A 16-year-old student of Bang Kapi Technology College was arrested yesterday for shooting at a bus and killing a nine-year-old boy on Wednesday morning.
Min Buri police chief Pol Colonel Rattasak Raksalam said the second-year mechanical engineer student - who can't be named because of his age - admitted he had fired a shotgun at a group of students from Min Buri Technical College on a No-113 bus.
The shot fatally hit Wat Bumpenneu School third-grader Jatuporn Pholphaka, who was waiting to get off the bus when the attack occurred. He was later pronounced dead at Kasemrat Hospital.
The suspected shooter was nabbed along with a 19-year-old accomplice, Pariwat Lohphunmee, together with a shotgun and ammunition. Police said both students confessed and were initially charged with murder, illegally possessing a gun and ammunition, and carrying a gun in a public place.
The blatant attack costing an innocent life left Royal Thai Police adviser Pol General Panupong Singhara na Ayudhya so angry that he called such student brawlers "trigger-happy cowards" during yesterday's press conference.
Metropolitan Area 3 chief Samreung Suwannapong offered condolences to the victim's family and said police had anticipated a violent incident, as it was the Min Buri Technical College's Foundation Day, but it took place in an unexpected place.
Samreung said the two suspects confessed to having had a drinking party with eight other students in Soi Ramkhamhaeng 166 near the scene. Pariwat then left on a motorbike to fill up with gasoline when he ran into the rival students on board the No-113 bus. There was abuse and missiles were thrown.
Pariwat went back to his friends and they all gathered at the mouth of Soi 166 to attack the rivals on the bus. The alleged shooter opened fire on the bus as it arrived, Samreung said.
As the group fled, the suspect hopped on Pariwat's motorcycle and then hid the gun at Pariwat's home, Samreung said. Police apprehended them along with the evidence at 2am yesterday. Police are now looking for the other eight students.
The alleged shooter told the press conference he was sorry for his act and apologised to Jatuporn's parents. He said he did not mean to harm the boy.
He confessed he had bought the gun in Nong Chik area for Bt2,500 to shoot rival technical college students. He urged college students not to repeat his act which affected the innocent, in particular.
Later yesterday, Panupong and Metropolitan Police chief Pol Lt-Gen Santhan Chayanont joined a meeting with representatives of Bang Kapi Technology School, Krungthep Industrial Works School, and Dusit Technology School to step up measures to prevent student brawls. Panupong also asked the schools to cooperate with police by submitting lists of problem students.
Pariwat was taken to re-enact the crime yesterday afternoon for 30 minutes, during which the victim's uncle yelled, "Why did you kill my nephew?".
Meanwhile, Education Minister Chinnavorn Boonyakiat said he would call a meeting of representatives from 18 at-risk colleges to Parliament. He planned three levels of punishment for colleges with repeated problems of student clashes. They were: a 5-10day temporary closure of the school; a cut in the school subsidy; and revocation of the school licence. He also would ask for police help in overseeing student thugs during after-class hours.
The mother and elder brother of Jatuporn tearfully collected the boy's body from the Police General Hospital morgue yesterday for a funeral at Wat Bumpenneu. Rights and Liberties Protection Department chief Suwana Suwanjutha, who attended the funeral, said the department would pay the family about Bt90,000 (S$3,897) in compensation.
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