Bikes blazing across Phuket, arson suspected
Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- A series of suspected arson attacks on motorbikes in Phuket over the last two days has police scrambling to identify the culprit or culprits.

“We suspect that the bikes were set on fire by a single gang of teenagers out to cause trouble,” Phuket’s top cop, Phuket Provincial Police Commander Choti Chavalviwat, told the Phuket Gazette.

“I have already assigned a joint police force from Kamala, Kathu and Cherng Talay police stations to investigate the cases,” Gen Choti said.

The first incident was in the parking area of the popular Laem Singh Beach on March 12, in which four bikes were found blazing at around 4pm (story here).

Later that evening another bike was found burning on the side of the Pha Hin Tang Road.

The most recent motorbike to find itself burning rubber was on March 13 at 3pm along the Kathu - Koh Kaew Road, not far from the Phuket Mining Museum.

About 200 meters from the burning motorbike Lt Sawas Pholon of the Tung Tong Police and his team discovered a five-liter container of petrol hidden in the grass. Also not far away police found a helmet.

“All the evidence was gathered to check for finger prints,” Lt Sawas said.

Locals told police that the motorbike was owned by a gardener in the area who parked his bike there daily.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Bikes-blazing-across-Phuket-arson-suspected-20500.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-03-14

I've often wondered why there's not more vandalism in Phuket. Think of all those electric meters out in the open, water meters and pipes just waiting for some yobbo to smash them with a hammer. But recently I've noticed graffiti where there was never any before.

Maybe it's a sign of the times. I hope not.

Check to see if the bikes still have their original mufflers / silencers... if not, I could hazard a guess at why the arsonist is doing this...

Check to see if the bikes still have their original mufflers / silencers... if not, I could hazard a guess at why the arsonist is doing this...

Are you saying that loud motorbikes could actually set someone off?

Check to see if the bikes still have their original mufflers / silencers... if not, I could hazard a guess at why the arsonist is doing this...

Are you saying that loud motorbikes could actually set someone off?

If this is the case we should call the person Robin Hood of Phuket.

didn't the police say they were burning rubber