Police have hatched a plan to burst the bubbles of illegal street racing teens in the Thai capital.
National police chief Adul Seangsingkeaw announced on Wednesday that Bangkok police are attempting to curb illegal street racing by using specially designed spikes to slowly and safely pop the tires of motorcycle racers.
In a press demonstration, Pol Gen Adul presented a 4.5-meter device that releases sharpened spikes aimed at puncturing and letting the air out of motorcycle tires. He stressed that the device is safe to use because it lets the air out of the tires slowly. The police chief noted that a motorcycle would still be able to run for about 30 to 50 meters more before the tires become completely flat.
The mechanical device costs TBH13,500 each while the device that can pop car tires costs TBH18,000. The ones for cars are being used for crowd control, Pol Gen Adul explained. He also added that he will first check on the legal implications of using such a device before finalizing any orders.
Bangkok has recently launched a drive to curb illegal motorcycle racing on the streets after countless complaints from citizens. Not only do the gangs hold illegal races in the middle of the night, they are also reportedly responsible for muggings, assaults, looting and even cases of rape.
Reports said that police operatives will be deployed to the common hangouts of motorcycle racers in an effort to identify the gang members. Their parents would then be informed that their children will be arrested if they are caught street racing again.
At the same time, commanding officers in each police district will be responsible for shutting down illegal races. However, police officers will not be allowed to carry arms. This could prove to be problematic for the law enforcers because the motorcycle gang members are always packing.
Police are encouraging the public to call hotline 1599 hotline to report illegal races, the Bangkok Post reported.
