Mae Sai police hunt migrant youths after restaurant knife chase

Police in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai, are examining CCTV footage and searching for a group of migrant youths after a violent chase involving long knives spilled into a hotpot restaurant on the night of 26 September.

The confrontation, reported on 27 September, left several hotpot cooking vessels broken and customers fleeing in alarm from the restaurant in Ban Mueang Daeng, Moo 2, Mae Sai subdistrict.

The incident happened at about 10.15pm, according to footage from a camera near the restaurant counter.

Chase began after earlier dispute

Witnesses and restaurant staff said three foreign youths arrived outside the busy restaurant on one motorcycle. They were believed to have been trying to get away from a rival group and find a safe place.

Two further motorcycles then arrived behind them, with their riders shouting.

However, the three youths who had stopped outside the restaurant reportedly produced long knives and machetes, they had been carrying, got off their motorcycle and ran towards the group following them. The pursuing group accelerated away before dropping their motorcycles and running into the hotpot restaurant in an attempt to escape.

A witness told reporters that an argument and confrontation had taken place earlier outside Wat Mueang Daeng, about 200 to 300 metres from the restaurant. The groups then rode after each other until the dispute escalated at the restaurant.

Customers ran as violence entered restaurant

CCTV footage reportedly shows the three knife-carrying youths chasing their rivals into the restaurant, in full view of diners and the owner, who was sitting at the counter.

A traffic cone from outside the premises was also thrown during the disturbance. The group then allegedly attacked the other side, causing a motorcycle to be damaged, before quickly fleeing.

Several of the restaurant's hotpot vessels were damaged in the chaos, while customers ran from the premises in panic.

Police said all of the suspected attackers were understood to be migrant workers or foreign minors living in the area. Officers are reviewing evidence from the security cameras and are trying to locate those involved for legal action.

Picture courtesy of khoaded

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28 September 2026