Six juveniles who escaped from the Nakhon Ratchasima Juvenile Detention and Protection Center have been apprehended. It was discovered they had planned in advance by cutting the cell bars before stealing a pickup truck to flee. They then stole motorcycles from locals in Chaiyaphum Province before being cornered and caught as a group.
On 16 July 2026 in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, reporters provided updates on a case where male juveniles escaped from the Juvenile Detention and Protection Center located in Soi Mittraphap 19, Nai Mueang Subdistrict, Mueang District, Nakhon Ratchasima. At 05:30 this morning (16 July 2026), they took advantage of the moment when the duty teacher opened the detention center’s gate and immediately ran out, fleeing westward.
Upon investigation, it was found that before the incident, the six juveniles had planned their escape by secretly cutting the bars of the holding room. Then, they took advantage of the early morning when staff opened the outer gate to run away from the detention center.
At around 07:00, they stole an Isuzu pickup truck parked in the garage of Ratchasima Wittayalai School, about 800 meters from the detention center, and drove off to escape. Good Samaritans reported that the vehicle took the Mittraphap Road heading toward Sung Noen District, while another report indicated they took the Non Thai route heading into Chaiyaphum Province. This is because one juvenile is from Kut Chik Subdistrict, Sung Noen District, Nakhon Ratchasima, while the other five are from Chaiyaphum Province. Authorities believe the juvenile from Nakhon Ratchasima likely led the others back to their home province.
After receiving the report, police from Pho Klang Station in Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima promptly investigated and mobilized forces to pursue the suspects. They coordinated with nearby police stations to set up checkpoints along escape routes and worked with community leaders to continuously track all six juveniles.
This afternoon, Police Colonel Patcharadonai Karin, Superintendent of Pho Klang Police Station, revealed that officers managed to arrest all six juveniles at Lam Phak Chi Village, Noen Sa Nga District, Chaiyaphum Province. They were caught after stealing two motorcycles from locals to continue their escape but were tracked down and apprehended by the Chaiyaphum provincial investigation team.
Currently, the juveniles are being escorted back to Pho Klang Police Station in Nakhon Ratchasima, the scene of the incident, this evening to proceed with legal actions.
