Police close net on trio of teen robbers

PHUKET: Police investigating a knife attack by three Thai males on four foreign tourists at Patong Beach on April 1 believe that the trio are from Trang Province and that they are also responsible for an attack on a Thai man later the same day.

Two Russians and two Australians were injured in the altercation early Friday morning on Patong Beach with the two Russian victims receiving deep cuts to their hands after trying to fend off the robbers (story here).

“We have asked for arrest warrants to be issued for three suspects identified in CCTV footage and by witnesses, confirmed Lt Col Sutthichai Thianpho of the Patong Police, who revealed that the same gang is also suspected of attacking a Thai man in Phuket’s Thung Thong district.

The victim of the second incident was stabbed in his side and robbed by the gang. Police believe that the three suspects were staying at rented accommodation in Thung Thong but have since fled to Trang.

The colonel refused to name the suspects while investigations were ongoing.

“We have asked Trang Police to put pressure on the gang and persuade them to surrender before making any arrests,” he said.

Meanwhile, Col Sutthichai confirmed that three of the tourists injured in the scuffle on Patong Beach have now been discharged from hospital. However, one of the victims, Russian national Aleksandra Obodova, 21, is still being treated at Vachira Hospital.

— Kritsada Mueanhawong