Thalang Police Station rioter arrested for unrelated crime

PHUKET: A teen wanted for his role in the Phuket police station riot last month was arrested for an unrelated crime two weeks ago.

The 16-year-old, who police declined to identify, was arrested for possession of kratom in Thalang, explained Thalang Police Superintendent Chanuchan Cholsuwat.

“When we ran his name in the system, an arrest warrant for his alleged involvement in the Thalang riot popped up,” Col Chanuchan told the Phuket Gazette. “The teen was taken to the Juvenile Observation and Protection Center for further legal processing.”

Phuket Provincial Police, fearful of retribution, have thus far failed to bring justice to those named in 66 arrest warrants issued for the attack.

“At this stage, we are in no rush to arrest the suspects,” Phuket Provincial Police Commander Teeraphol Thipjaroen said on November 5. “We need to think carefully about each arrest and the possible consequences. We do not want to see any more violence.”

Early on in the investigation, police were able to ascertain that the majority of those involved in the attack on the station were local teenagers from the Baan Don community involved with drugs or other criminal activities. Police believe that the attack had less to do with the deaths of the two men killed in a police chase, (which has been cited as the reason for the riot), than opportunistic teens taking ‘revenge’ against law enforcement.

More than 20 police officers were injured and more than 6 million baht worth of damage was done to the police station and nearby vehicles during the October 10 riot (story here).

— Kongleaphy Keam