PATTAYA, THAILAND – A coordinated act of theft on Highway 331 left a major section of the route in darkness after suspects dug beneath a U-turn tunnel to sever and steal large copper cables, police confirmed on Thursday.
Daylight theft under a gas station U-turn
Authorities were alerted around 10:00 a.m. when motorists reported seeing suspicious activity near the Bangchak gas station U-turn tunnel. Witnesses described individuals excavating soil where electrical infrastructure was buried.
Officers from Huay Yai Police Station, accompanied by Sirikorn Kanthaphrom, a senior civil engineering technician and head of the Khao Maikaew Highway Maintenance Division, responded to the scene.
Evidence of targeted damage
Investigators discovered clear signs of deliberate excavation to expose power cables. A section of copper cable approximately two meters long had been cut and removed. Near the base of a streetlight pole, an iron cover appeared forcibly opened, revealing damage to three additional copper cables, each about one foot long.
The theft, officials said, caused streetlights on both sides of the highway to fail over a distance of roughly one kilometre per side, leaving the stretch dangerously dark during nighttime traffic.
Public urged to watch for copycat crimes
Mr. Kanthaphrom confirmed that repairs were underway but warned that such cable thefts not only cause significant financial losses but also create severe road safety risks.
“WHEN STREETLIGHTS GO DARK, THE CHANCE OF ACCIDENTS MULTIPLIES IMMEDIATELY,”
he said.
Authorities appealed to residents and drivers to remain alert to suspicious roadside behaviour. They provided the following hotline numbers for immediate reporting:
• Police emergency: 191
• Mr. Sirikorn Kanthaphrom (Maintenance Division): 083-913-9834
• Department of Highways hotline: 1586 (toll-free, 24 hours)
Police said investigations continue to identify the suspects believed responsible for the brazen copper theft, which disrupted lighting along one of Chonburi province’s vital traffic arteries.
Infrastructure security under scrutiny
While theft of metal cables for resale has long been a challenge in Thailand, officials noted that targeting underground systems near active roads marks a concerning escalation. The stolen copper, valued for its resale potential, often fuels a cycle of vandalism that complicates maintenance budgets and endangers the public.
“TEMPORARY DARKNESS CAN COST LIVES,”
another highway officer cautioned, emphasizing that cooperation from communities remains essential in deterring future crimes along the nation’s road network.