Molotov attacks linked to ‘incoherent’ motorcyclist
A motorcyclist who has been arrested for allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails at three state-owned properties in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Khong district on Tuesday night has claimed that he did it based on uncontrollable impulses.
Local resident Paithoon Thepmong, 37, was arrested in the vicinity shortly after the attacks.
He allegedly threw Molotovs at the Khong District Office, the Khong Police Station and a police booth in front of the Tambon Khong Municipal Market shortly before midnight on Tuesday.
The Khong District Office was the worst hit, with several Molotovs thrown into the building resulting in a fire on the first and second floors, which damaged state-issued documents. Firefighters took 30 minutes to put out the flames.
When Paithoon was brought to the Khong Police Station for questioning, he talked incoherently, police said, claiming he could not control himself and followed an impulse “as if someone ordered him to throw the Molotovs at these places”.
A background checking found that Paithoon had a history of “yaba” amphetamine abuse, so they suspected that he had suffered from a narcotic-induced hallucination.
He was initially charged with arson of state property.
