Picture courtesy of Kaoded.

 

A 31-year-old man has been arrested by paramilitary officers near the Thai-Cambodian border in Aranyaprathet district while transporting 1,200 bottles of cough syrup suspected to be destined for illicit drug production.

 

On 4 August, officials from the First Army Region’s Public Relations Centre and Burapha Task Force reported that a joint security operation was conducted by the Aranyaprathet Task Force, Ranger Company 1206, Infantry Battalion 1 of the King’s Guard, local police from Khlong Nam Sai Police Station, public health officials and district authorities.

 

The team set up a crime prevention checkpoint in Ban Kud Hin, Moo 4, Khlong Nam Sai Subdistrict, Aranyaprathet District. During the operation, they stopped a suspicious silver Isuzu D-MAX pickup truck, licence plate from Sa Kaeo, carrying several cardboard boxes in the back.

 

The driver was identified as Mr. Wanpichit Chaiyasarn, 31, a resident of Moo 1, Phan Suek Subdistrict, Aranyaprathet. Upon inspection, officers discovered six large boxes containing a total of 1,200 bottles of DATISSIN-brand cough syrup.

 

Mr. Wanpichit admitted that he had collected the cough syrup from a local teenager in Khlong Nam Sai and was on his way to deliver it to Phan Suek Subdistrict. He claimed he was paid just 1,000 baht by a man known only as “Mr. Somchai” to make the delivery. He denied knowing Somchai’s full identity.

 

Authorities suspect that the syrup was intended to be used as an ingredient in the production of illegal narcotic mixtures, such as kratom cocktails and the popular street drug “4x100”, which are commonly sold in the area.

 

Mr. Wanpichit was taken to Khlong Nam Sai Police Station for further questioning, where officials plan to expand the investigation to identify and apprehend others involved in the smuggling operation.

 

The crackdown highlights ongoing efforts by border security forces to stem the flow of controlled substances and drug-related materials across provincial and international borders.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Kaoded 2025-08-06

 

 

 

or maybe he just had a bad cough  😎