PATHUM THANI — Six high school students in Pathum Thani say a man who claimed to be a soldier robbed them of their mobile phones last night.

According to one of the students, the group was riding motorcycles in Lam Lukka district when a man with "soldier cap" rode his motorcycle next to them and told them to stop.

The man reportedly said he was a soldier, questioned the students about their destination, and threatened to take them for drug testing at Ku Kot Police Station. The man also searched their motorcycles and confiscated all of their mobile phones, the 16-year-old student said.

After taking their cellphones, the man reportedly told the students to get on their motorbikes and follow him to Ku Kot Police Station, but later sped away in the dark.

Police say they are searching for the suspect. The man was described as well-built and wearing a black jacket. His motorcycle was a Honda Wave.

Since the Thai army staged a military coup on 22 May, soldiers have become a common sight on the streets of Thailand.

The military junta's National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has dispatched soldiers to perform laws enforcement tasks alongside police, such as raiding suspected criminals' homes, confiscating illegal substances, and regulating public transports.

'Soldier' Robs School Students of Cell Phones