Police pursued a pair of alleged teenage thieves in a dramatic motorcycle chase in Thailand.

Phra Pradaeng police officers were on patrol when they found two youths cutting phone cables to steal in the Soi Suk Sawat 66 area of Samut Prakan province, 19 miles away from the capital Bangkok, on June 25.

The youths fled on a motorcycle upon being caught, prompting a high-octane police chase that spanned tens of kilometres along the Pracha Uthit Road.

One suspect reportedly jumped off the pillion and ran away on foot, but was later captured. The other driving the motorcycle kicked a police motorbike out of balance before he was surrounded and arrested.

Both the teens, aged 16 and 17, were hauled to the Phra Pradaeng Police Station. Police confiscated their motorcycle and a pair of pliers.

Officials said three police officers, Tichakorn Suphasorn, Thitapat Ruamphalangake, and Kiatisak Puaynok, were injured.

They allegedly admitted to the theft and said they planned to sell the stolen wires for 240 THB (5 GBP) per kilogramme.

One of the injured cops, Police Sergeant Thitapat, said: 'I was patrolling in Soi Suk Sawat 66 and came across the suspects riding a motorcycle in the opposite direction. The passenger was carrying a bag with a telephone cable inside. When he saw my uniform, he was shocked and threw the bag to the ground and fled.'

Dusit Ruengnarong, the grandfather of one of the suspects, said he was disappointed in his grandson whom he described as a 'good and obedient kid'.

He said: 'My grandson changed when he started hanging out with his new friends. They were a bad influence on him and made him sell kratom tea. These substances are ruining our youth.'

Police said the teenagers were charged with 'theft at night using a vehicle to facilitate escape or taking off property, 'obstructing officers and causing physical and mental injury to them, and 'driving without regard for the safety of others'.