Charges against 14 tech students after fatal Bangkok brawl

[webfact]

Charges against 14 tech students after fatal brawl
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Police have filed charges against 14 technology college students for their alleged roles in Tuesday's brawl in Bangkok's Suan Luang district that led to one death and one injury, the acting metropolitan police commissioner said yesterday.

Pol Maj-General Sanit Mahathavorn said the students claimed the brawl stemmed from a long-standing college rivalry, not personal conflict. Police said they would organise a two-night camp for the students of various colleges to boost friendly relations between them, he said.

Some of the students, including Abhisit Leulai, 20, were paraded before the media along with various items of evidence, including a handmade pistol, a pen gun and six knives. Two of his 18-year-old schoolmates were also paraded before the media.

Sanit said seven students, including two shooters aged 16 and 17, surrendered at 4am yesterday. Abhisit's seven-strong group had also been placed under arrest.

While both sides were charged with carrying weapons in a public place without permission, Abhisit's rivals also faced charges of murder and attempted murder.

Members of one group claimed they were waiting at a bus stop near Iam Sombat Market when Abhisit's followers came along on a city bus and threatened them with a pen gun. Two students on a motorcycle shot at Abhisit's group and forced them off the bus.

"I don't know how it happened. I tried to stop the fight. People saw I was on the bus and my group didn't force the bus to pull over," Abhisit said. He added that he had already lost a friend in a previous fight and he had only just returned to class after a long break.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Dapong Ratanasuwan yesterday told his ministerial executives to integrate efforts to solve the problem of brawling students. He was responding to a directive issued by Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday.

Dapong urged colleges to search their students for weapons and warn youngsters of the serious penalties for fighting. Dapong said he would discuss with Justice Minister General Paiboon Koomchaya more concrete measures to stop student brawling.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Charges-against-14-tech-students-after-fatal-brawl-30273727.html


-- The Nation 2015-11-26

[thesetat2013]

Didn't they pass a law or make a rule that if these students from colleges were caught in rivalry fights that the school would be held responsible and closed? Yet, I don't see any mention of this here.

It begs to wonder where these boys learned to make pen guns and handmade pistols as well as getting the ammunition for them.

[laislica]

Sadly, it's a culture thing, everyone knows about it and could care less!

[NongKhaiKid]

A two night camp to foster good relations ? Yes that should work and remove long and deep seated rivalries !

What's the odds there's a fight or two ?

[Laughing Gravy]

I can see it now. Singing 'ging gang goolie'. Oh yes all is well now. Good students again. Pass the marsh mellows. Just thugs plain and simple. You would expect that past school age that they would be mature enough not to link an identity (college) to hate and rage. Just an excuse to be thuggish. Throw them in jail.

[Prbkk]

As I recall, The General promised to fix this problem. Is it on the list of achievements soon to be published?,

[KIWIBATCH]

Close each of the two tech colleges involved for 1 month.......then perhaps peer pressure from the other responsible students.......might come to bear.

[tominbkk]

Tech school goons will never stop - they are a part of Thai culture. Owners and Directors of these schools promote this kind of activity...all about honor for their school.

I would say any school that is caught with students committing thuggery should be heavily fined and closed for the semester. I think it would stop then.

[scorecard]

Didn't they pass a law or make a rule that if these students from colleges were caught in rivalry fights that the school would be held responsible and closed? Yet, I don't see any mention of this here.

It begs to wonder where these boys learned to make pen guns and handmade pistols as well as getting the ammunition for them.

I'll say it again, many Thais will tell you that there are plenty of teachers at these tech. schools who strongly encourage and goad these students into fighting other kids to gain a 'top dog' status or image for their own school.

[klauskunkel]

A two night camp to foster good relations ? Yes that should work and remove long and deep seated rivalries !

What's the odds there's a fight or two ?

pillow fight

[sanukjim]

Sadly, it's a culture thing, everyone knows about it and could care less!

I have been living here off and on since the 70s and it has always seemed to have been the" right of passage" in the Technical University s, that students must prove their ability of a violent nature by attacking and inflecting harm on students at another Technical University.It seems as though that many of the students are the unruly sons sent here by wealthy parents and many are immune from prosecution.That is until the army took over.Same thing happen in 1973 and later in the 70s.

[petermik]

Put them in a room unarmed with the same number of western morons and lets see how tough they really are

[CelticBhoy]

Abhisit added that he had already lost a friend in a previous fight and he had only just returned to class after a long break.

I think Abhisit here can look forward to a much longer break this time.

[dageurreotype]

Didn't they pass a law or make a rule that if these students from colleges were caught in rivalry fights that the school would be held responsible and closed? Yet, I don't see any mention of this here.

It begs to wonder where these boys learned to make pen guns and handmade pistols as well as getting the ammunition for them.

I'll say it again, many Thais will tell you that there are plenty of teachers at these tech. schools who strongly encourage and goad these students into fighting other kids to gain a 'top dog' status or image for their own school.

If this is true, and I've no doubt as to the veracity of what you say, then the so called educators of this country are ensuring it remains a fundamentally barbaric one.

