Police had been preparing for the operation, code-named "Ratchaphruek model to weed out dek waen (street motorcycle racers) and sao sakoy (girls on pillion riders) troubling the city", for roughly three weeks before the bust early Sunday. Officers took up positions in small sois off Ratchaphruek Road until the bikers converged. They then chased them in their vehicles with sirens going. Many racers drove to a flyover at the Ratchadaphisek-Talat Phlu intersection, but were met with a blockade of officers on the other side.