in a public place.