Pictures courtesy of Naewna

Police in Chiang Rai have arrested a 32-year-old man accused of cutting and stealing electrical cables from the perimeter of Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai International Airport, an incident that caused concern over infrastructure security at a key transport hub in northern Thailand. The suspect was detained on Wednesday, 21 January 2026, as he was allegedly preparing to flee the province and a modified firearm was also seized during the operation.

The arrest followed an investigation led by the Highway Police under the direction of Pol Lt Gen Natthasak Cheowanat, Commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, and Pol Maj Gen Phornsak Laorujiralai, Commander of the Highway Police Division. Officers from Highway Police Sub-Division 1, Crime Suppression Division, Immigration Police Chiang Rai, and investigators from Ban Du Police Station jointly executed the arrest at a rented house in Ban Du subdistrict, Mueang Chiang Rai district. The suspect, identified as Mr Athit, is a resident of Ban Saeo subdistrict, Chiang Saen district.

The case dates back to mid-December 2025, when security guards at Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai Airport spotted two men in a pickup truck cutting underground electrical cables on the southern side of the airport. When confronted by airport security, the suspects abandoned their tools and fled the scene at high speed. Items left behind included wire cutters and a 65-metre length of large electrical cable, valued at approximately 39,000 baht, which were later used as evidence.

Investigators reviewed closed-circuit television footage from the area to identify the suspects and subsequently obtained arrest warrants from the Chiang Rai Provincial Court. Intelligence later indicated that Mr Athit had been hiding at a rented property in Ban Du, prompting police to move in and make the arrest without incident.

During a search of the property, officers seized a modified long-barrel firearm of .22 calibre fitted with a scope. Mr Athit reportedly admitted ownership of the weapon and told police he had intended to leave Chiang Rai early that morning, but was arrested before he could do so. A second suspect, referred to by police as only as Mr A, evaded capture after fleeing during the night.

Naewna reported that police have charged Mr Athit with jointly committing theft by two or more persons within an airport area using a vehicle to facilitate the offence, as well as illegal possession of a firearm under Thailand’s firearms legislation. He and the seized evidence have been handed over to investigators at Ban Du Police Station for further legal proceedings, while efforts continue to locate and arrest the remaining suspect.

Key Takeaways

• A 32-year-old Chiang Rai man was arrested on 21 January 2026 over cable theft at Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai Airport.

• Police recovered abandoned tools, 65 metres of cable worth about 39,000 baht and later seized a modified .22 firearm.

• One suspect remains at large as authorities continue their investigation.

  

Adapted by ASEAN Now from Naewna 2026-01-22

 

 

Wait. This happened last month, but they finally decided to arrest them now. Yet both of them magically knew they were going to be arrested on this specific day giving them time to run? How did they both know this was the day the police were coming?

Well, at least one of them was slow in packing his things.