Bangkok’s Pathumwan district police are to seek warrants for the arrests of nine former students of a rival institution suspected of involvement in the murder of a student at the Pathumwan Institute of Technology in Pathumwan district on Friday night

The victim, identified only as “Waravut”, and his friend became involved in a quarrel and subsequent physical altercation with a group of about 10 youths in front of their college. He was stabbed and died shortly after his arrival at Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital.

Pol Maj-Gen Samart Promchart, commander of the 6th division of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, told the media on Saturday night that police have managed to identify nine of the suspects and were about to seek warrants for their arrests.

He said that the suspects are former students of a rival college, adding that eye-witnesses had told the police that some students took pictures in front of the institute and engaged in an argument with some college students.

The victim’s family have asked the police to try to arrest the perpetrators and bring them to justice, said Samart.

Students from the Pathumwan Institute of Technology and Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-ok, Uthenthawai Campus, which are both located in Pathumwan district, have been engaged in a bitter dispute for several decades, often resulting in violent street fights, injuries and deaths. Attempts by authorities to end rivalry have, so far, been unsuccessful.

In November last year, an Uthenthawai student and a female teacher of Sacred Heart Convent School were shot dead in Khlong Toei, allegedly by former students of the Pathumwan Institute of Technology.

The Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-ok, Uthenthawai campus will be closed on Monday and Tuesday for safety reasons.

An announcement, issued today, said that no students will be allowed onto the campus during the closure, but they can learn online.

Students who have urgent business at the university must seek prior permission in writing to go to the campus from their respective advisory teachers and division heads.