LAMPANG– Police have arrested a 23-year-old man after he crossed into the opposing lane and purposely crashed into a motorcycle carrying an 11-year-old girl and her sister. After knocking them down, he did a U-turn to chase another motorbike carrying a father, mother and their child.
The family had to jump off their bike and run for safety, hiding behind a building as the car sped towards them. The vehicle smashed into an icebox and another motorbike before fleeing the scene. The incident captured on CCTV was later shared widely on social media, with many people calling for help in finding the vehicle and the driver.
Police responding to the site found Mrs Ketkaew Kaewkamngam, 42, the mother of 11-year-old Fang, who was hit by the car. She pointed out where she and her daughter were struck and where they had to escape and hide.
11-year-old Fang explained she was riding with her sister to buy things at a market. As they reached the entrance of Soi 11, the car came straight at them against traffic, causing them to fall onto the road. After getting up, they saw the car turn as if to hit them again, so they ran for cover.
She then saw the car chase after the family on the other bike, crash into their motorbike, hit a nearby shop sign and drive off.
The village chief, along with police, soon tracked down the driver, identified as Nu, 23. His father, Chai, 53, said his son left home to buy something and returned with damage to the car. Nu claimed he’d hit a rubbish bin.
When Mr. Chai was shown footage of the incident, he was shocked and said he would take responsibility for the damages and try to support the victims as best he could. He admitted that his son had struggled with mental health issues since he was 18 and had only just finished military service two months ago.
In the days before the incident, Nu had seemed distant but hadn’t shown any signs of violence. Chai believes his son’s condition may have worsened because he did not take his medication while in the army.
When police interviewed Nu, he was confused and struggled to answer questions. He said he was aware of the crash but became mixed up when asked for more details.
Mr Chalermpol Malathong, 25, the father of the family chased by the car, showed reporters his damaged motorbike. He described how he was heading to the market behind the girls. After the first crash, he saw things were turning dangerous, so his partner jumped off their motorbike and told those who had fallen to run.
He stopped his bike near a shop, grabbed his daughter and ran for cover behind a pillar. Moments later, the car sped at them, hit their bike and the shop sign, then fled. His daughter was left frightened and shaken.
After police caught the suspect, they learned he had no money and was willing to go to jail instead. Everyone involved is now focused on recovering and seeking fair support for those affected.
