PHUKET: Officers investigating the Phuket police station riot are now telling family and friends of those on the Wanted list to surrender immediately or face military-backed mass arrest.
Sixty-six names are on the Wanted list over the trashing of Thalang Police Station, wounds to more than 30 officers and the torching of more than nine vehicles in a 15-hour riot on October 11 that shut down the holiday island's main road.
Deputy Phuket Police Commander, Major General Theerapon Tipjalern, said today that the investigation would be wrapped up on November 15 with more names likely to be added to the current list of 66.
''We aim to deliver the names of those we wish to interview to the community leaders in the hope that community leaders can persuade the families of these young people to go to the police station voluntarily,'' he said. ''We hope this good advice is taken.
''The alternative is for us to conduct a swoop on the region with military support and make all the arrests at the same time.''
Village leaders in and around the Baan Don area, not far from Thalang Police Station, are expected to consider what to do over the next few days.
Police and Phuket authorities were left with no choice except to enforce and uphold the law, although some families did ask for the riot to simply be forgotten at ''peace talks'' that took place the following day.
The riot was triggered by the deaths of two young men from Baan Don in a police pursuit that went wrong earlier on the Saturday.
The two young men, suspected of carrying drugs, were killed in a motorcycle crash that occurred during the police pursuit.
A separate, independent investigation is taking place into the deaths. Phuket Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat, who heads the investigation team, is due to meet today and provide an update on the findings so far.
One question that remains unanswered is why it took so long for the violence to be quelled.
It was not until 3.30am on the Sunday morning that 200 troops, arriving after a five-hour drive from a distant province, forced the rioters to go home.
Embassy officials will have been seeking assurances from Phuket authorities that the holiday island can be made more secure from outbreaks of wanton violence in future.
Sixty-six names are on the Wanted list over the trashing of Thalang Police Station, wounds to more than 30 officers and the torching of more than nine vehicles in a 15-hour riot on October 11 that shut down the holiday island's main road.
Deputy Phuket Police Commander, Major General Theerapon Tipjalern, said today that the investigation would be wrapped up on November 15 with more names likely to be added to the current list of 66.
''We aim to deliver the names of those we wish to interview to the community leaders in the hope that community leaders can persuade the families of these young people to go to the police station voluntarily,'' he said. ''We hope this good advice is taken.
''The alternative is for us to conduct a swoop on the region with military support and make all the arrests at the same time.''
Village leaders in and around the Baan Don area, not far from Thalang Police Station, are expected to consider what to do over the next few days.
Police and Phuket authorities were left with no choice except to enforce and uphold the law, although some families did ask for the riot to simply be forgotten at ''peace talks'' that took place the following day.
The riot was triggered by the deaths of two young men from Baan Don in a police pursuit that went wrong earlier on the Saturday.
The two young men, suspected of carrying drugs, were killed in a motorcycle crash that occurred during the police pursuit.
A separate, independent investigation is taking place into the deaths. Phuket Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat, who heads the investigation team, is due to meet today and provide an update on the findings so far.
One question that remains unanswered is why it took so long for the violence to be quelled.
It was not until 3.30am on the Sunday morning that 200 troops, arriving after a five-hour drive from a distant province, forced the rioters to go home.
Embassy officials will have been seeking assurances from Phuket authorities that the holiday island can be made more secure from outbreaks of wanton violence in future.
while your swooping with military support can you do a swoop of the beaches too.
Posted by slickmelb on November 3, 2015 16:02