A 15 year old boy with a history of erratic behaviour and a dependency on methamphetamine was found driving his mother’s car over 80 kilometres away, chained at the ankle. The incident occurred in the Mueang district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, where police were alerted by a concerned citizen yesterday, June 10.
At the scene, Police Colonel Weenawat Sriyam, head of Pho Klang Police Station, and his team found the youth at a traffic signal near the entrance to Wing 1 on Highway 304. The teenager, identified only as A, was dressed in a brown T-shirt and black shorts with a vacant expression, showing signs of drug intoxication. Officers provided him with food and water to calm him down.
According to Deputy Provincial Police Commander Kachen Setaputta, the boy was not detained as a criminal. Instead, he was chained at home by his mother due to severe psychological effects from consuming five methamphetamine pills daily, leading to hallucinations and aggressive outbursts.
These episodes sometimes involved threats or harm to his parents and neighbours, which led his mother to restrain him for safety reasons.
The boy had not taken meth for several days, triggering a state of delirium. He managed to release one end of the chain and commandeer his mother’s vehicle at around 4am, fleeing from Chum Phuang district to the city of Nakhon Ratchasima.
He attempted to refuel at a PTT petrol station in Joho but lacked money. The staff, noticing his prison-like attire and ankle chains, suspected him of being an escaped prisoner and contacted the police.
Initial tests revealed methamphetamine in his system, leading to his immediate arrest. However, as part of a government initiative to address drug issues in society, the police are working with related agencies to rehabilitate the youth, reported KhaoSod.
He has been taken to Theparat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital for a medical examination and then to Khon Kaen Rajanagarindra Psychiatric Hospital for drug rehabilitation, accompanied by his concerned mother.
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