Seven youths aged 13–17 have been arrested for robbing a Japanese tourist who had lost his way in the Makkasan area. They claim they used only their fists, making off with 1,400 baht — split 200 baht each. Police are preparing to conduct a multidisciplinary interview before formally charging them under the law.
At around 8:00 p.m. on 12 August, a Japanese male tourist took a wrong turn while trying to find his way to Makkasan Airport Rail Link station, and wandered into a public park behind the station in the Asok–Din Daeng soi area. A group of seven male teenagers riding two motorcycles then approached and demanded money from him. When the victim refused, the group assaulted him — punching him and striking him with rocks until he was injured — before fleeing in different directions.
At 7:20 p.m. on 13 August, Police Lieutenant Colonel Sakkaya Sangwan, Deputy Commander of Metropolitan Police Division 1, together with the investigative units of Makkasan Police Station and Din Daeng Police Station, apprehended all seven youths, aged between 13 and 17, who had taken part in the incident. They were tracked down and arrested at a room inside an apartment building near Din Daeng Police Station.
In initial questioning, all of the youths stated that during the incident they had used only their fists to assault the victim and had not used any weapons, even though some of them had been carrying knives on their persons, which they did not take out or use. They obtained approximately 1,400 baht from the tourist, divided it at 200 baht per person, and had already spent it all.
The group of youths also admitted that on previous occasions they had frequently extorted money from other individuals in a similar manner, but that most of the time there had been no trouble — until this instance, when the tourist refused to hand over money, so they resorted to physical assault.
This morning, officers are preparing to invite a multidisciplinary team to jointly interview all seven youths before considering formally charging them and proceeding with legal action.
