Picture courtesy of Khoasod.

 

Police in Udon Thani have apprehended three juveniles involved in the theft of a sidecar motorcycle, with the leader of the group shockingly revealed to be just 12 years old. The boy had only been released from a juvenile detention centre two months prior.

 

 

The incident came to light after a local resident reported the theft of a blue sidecar motorcycle parked in Mueang District to Non Sung Police Substation. Police investigators, led by Pol. Sub Lt. Udomchok Singhakhunsiri, reviewed nearby CCTV footage and spotted three young boys acting suspiciously at around 03:45 on 18 April. Two were then seen riding the stolen vehicle, while the third followed on another motorcycle.

 

Upon reviewing the footage, officers immediately recognised the suspects as local youths previously involved in similar crimes during the past year. The police quickly moved to arrest the trio at their homes in Village 8, Nong Khon Kwang Subdistrict.

 

The arrested youths were identified only as;

 

• Master A, aged 12 – identified as the gang leader

• Master B, aged 13

• Master C, aged 14

 

During questioning, all three confessed to stealing the motorcycle. They claimed that they had initially been riding a relative’s bike, which was running low on fuel. In an attempt to siphon petrol, they stole the entire sidecar motorcycle, later parking it by a nearby reservoir to extract the fuel before fleeing the scene.

 

Further investigation revealed that Master A had planned to dismantle the stolen vehicle and sell it for parts. The bike was moved to the rear of a seafood restaurant near the entrance to Udon Thani Industrial Estate, where some components had already been removed before the arrests were made.

 

Pol. Sub Lt. Udomchok stated that the boys were known repeat offenders. Master A had been released from a juvenile detention facility just two months earlier, following a previous theft in which the victim declined to press charges due to the offender’s young age.

 

Authorities are now proceeding with legal action, and the case has once again sparked debate over juvenile crime and rehabilitation in the country.

 

Adapted by ASEAN Now from Khoasod.

 

-- 2025-04-20

 

 

 

 

10 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

• Master A, aged 12 – identified as the gang leader

The other 2 were dumb sh*ts......

 

But their mothers love them - well maybe.....

Looks like Thailand has a glowing future.

Just about the only thing moslim countries like in Saudi arabia (and Singapore , I think),

have right : Corporal punishment.

 

4 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

the boys were known repeat offenders. Master A had been released from a juvenile detention facility just two months earlier, following a previous theft in which the victim declined to press charges due to the offender’s young age.

A good caning , maybe even cut off a hand , would make them think twice before stealing. Juvenile or adults.

5 minutes ago, FlorC said:

Just about the only thing moslim countries like in Saudi arabia (and Singapore , I think),

have right : Corporal punishment.

 

A good caning , maybe even cut off a hand , would make them think twice before stealing. Juvenile or adults.

A little extreme wouldn't you think? Yes, enforcement of laws and having them responsible for their actions would go a long way to reducing these types of crime. In the US, even pre teens are charged with crimes, and there will be some kind of punishment. The problem lies at home. Children, many here , grow up without fathers around. Boys go to jail and girls get pregnant early. This does happen all over, but more so in poorer countries. The whole way of old school thinking here needs to change, but that will be a long time coming because of ingrained attitudes. A weak justice system is to blame.

3 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

A little extreme wouldn't you think? Yes, enforcement of laws and having them responsible for their actions would go a long way to reducing these types of crime. In the US, even pre teens are charged with crimes, and there will be some kind of punishment. The problem lies at home. Children, many here , grow up without fathers around. Boys go to jail and girls get pregnant early. This does happen all over, but more so in poorer countries. The whole way of old school thinking here needs to change, but that will be a long time coming because of ingrained attitudes. A weak justice system is to blame.

 

I agree with most of your post, but the justice system is not to blame.

That is trying to treat the symptom, not the disease.

ie the crime has already been committed.

Discipline and morals are first taught in the home,

Every day.

They should be re-enforced in the education system.

