Thai Motorcycle Race Gangs Shoot Residents and Kill Police Officer by Phairath Khampha 20 November 2002 Anger as Thai bikers turn streets into race tracks A Thai policeman was beaten to death and six other people were injured when motorcycle gangs turned Bangkok city streets into race courses. In Muang district, three residents were wounded by gunshots fired by gang members late on the night of November 2, 2002. The residents were woken around midnight by the noisy racing along the old Phetkasem road. They were shot at after going out onto the road to hurl abuse at the racers. The motorcyclists opened fire, wounding three people, before speeding off, clearly demonstrating the increasing lawlessness in the streets of Bangkok. Later 88 youths were arrested in a drag-race crackdown. They were the children of members of Thailand's economic and political elite, thinking that because they had influential parents they could get away with any crime, including beating and murdering innocent ordinary people. And who said that Thailand was the land of smiles? La-ong Chanmaen, a municipal council member, was shot in the right hip, while his wife Duangnapa and Jetchamnong Rattanapol were also wounded. About the same time in Photharam district, members of two motorcycle gangs were brawling in front of Wat Sanam Chai. Pol Sr Sgt-Maj Prakong Wangkra, head of a patrol unit of tambon Chet Samian police station, went to the scene on a motorcycle, wearing civilian clothes, and tried to break up the fight. He was beaten to death with hard objects. Three teenagers--Ananthawat Saruprat, Marut La-or-iam and Anucha Soisawat--were seriously injured in the fight. 88 youths arrested in drag-race crackdown Eighty-eight youngsters were arrested early November 3 for road racing and 90 motorcycles were seized, police said. About 130 policemen from nine police stations were involved in a dragnet operation that included setting up checkpoints at major intersections along Ekachai and Bang Bon Roads in Bangkok's Bang Khunthien district. The police operation followed complaints from local residents who had had to endure the deafening wail of motorbike engines as well as violence, beatings and shootings on Friday and Saturday nights, when the illegal races are regularly held. The operation began at about 11pm on November 2 and ran into the early hours of the following day. Many of the racers managed to escape arrest. Some left their motorbikes behind and fled. The arrested racers and seized motorcycles were taken to the Bang Khunthien police station. The racers were fined and later released, said station chief Colonel Kririn Inkaew. Police took the names and addresses of all the youngsters detained for future reference, he added. "Police will continue to be on the lookout for racing motorbikes. We will also check to see if the seized vehicles were stolen," Kririn said. Police were also keeping an eye on about 30 car-repair shops suspected of modifying motorcycles for illegal racing, said Maj-General Saneh Sathienpong, traffic inspector at the Thung Mahamek police station.