Navy ready to step in if more riots occur
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The Royal Thai Navy says it is ready to respond if the Thalang Police Station in Phuket province is attacked again.
The police station was rocked by a riot over the weekend.
Police are now taking steps to bring those responsible to justice, but it is rumoured that locals will take to the streets again if arrest warrants in connection with the riot are issued.
“I don’t think the situation will get out of control. All those facing arrest warrants are wrongdoers, and some of them are also involved in drugs and wayward behaviour,” Phuket’s police chief Pol Maj-General Patchara Boonyasit said yesterday.
Hundreds of locals went on a rampage on Saturday night over the death of two young drug suspects, who sustained fatal injuries when their motorbike crashed during a police chase. The riot lasted until the small hours of Sunday and left the police station and many vehicles parked in its compound damaged.
Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada said yesterday that he would work on ensuring justice to all sides, adding that the authorities would stick to the legal framework and treat everyone equally.
Phuket Tourism Council’s president Phurit Maswongsa said some Japanese tourists had cancelled their trip to Phuket in the wake of the rights.
“Some Singaporean tourists have also decided to postpone their trips,” he said.
So far, Phurit said the riot did not have as big an impact on the tourism sector as the recent haze problem.
