An 18 year old student lost his life on Sunday when he was viciously stabbed 10 times on the Bangkok 180 Bus. Based on the explanations by the under age assailant given to investigating police, it was either because he got on at the wrong stop or chose the wrong seat at the back of the bus. The senseless crimes saw a 17 year old arrested and charged when the canny bus driver drove to a local police station delivering the culprit, a minor under Thai law, to authorities.
A Sunday evening bus ride through Bangkok saw the death of an 18 year old school student when he disturbed a 17 year old from a rival college and his girlfriend on the Route 180 bus. Kamolchat Saen-aroon was stabbed up to 10 times with a paring knife when a row over where he should sit broke out between the two students from rival schools.
A 17 year old student at a vocational college in Bangkok was charged on Sunday with the murder of an 18 year old student from a rival educational institution after a row erupted on a Bangkok bus. The student was in third year at the Bangkok Technology School. Thai police have not released the name of the accused as he is a minor.
Student initially claimed he killed fellow bus passenger as he didn’t want his sitting next to him and his girlfriend on the bus
The accused man told Thai police on Sunday following his arrest, that he was sitting at the second last row from the back of the bus when another passenger, the 18 year old victim took a seat behind him and his girlfriend. He told the police the he did not wish anyone sitting in close proximity. He asked the other passenger, a 12th grade student from the Pathum Kongka School to move but he refused his request.
Victim stabbed 10 times with a paring knife
The victim has been named as Kamolchat Saen-aroon. The bus was travelling through Bangkok on Rama III road in the Khlong Toei area of the city. The older student had boarded the bus at the Customs Department and sat at the back of the bus behind the couple.
The 17 year old student admitted to Thai police that he had killed Kamolchat because he had ignored his request to move seats. The victim was stabbed up to 10 times with a large paring knife. He is reported to have died from his wounds at the Theptharin Hospital where he was taken following the attack on the 180 bus.
Bus driver drove bus to the police station after locking the door where attacker was arrested
The bus driver, Sompong Komthing, recounted to investigating Thai police that both students had gotten onto his bus at the same time. He recalled that a disturbance and fight broke out shortly after the bus moved onto the expressway. He responded by locking the door of the bus and making for the nearest police station. The bus later pulled into Thai Rua police station. The 17 year old culprit was arrested at 6.30pm after trying to escape the vehicle through a window. He was charged with killing the 18 year old Kamolchat Saen-aroon and carrying a knife in public without authorization.
Attacker changes story and blames feud between Bangkok schools as the provocation for his act
A spokesman for the Thai police said on Monday that the young man had altered his story and recollection of the stabbing incident which led to the death of Kamolchat Saen-aroon. The 18th year old said the his attack was motivated by a long running feud and rivalry between his college and the school of the victim. Colonel Sombat Kaenwijit of the Royal Thai Police seems to understand this. He told the media on Monday: ‘They just happened to meet and got into a heated argument,’ the police officer explained. ‘They didn’t know each other, but students from these two institutions are known to be rivals. That’s the trigger point.’
There is, in fact, a history between the two institutions with frequent clashes leading to violence. It is reported that Thai Police Commissioner, General Police General Chakthip Chaijinda has given instructions that the leadership of both schools meet and take measures to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
