Crime Gunfight at Chiang Rai Border Yields 2 Million Meth Pills

[Georgealbert]

 

Pictures courtesy of Khaosod.

 

On the night of 8 September, soldiers from the Pha Muang Force clashed with an armed drug trafficking group near Ban Pha Mee in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district. The gunfight broke out around 21:00, after officers attempted to search a group of 8 to 10 men carrying modified backpacks. The traffickers opened fire, leading to a five-minute exchange before fleeing the area, leaving behind a large haul of methamphetamine.

 

The Pha Muang Force, under the command of Major General Kidakorn Chantra, had dispatched a patrol unit from the Phadeng Task Force and Task Force Thap Chao Tak to monitor smuggling routes. Their mission was to enforce the Narcotics Code of 2021 and prevent cross-border trafficking. Accompanied by Mae Sai District Chief Warayut Khombun, police from Mae Sai Police Station, and local administrative officers, the team later inspected the scene.

 

At 06:30 on 9 September, officers conducted a full search of the area. They recovered 10 modified sacks abandoned in the forest, each containing approximately 200,000 methamphetamine pills. The total seizure amounted to about 2,000,000 pills, which were secured and transported for legal processing.

 

According to officials, none of the soldiers were injured in the clash. The traffickers’ identities and escape routes remain under investigation. The authorities noted that the group was heavily armed, though the specific weapons used during the firefight could not be immediately confirmed.

 

Major General Kidakorn instructed all border units to maintain heightened vigilance across northern checkpoints despite the rainy season. He emphasised strict enforcement to prevent drug smuggling and safeguard national sovereignty. The seized drugs are expected to be handed over for forensic inspection and to support further investigations into the network responsible.

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Soldiers clashed with armed traffickers near Ban Pha Mee, Chiang Rai, on 8 September.

• The confrontation led to the seizure of about 2 million methamphetamine pills.

• Authorities pledged continued strict border patrols to curb cross-border drug smuggling.

 

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  Adapted by Asean Now from Khaosod 2025-09-10