Juveniles caught after breakout and hijacking of bus

Provincial police yesterday re-arrested 32 young offenders after a mass escape from a juvenile remand centre.

After the breakout, the youths hijacked a bus as an escape vehicle and robbed passengers of Bt5,000.

One young offender remains at large.

"The juveniles fled after they had been convicted and were being processed at the holding centre," said Rayong Observation and Protection Centre director Nopadol Kappiyabutr.

Witnesses alerted police after seeing the juveniles scale a fence before stopping the bus.

Provincial police deputy chief Colonel Thana Yuthithamdamrong sent officers to re-arrest the escapees after they got off the bus near a beach at Tambon Map Ta Phut.

The stolen money was retrieved and all but one of the youths were in custody pending the filing of charges.

Justice Minister Chidchai Vanasatidya said he had asked authorities to resolve the matter with understanding for the juveniles.

The Nation