Chiang Mai Provincial Police have imposed a 10 pm curfew for locals under 18 years old following a violent rampage by a criminal gang armed with samurai swords.
The commander of Provincial Police Region 5, Krittapon Yi-sakhon, told MumKhao news platform that a gang, mostly consisting of teenage Burmese nationals, had been causing chaos, committing theft, and harassing locals and tourists in Chiang Mai since January.
Krittapon announced a planned crackdown, with officers visiting the homes of the teenage gang members for questioning and arresting those found guilty. Alongside these operations, a 10 pm curfew will be implemented starting May 3.
Under the curfew, individuals under 18 are prohibited from leaving their homes without a parent or guardian after 10 pm. This measure aims to ensure their safety and prevent them from gathering to commit crimes.
Local residents praised the police efforts, expressing relief after repeated crimes had instilled fear in the community. The gang’s random attacks, often targeting innocent people without provocation, had caused significant concern.
A major incident occurred on May 1 when the samurai sword gang attacked and killed an innocent Thai man. The victim’s friends recounted that the gang had followed them while they were riding a motorcycle home in the early hours of the day.
The gang threw a ping pong bomb at their motorcycle, causing one friend to lose control of the vehicle. After the crash, the gang attacked his friend with their samurai swords before fleeing the scene.
The victim’s friends insisted they had no prior conflicts with the gang or anyone else. The deceased’s mother affirmed that her son was a good person who had moved to Chiang Mai’s city center to support his siblings’ education.
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