Street racers rounded up on Vibhavadi Rangsit road, motorbikes seized

ACTING ON complaints from people living in Lak Si area that they were being disturbed by street racers zoom up and down Vibhavadi Rangsit road all night, police rounded seven suspects with one of them being the sponsor of the race who had come in a pick-up truck, Naewna newspaper said this afternoon (Mar. 10).

Pol. Lt. Gen. Samran Nuanma, assistant police chief and head of a unit to prevent and suppress unsafe driving and street racing, sent a team to investigate the complaints and arrest the racers.

At 3 a.m. on Friday (Mar. 8) police seized seven motorcycles and a pick-up truck in arresting the seven racers identified as Mr. Thammarat (surname withheld), 27, Mr. Apiwat, 19, Mr. Anusorn, 26, Mr. Thawin, 20, Mr. Thammanoon, 23, Mr. Kotcharat, 21, and Mr. Thanakorn, 24.

All seven confessed to having gathered at Vibhavadi Rangsit road to race on a real road before being apprehended.

Later Don Mueang District Court sentenced defendants one to six to one month in jail and a 6,000 baht fine each. The seventh defendant who is the owner of the pick-up truck and the sponsor of the street race was given 20 days in jail and fined 4,000 baht with the jail term suspended for one year plus ordered to do 24 hours of community service.

The court ordered the confiscation of all motorcycles and the pick-up truck.

Pol. Lt. Gen. Samran said National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Torsak Sukwimon had ordered his unit to crack down on people driving recklessly and street racers with the latter usually invited to join these races via social media. Those affected were urged to report them at hotline 191 or 1599 all 24 hours a day.

CAPTION:

Street racers arrested on Vibhavadi Rangsit road. Photos: Naewna