PM, police issue warning to biker gangs, threaten renewed curfew

In a press briefing yesterday, the assistant national police chief issued a stern warning against “dek waen” (biker gangs), who have returned to the roads of Bangkok and some provinces after the national curfew was lifted Sunday. On Monday, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha issued a warning saying the government will reimpose the curfew if people fail to cooperate with Covid-19 control measures.

The PM’s warning follows media reports that young motorcyclists gathered for illegal street races on Sunday, shortly after the curfew was lifted at midnight. Authorities say people have filed multiple complaints about motorbike racing on major roads in Bangkok and elsewhere.

“Police will take tough legal action against these dek waen.”

Police say 6 of them were arrested in the southern Songkhla province. The racers, 15-18 years old, were charged with creating a public disturbance after they gathered for illegal racing on Sunday night, and their motorbikes were seized. Each juvenile offender was fined 1,000 baht, and 3 of them had to pay an additional baht each for driving without a licence.

The boys’ parents were notified and ordered to teach their children to not get involved in illegal racing again, and were fined as well for allowing the teens to go out at night, violating the Child Protection Law. Authorities say if the offenders had been adults, they’d be charged with reckless driving and prosecuted.

According to statistics 1,699 offenders were caught from June last year to this April. Police say 19 people have reported offences to local police during that period and each received 3,000 baht as a reward.

Members of the public are encouraged to report illegal street racing.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post