Men with swords and bats storm Udon Thani children’s centre
Two men wielding swords and baseball bats stormed a children’s development centre in Udon Thani, causing panic among teachers and children. CCTV footage captured the incident, which took place at 12.40pm yesterday, October 2, showing the men attacking each other.
Police Lieutenant Precha Kangkhonnok of the Na Kha Police Station received a call from 59 year old Praipai Sintipla, the village head of Don Charoen, reporting the attack at the Ban Don Charoen Children’s Development Centre. Concerned for the safety of the teachers and children, police quickly arrived at the scene.
The children’s centre, a single-storey building, housed 30 kindergarten students napping inside when the incident occurred. Ampon Butr-udom, a 59 year old teacher at the centre, waited outside to guide the police. A blue Honda Wave motorcycle, registration 1กค 1019 Udon Thani, was found damaged and tipped over near the entrance. However, the attackers had already fled.
Footage from the CCTV revealed that at 12.31pm, a man arrived on a motorcycle and parked in front of the centre’s gate. He hesitated before entering the premises, abandoning his vehicle, and running towards the back of the building. Shortly after, two more men arrived on a motorcycle, armed with swords and a baseball bat, and chased the first man.
The assailants eventually returned to the front of the building, where they proceeded to destroy the abandoned motorcycle before fleeing. The police instructed the villagers to return the damaged motorcycle to its owner, who lived about 100 metres from the scene.
According to initial investigations, Ampon stated that the centre’s gate is usually closed but it had been left open as a teacher had gone out briefly to buy supplies. Ampon was working in the office while the children were napping when she heard a motorcycle pull up and voices shouting. The two armed men then appeared, causing a commotion as they chased the first man.
Armed men
Ampon identified the motorcycle’s owner as Tum, around 40 years old, who lives nearby. She did not recognise the assailants and speculated they might be new residents or from a neighbouring community. The village head confirmed not knowing the attackers either.
Police suspect that Tum, while riding home, spotted his enemies and decided to divert into the children’s centre to escape. The assailants followed him but failed to catch him, turning their frustration on his motorcycle instead, reported KhaoSod.
Police advised the teachers at Ban Don Charoen Children’s Development Centre to use the CCTV footage as evidence and file a formal complaint at Na Kha Police Station. The police are now working to identify and apprehend the two men who invaded the centre with swords and baseball bats, ensuring they face legal consequences for their actions.
