PHUKET: A 15-year-old boy shot dead on the final night of Phuket's Vegetarian Festival was the innocent victim of gang warfare between two men, both on bail for attempted murder, police said today.
Four arrests have been made over the killing and two more youths are being sought.
As a result of the fatal shootout, authorities in Phuket City aim to close the road running beside a canal near Saphan Hin from 10pm to 5am in an attempt to end the appeal of the public park to bike gangs.
Pathompong Sae-tin, 22, of the Max Tim gang was riding with about 10 other gang members on the final night of the Vegetarian Festival early on Thursday when he spotted an old rival near the Lucky building, a disused landmark in Saphan Hin park.
Chinnakrit Kaerdthong, 18, was partying at the spot with members of two gangs, his own Wanwai gang and another group, the Kor-lai gang.
Both men were on bail for attempted murder and had a long-standing rivalry, police said today.
In the wake of the killing of the boy, both men accused each other of firing the fatal shots.
Khun Pathompong told police he rode off from the scene after encountering Khun Chinnakrit, firing his .38 into the air several times.
Khun Chinnakrit fired his weapon too, but was not so careful. Another gang member is believed to have fired the .9mm fatal shots.
Police believe in aiming to shoot their gang rival, two bullets struck the 15-year-old boy, killing him as he rode pillion with friends.
Other bullets struck three other youngsters, aged 14 to 15, inflicting non-fatal wounds.
Two of the four arrested gang members are under age, and police believe one of the wanted men still free fired the deadly shots.
Four arrests have been made over the killing and two more youths are being sought.
As a result of the fatal shootout, authorities in Phuket City aim to close the road running beside a canal near Saphan Hin from 10pm to 5am in an attempt to end the appeal of the public park to bike gangs.
Pathompong Sae-tin, 22, of the Max Tim gang was riding with about 10 other gang members on the final night of the Vegetarian Festival early on Thursday when he spotted an old rival near the Lucky building, a disused landmark in Saphan Hin park.
Chinnakrit Kaerdthong, 18, was partying at the spot with members of two gangs, his own Wanwai gang and another group, the Kor-lai gang.
Both men were on bail for attempted murder and had a long-standing rivalry, police said today.
In the wake of the killing of the boy, both men accused each other of firing the fatal shots.
Khun Pathompong told police he rode off from the scene after encountering Khun Chinnakrit, firing his .38 into the air several times.
Khun Chinnakrit fired his weapon too, but was not so careful. Another gang member is believed to have fired the .9mm fatal shots.
Police believe in aiming to shoot their gang rival, two bullets struck the 15-year-old boy, killing him as he rode pillion with friends.
Other bullets struck three other youngsters, aged 14 to 15, inflicting non-fatal wounds.
Two of the four arrested gang members are under age, and police believe one of the wanted men still free fired the deadly shots.
both were on bail for attempted murder and they put them back out in the community now they are involved in a another murder waving .38 and 9 mill pistols what is this place the wild west.
Posted by slickmelb on October 26, 2015 15:21