Youth gang clash turns Pattaya beach into battleground: One shot, one stabbed
A chaotic brawl erupted on Pattaya beach as two rival youth gangs clashed, resulting in one teenager being shot in the leg and another stabbed multiple times. The incident, which occurred late last night, left tourists fleeing in panic, as officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station rushed to the scene.
The beachfront, located approximately 100 metres from the Mueang Pattaya Police Station, was flooded with terrified tourists as the violence between the two gangs of youths unfolded.
The victims, a 15 year old boy and a 17 year old boy, suffered severe injuries. The first had stab wounds to both shoulders, his right arm, and hand, while the second teen was shot twice in the left leg.
Both victims were promptly given first aid by the police and emergency responders from Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Mueang Pattaya before being rushed to the hospital. A pen gun and several knives were found at the scene, assumed to be used by the youth gangs, which police collected as evidence.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing a large gang of youths, armed and wearing helmets, descending onto the beach before the violence erupted. A single gunshot was heard, leading to further panic among the tourists who scattered in all directions.
Some tourists managed to capture video footage of the incident, revealing two large groups of teenagers chasing and attacking each other wildly, with a gunshot being heard, before the tourists fled in fear.
Initial investigations led by Lieutenant Colonel Thanaphong Phothi, the superintendent of Mueang Pattaya Police Station, have identified the suspects involved in the incident. However, the footage captured by tourists and CCTV from the scene cannot be released to the media due to fear that the suspects might go into hiding.
The preliminary cause of the violent clash is believed to stem from previous disputes between the two youth gangs, which escalated when they encountered each other on Pattaya Beach. The police are actively pursuing the suspects to bring them to justice.
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