[ivan96822]

I hope it was worth it. Meanwhile, the rest of us can drink and be merry in LOS...

[thesetat2013]

Didn't they pass a law or make a rule that if these students from colleges were caught in rivalry fights that the school would be held responsible and closed? Yet, I don't see any mention of this here.

It begs to wonder where these boys learned to make pen guns and handmade pistols as well as getting the ammunition for them.

I'll say it again, many Thais will tell you that there are plenty of teachers at these tech. schools who strongly encourage and goad these students into fighting other kids to gain a 'top dog' status or image for their own school.

If this is true, and I've no doubt as to the veracity of what you say, then the so called educators of this country are ensuring it remains a fundamentally barbaric one.

If you ever taught in the schools of Thailand you understand that many things the schools still do would be considered barbaric. Why not this one as well?

[z42]

The private school I teach in at the moment is immediately next to a Technical / Vocational college, and what are widely considered to be some of the dumbest male students in my school (overly privileged little princes is a fair term) were severely scolded by one of the department heads for cursing and goading students from the Technical college.

Only later when talking to the head of department did she say that very recently had security staff at the school I work in, stop a group of guys from the technical college coming on campus with a range of weapons inc meat cleavers, knives, a tazer, and pepper spray.

All about face, instilling some BS honour, and maybe some type of adrenaline rush. Pathetic obviously, but still scary that these people are so brazen in their pursuit of mindless violence

[laislica]

Sadly, it's a culture thing, everyone knows about it and could care less!

I have been living here off and on since the 70s and it has always seemed to have been the" right of passage" in the Technical University s, that students must prove their ability of a violent nature by attacking and inflecting harm on students at another Technical University.It seems as though that many of the students are the unruly sons sent here by wealthy parents and many are immune from prosecution.That is until the army took over.Same thing happen in 1973 and later in the 70s.

I lost a 19 year old step son to this BS last year.

I was told by a very nice and seemingly intelligent Evidence Officer involved with the case that:

Currently, the older students who have already "qualified" by violence, even murder, require the juniors to do the same - so they can belong to the group.

A 16 yr old is powerless to resist this kind of pressure.

I believe that the solution lies in the hands of the schools.

They must expel everyone who has been involved in violence and create a clean slate.

Never going to happen, there would be no students.

As to the students all being spoiled rich kids - not true.

There are some of course but many are lads who want to learn a trade so they can make a living.

The country needs tradesmen, maybe even more than uni produced - managers and bosses?

I was an apprentice in the UK, started on the 15 th April 1957, aged 15, straight out of school but I did "night school" couldn't afford the time to go to college.....

We had practical jokes that were played by peers on peers and not on apprentices from other companies.

There was rivalry and pride though but it never got out of hand like it does in Thailand.

[Howitzer]

Sadly, it's a culture thing, everyone knows about it and could care less!

I have been living here off and on since the 70s and it has always seemed to have been the" right of passage" in the Technical University s, that students must prove their ability of a violent nature by attacking and inflecting harm on students at another Technical University.It seems as though that many of the students are the unruly sons sent here by wealthy parents and many are immune from prosecution.That is until the army took over.Same thing happen in 1973 and later in the 70s.

I lost a 19 year old step son to this BS last year.

I was told by a very nice and seemingly intelligent Evidence Officer involved with the case that:

Currently, the older students who have already "qualified" by violence, even murder, require the juniors to do the same - so they can belong to the group.

A 16 yr old is powerless to resist this kind of pressure.

I believe that the solution lies in the hands of the schools.

They must expel everyone who has been involved in violence and create a clean slate.

Never going to happen, there would be no students.

As to the students all being spoiled rich kids - not true.

There are some of course but many are lads who want to learn a trade so they can make a living.

The country needs tradesmen, maybe even more than uni produced - managers and bosses?

I was an apprentice in the UK, started on the 15 th April 1957, aged 15, straight out of school but I did "night school" couldn't afford the time to go to college.....

We had practical jokes that were played by peers on peers and not on apprentices from other companies.

There was rivalry and pride though but it never got out of hand like it does in Thailand.

Wow you are 73 this year

[Howitzer]

Sadly, it's a culture thing, everyone knows about it and could care less!

I have been living here off and on since the 70s and it has always seemed to have been the" right of passage" in the Technical University s, that students must prove their ability of a violent nature by attacking and inflecting harm on students at another Technical University.It seems as though that many of the students are the unruly sons sent here by wealthy parents and many are immune from prosecution.That is until the army took over.Same thing happen in 1973 and later in the 70s.

what is the purpose of doing that and what are the names of such schools?

[laislica]

@Howitzer, you should ask sanukjim about the schools.

Yes, 73 and ten months LOL

(But only 18 on the inside lol)

Sadly, it's a culture thing, everyone knows about it and could care less!

I have been living here off and on since the 70s and it has always seemed to have been the" right of passage" in the Technical University s, that students must prove their ability of a violent nature by attacking and inflecting harm on students at another Technical University.It seems as though that many of the students are the unruly sons sent here by wealthy parents and many are immune from prosecution.That is until the army took over.Same thing happen in 1973 and later in the 70s.