Local residents in Phuket have attacked a police station on the island after riots erupted over the deaths of two young men who were killed in a collision with a police auto on Saturday.
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Hundreds of protestors held up traffic causing long delays on Saturday and Sunday, Amnuay Kraiwuttinan of Phuket police said.
The protest occurred outside the island’s main tourist areas at the Thalang Police Station, where a crowd that swelled to more than 300 people blocked the road between 8 p.m. Saturday and 4 a.m. Sunday, Amnuay said. 700 Army and Police reinforcements were called in to handle the mob that surrounded the police station.
Amnuay was quoted by The Guardian as having said that the rioters “threw things to break the windows first, then they threw fire bombs at the police and we had to move inside”.
Television footage showed angry protesters blocking the road in front of Talang police station in Phuket, 680km south of Bangkok. It was a riot.
Thalang Police Lt. Col. Amnoy Kraiwuttianan explained that the two men were drug suspects and were allegedly speeding when they spotted a police vehicle on Thepkasattri road near the airport.
Governor Chamreon said the person who damaged the glass door at the police station will be fined for damaging government property.
The protest centred around the deaths of two young Thai men – Prathomwat Panarak, 22, and a 17-year-old, Thirapong Srisamut. The pursuit ended with the police vehicle colliding with the fleeing motorcycle. The crash impact left both victims with severe head injuries and were both pronounced dead upon arrival at Thalang Hospital.
Lt Col Amnoy added that officers found 50 meth pills and one kilogramme of kratom on the victims at the accident site.
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Fourteen police officers were slightly injured in the confrontation with protesters.
