Teenager killed in explosive attack amid youth group feud in Bangkok
A teenager was killed following an explosive attack and shooting incident, allegedly stemming from a longstanding feud between local youth groups. The fatal event occurred around 2am today, November 13, by the side of a parallel road to the motorway in the Prawet district. The victim, a 15 year old student named A, was found near the mouth of Soi Phatthanakan 53.
The teenager, wearing a long-sleeved black and red plaid shirt over a white round-neck t-shirt and black jeans, was found lying in a pool of blood with gunshot wounds beneath his left eyebrow. A Honda Wave 110i motorbike with the registration number 3Kor8354 Bangkok was found in the middle of the road, presumably belonging to the assailants.
Another Honda Wave 125 LED motorbike, registered as 5Kor1473 Bangkok, believed to be the victim’s, was found parked 50 metres away on the footpath. Six bullet casings were also scattered across the road.
A 16 year old witness, B, described the longstanding dispute with another youth group from the Ramkhamhaeng 60 area. The disagreement had escalated over several years, often resulting in verbal and physical altercations, primarily through Facebook. The dispute even resulted in one of their group members being hospitalised. Revenge was sought by bombing the house of one of the older members of their group. This was the fifth day they had been targeted by bombings.
According to B, on the day of the incident, the rival group, consisting of more than 20 people, arrived in close to ten motorbikes and a pick-up truck, parking near Soi Phatthanakan 53 alongside the motorway. They then called about ten of their members, arriving in five motorbikes, to help drive the rivals away. Their group was only armed with knives.
The confrontation quickly turned violent as the rival group threw four to five ping-pong bombs and fired nearly ten rounds of gunfire, resulting in their younger member being fatally shot. The rival group then dispersed and fled the scene.
Following the incident, the police sent the victim’s body to the Forensic Institute, Police Hospital. They also summoned the victim’s friends for detailed questioning and inspected the motorbike believed to belong to the assailants. The police are gathering evidence to issue arrest warrants for the youth group involved in the attack and proceed with legal action.