 

4 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

spotted three young boys acting suspiciously at around 03:45

No discipline at home allows this.

Boys had a genitor, but no father....

 

They will never even know how unlucky they are....

6 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

I agree with most of your post, but the justice system is not to blame.

That is trying to treat the symptom, not the disease.

ie the crime has already been committed.

Discipline and morals are first taught in the home,

Every day.

They should be re-enforced in the education system.

 

No discipline at home allows this.

A weak justice system teaches children they can do whatever they want and will only get a slap on the wrist. This happens worldwide but more so here, where corruption reaches all the way up. If children below a certain age aren't held accountable, they think, "they can't get me, I'm too young", and they're right. Holding parents responsible can help, but a wai and a 100 baht fine tells them it's no big deal, and later they'll think they're immune because they got away with things when they were younger. No fathers and sometimes mothers, around, has these kids running rampant on society. But yes, as I've said, and you know, it starts at home.

Let them push the motorbike back to the owner and apologize to him. 

45 minutes ago, JimHuaHin said:

Looks like Thailand has a glowing future.

So, just because they find a 12 year old gang leader, which probably is a very strong word. He was the one that controlled 2 others. Then there is no future for the country? How do you figure that? Does things like this not exist in other countries? Are we all doomed?

I remember a few years back a motorbike theft ring was broken up after multiple thefts.

The thieves were asked: How do they know which bikes to steal?

Answer: We just look for bikes that have the keys left in the bike.

5 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The boy had only been released from a juvenile detention centre two months prior.

 

Ceratinly no hope for him then

30 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Then there is no future for the country

 

The next PM? Got to be better than the present one?

53 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

So, just because they find a 12 year old gang leader, which probably is a very strong word. He was the one that controlled 2 others. Then there is no future for the country? How do you figure that? Does things like this not exist in other countries? Are we all doomed?

The future for any country starts in that countries homes. Children that don't have a father's influence, meaning a good influence, end up looking to peers, who come from the same environments, how to act. Gangs come from individuals who think the same as others. Just like mob justice, where one idiot does something wrong, and the sheep, who are weak minded followers, follow with more stupid acts. The breakdown of families is the breakdown of society. The more these kinds are allowed to get away with criminal activity, especially at a young age, the more society breaks down. It can be called a gang, and all gangs have leaders. People others who are weak look up to and follow with criminal activity. Look at how many followed Hitler, for one example, and these weren't all children but adults.

1 hour ago, fredwiggy said:

Children that don't have a father's influence

Oh, you are the old age. Looking for the important father figure. Like time have showed already, you pillar of society 65-70+ overvalued yourselves far too much. Today as before, there are many children growing up with single mothers that turns out perfectly well.

3 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Oh, you are the old age. Looking for the important father figure. Like time have showed already, you pillar of society 65-70+ overvalued yourselves far too much. Today as before, there are many children growing up with single mothers that turns out perfectly well.

Old age? I've raised children for 38 years, and still counting until my 8 year old is out of the house. I have been raising my children mostly on my own, so overvaluing myself isn't part of that, because I'm not selfish. The only reason I'm still in Thailand is because I'm waiting for the right time to re-establish back home with my daughter. 

 

Yes, some children with single mothers, and fathers, grow up okay, but it's very important that they also have a good role model that's of the opposite gender to have balance. A mother can't teach a boy how to be a man as well as a man can, and a dad can't teach a daughter how to be a lady as well as a good mom can. They need both sides in any ways they can get them or there will be problems later on in their interpersonal relationships. You don't get to see the end product unless you follow those children throughout their lives from child to adulthood, married or in relationships.

 

Some girls can do very well in school with a single mom raising them, and completely fail when they get into a relationship with a man, because they never saw a man-woman relationship that worked growing up in their own home, which is the most important environment.Boys also need to see their moms treated well by a man, or else they'll look to their peers how to treat girls, which is usually not a good learning tool.