Almost 500 teenagers gather nightly for street racing in Pattani
Residents in Pattani asked for urgent action today, March 11, after large groups of teenagers were seen gathering overnight to race motorcycles on a public road, causing noise disruption and raising safety concerns for other road users.
The complaints centre on repeated incidents on Road 43. Residents said that nearly 500 people began assembling from about 12am, parking motorcycles along both sides of the road for more than 400 to 500 metres in Barahao subdistrict.
They added that the racing then intensifies from about 1am and continues until around 4am.
They said many of the motorcycles have modified exhaust pipes and produce loud noise throughout the night. Local observations indicate the group uses one lane to test motorcycles and the other lane for racing.
Large numbers of spectators were seen along the roadside, most of them under 18, with firecrackers set off at intervals.
The noise and night-time activity, residents said, disrupt nearby households, particularly families with young children, older people and bedridden patients, who are unable to rest properly.
Trucks and other vehicles using Road 43 are forced to weave around the groups, increasing the risk of accidents.
According to locals, the gatherings often involve racing and gambling and occur regularly during Ramadan each year. They added that a recent crash involved riders colliding with each other, resulting in three deaths and injuries to more than 10 people.
DailyNews reported that despite police enforcement efforts and arrests, residents said the problem returns shortly afterwards and continues to recur.
Locals called on relevant agencies to address the street racing issue more seriously, warning that further losses could follow if the situation is not brought under control.
Elsewhere, police in Phuket detained dozens of youths and seized modified motorbikes during late-night patrols aimed at ensuring safety during the Phuket Vegetarian Festival. The crackdown saw 45 young people detained and 13 illegally modified motorbikes seized.
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