Angry crowd gathers, demands school intruders apologise

Angry men gathered at Bang Khunthian police station on Tuesday morning, demanding 24 men detained there for Sunday's intrusion at Mathayomwatsing School apologise for disrupting the university entrance exams.

Leading about 100 supporters, Apirak Chat-anont, also known as Sia Po, said the men who raided the secondary school had defied the law. He and other people from Bangkok's Thon Buri area decided to visit the men and warn them about their behaviour.

"This gang must apologise to the students and the families of the affected people, and be punished by law. We are not here to cause disorder, but we are here to remind them," Mr Apirak said.

Pol Lt Col Ratklao Ananukan, deputy chief of Bang Khunthian station, refused to allowthem to visit the detainees, saying they were not close relatives.

He said police at the station would handle the case in a straightforward manner.

Mr Apirak then led his men away from the station.

The 24 men, who were attending a nearby ordination ceremony at Wat Sing, are accused of violently intruding on Mathayomwatsing School, attacking the director, teachers, students and staff, and damaging property. Their action came after the school management asked the ordination organisers to turn the noise down because it was disturbing students taking the university entrance examination at the school. 

Some of the intruding men were also accused of sexual harassment.