Phuket – A violent daylight attack outside a popular Phuket Town noodle shop has led to the arrest of four teenage suspects and the discovery of an illegal weapons arsenal, exposing concerning youth gang activity in the tourist hub. The brazen assault, captured on security cameras showing multiple attackers beating a Thai man on Bangkok Road, prompted a 48-hour police manhunt across the island.

Tourists Panic as Teenagers Fight and Shoot at each other at a Crowded Restaurant in Pattaya

Phuket City Police Chief Col. Pongpichan Saksri revealed investigators identified the suspects through CCTV footage and witness accounts, obtaining arrest warrants through the Phuket Provincial Court. The teens—all males aged 16-19—were tracked to a Kathu residence, where officers executed a search warrant uncovering two functional homemade firearms, a modified blank pistol, and 50 rounds of .38 caliber ammunition.

Alongside the weapons cache, police confiscated two motorbikes allegedly used as getaway vehicles and bloodstained clothing matching the assailants’ outfits in the viral attack video. “This wasn’t just a street fight—we’re investigating possible connections to organized youth gangs and illegal arms trafficking,” Col. Pongpichan stated during an evidence display at Phuket City Police Station.

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The victim, a 32-year-old local businessman, remains hospitalized with facial fractures and internal injuries. Authorities confirmed the assault stemmed from a personal dispute but warned that the weapons seizure suggests broader criminal operations. All four suspects now face attempted murder and firearms charges, with prosecutors fast-tracking the case given the defendants’ juvenile status.

-Thailand News (TN)