CCTV footage of the attack marked the incident occurring at 00:20am last Saturday (Apr 26), with more than 20 youths on at least 10 motorbikes travelling along Wiset Rd together.
The first members of the gang were chasing another youth on a motorbike, who made a rapid u-turn on the divided road and sped off in the opposite direction.
While he was making his getaway, however, several ping pong bombs were thrown at him, one narrowly missing its target.
Videos of the incident shared online spurred police into action.
Officers from Chalong Police yesterday (Apr 29) arrested three suspects involved in the attack at a location on Soi Thanuthep in Moo 8, Chalong,
The three suspects, all from Phuket, were named as:
- Chanaphon ‘X’ Nuankaew, 18, from Moo 3, Wichit, accused of “possessing explosives that the registrar cannot issue a license for”;
- Suphakiat Boonheng, 20, from Moo 3, Ratsada, accused of “possessing ammunition without permission from the registrar”; and
- Phirawat Kingkaew, 17, from Moo 3, Wichit, accused of “possessing explosives that the registrar cannot issue a license for”.
Chalong Police confirmed that all three are in custody and facing legal proceedings.
Of note, however, photos provided by Chalong Police showed six youths arrested.
The youths were pictured separately in front of a variety of weapons seized including ping bomb bombs and shotgun cartridges, usually used as ammunition to be fired from an illegal home-made firearm.
One of the youths was caught with a home-made machete.