Teen stabbed to death in Phuket City

PHUKET CITY: The latest casualty of teenage gang violence in Phuket was 14-year-old Theeraphong Thongklam, stabbed through the heart in downtown Phuket City early Monday morning.

Phuket City Police Sub Lt Jakrapong Suchol said that Theeraphong, a resident of Rassada Village 7, fell off his motorbike near the Montri Rd-Phang Nga Rd intersection at 2:30 am after being stabbed by a member of a gang.

Theerapong’s friend, who was riding pillion when the bike crashed, told police that he and Theerapong were driving to Thalang when Theerapong “teased” the girlfriend of one of the gang members.

Neither of the boys knew the members of the gang beforehand, he said.

After Theerapong was stabbed in the left side of his chest, he tried to drive off to flee his assailants but crashed near the traffic lights. His attackers then fled.

Police did not recover the murder weapon, which they presume was a knife, Lt Jakrapong said.

The boy was rushed to Vachira Phuket Hospital where he died a few hours later, he added.

Police have only questioned the victim’s friend, whose name was not given because he is a minor.