This morning Phuket police chief Maj Gen Patchara Boonyasit introduced two of the robbers to the press, naming them as Kanokpon Wijit, 18, and Thanit Kantientham, 19. The third was a 17-year-old named only (for legal reasons) as “A”.
Kanokpon and A were charged with robbery and assault while using a vehicle. Thanit was charged with assisting in the robbery.
Gen Patchara explained that at around 5:30pm yesterday 14-year-old Tawan Awutphet was driving his Yamaha Fino along Thepkasattri Rd and was ordered to pull over by two boys – Kanokpon and A – on a Honda Click that drove up next to him.
When he obeyed their order and stopped in front of Wat Sapamthammaram in Koh Kaew, Kanokpon slashed his back with a box cutter and told Tawan to let go of the motorbike and his mobile phone.
Tawan jumped off his motorbike in a panic and one of his attackers jumped on the bike and rode off on it, leaving Tawan in the road.
Police checking CCTV footage after the robbery was reported and were able to identify the suspects as they rode along. They saw the attackers park the victim’s motorbike in a lot next to the Robinson Ocean store on Thavornwongwong Rd.
Officers were sent to wait and watch. At about 10:30pm Thanit drove a Honda Click into the lot with Kanokpon on the back to collect the stolen bike.
When the duo spotted the police, they abandoned the stolen motorbike and tried to make a run for it but were surrounded by police.
Under questioning they gave up the name of the third member of the gang, A. He was arrested at his home Soi Janatsawasook in Talad Yai.
Police seized from them a Honda Click and a Yamaha Fino, a Lava mobile phone, and a three-inch box cutter knife.
The trio told police they stole the motorbike because it was “pretty and has a great engine”.
Checks revealed that all three had police records. A and Kanokpon had been arrested previously on narcotics charges while Thanit was out on bail while a case against him on a murder conspiracy charge was being heard by the Phuket Court.