Two teenagers have been arrested after a drive-by shooting in Lat Krabang district of Bangkok that killed a 17-year-old vocational college student and injured two other teens.
The two 17-year-olds were taken into custody at their homes in the Thap Yao area of Lat Krabang not long after the attack that took place in the early hours of Saturday. They are being held at the Chorakhe Noi police station.
Police said the duo confessed to having carried out the shooting, which arose from a dispute with the victims.
The shooting occurred along Liab Khlong Mon Road in Thap Yao, said Pol Capt Kritthanet Phongchoo, deputy investigation chief at the Chorakhe Noi station, who was alerted about 1.30am.
Police, forensic officers and rescue workers who rushed to the scene found a 17-year-old lying face-up on the road with two gunshot wounds in his left temple and left arm. He was breathing slowly. Medics performed CPR but were unable to save his life. A crash helmet was found on the road.
Shortly afterward, police were alerted that two other boys had been shot and injured on Lat Krabang Soi 50/2, about five kilometres from the site of the first incident. One had been shot in the left arm and the other had sustained a gunshot wound to his right hip.
They were sent to Lat Krabang Hospital and their conditions were stable, said police.
Police said the dead victim was Thanakorn Chidkhoksung, 17, originally from Khon Kaen, who was attending Ekawit Business Administration Vocational College in Lat Krabang. The two injured youths were Ekkarin Pasanai, 16, of Maha Sarakham, and Sakkarin Phuatha, 16.
During questioning, the injured boys told police that they and the first victim were friends. They were riding on a motorcycle when a group of teenagers riding on three or four motorcycles fired shots at them. One of the three teens fell from the bike after being shot. The two others were also shot but managed to flee.
Police found a home-made gun and one spent cartridge on the road, about 500 metres away from the dead victim.
Police located the 63-year-old grandmother of the dead victim and brought her to the scene. She burst into tears on seeing the body of her grandchild.
She said her grandchild had taken a songtaew to the college on Friday morning. When he did not return home at night, she contacted him and he told her he was with friends and they were on the way to a convenience store.
She insisted her grandchild had no rivals.
Pol Capt Kritthanet said nobody witnessed the shooting. However, police examined closed-circuit video from cameras in the area and were quickly able to identify suspects and make arrests.