Two Killed In Chiang Rai After Drugs Bust Shootout

[webfact]

Two killed in Chiang Rai after drugs bust shootout
Nattawat Laping
The Nation
Chiang Rai

CHIANG RAI: -- Police clashed with suspected drug traffickers yesterday evening in Chiang Rai, killing two and making four arrests. Two million methamphetamine tablets and 50 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, worth well over Bt650 million in total, were found in the suspects' possession.

Responding to a tipoff, police had intercepted a tanker truck carrying the drugs, which was being accompanied by a motorcycle and a pickup. When the gang refused to stop, police gave chase and were fired upon by the suspects.

After a 15minute chase, the pickup lost control and slid into vegetation by the roadside, said police. Both men in the pickup then exited the vehicle and began shooting at police. The two men were killed when police returned fire.

Killed at the scene were Wadee Sukkasem, 28, and Tawee Techalertpana, 55.

The four suspects arrested were Yok Harnjirarattana, Jakrapong Jarernchaidej, Seksan sae Yam, and Yongyut Phetsakunprai.


-- The Nation 2013-03-11

[villagefarang]

Typical Chiang Rai news item, covering death and drugs.

[harrry]

Typical Chiang Rai news item, covering death and drugs.

Yes, not really fair on Chiangrai as most of the stuff is just passing through. Only a little stays here to do its damage.

[TwentyBaht]

Just to add a bit of information. The names of the six men in the article would indicate they are Hmong.

[sunholidaysun1]

Damn !! Another shipment lost . Does anyone know of another route , rather than on the Super Highway via police checkpoints ??

[sunholidaysun1]

Just to add a bit of information. The names of the six men in the article would indicate they are Hmong.

They are ALL Hmongs if you ask me !!

[cheeryble]

Responding to a tipoff

Intelligence-squared way to get more tipoffs?

Edited March 11, 2013 by cheeryble

[SOTIRIOS]

.....now these are dealers.....or distributors....

...not the Swiss 60 year old........

(He should explain to them it is for 'medicinal purposes'...)

[RuskiCat]

I am not a criminal mastermind, but when dealing with Bt650 million couldn't they invest in...

1. Better Weapons
2. Training for using those
3. More hired guns

I mean, really how much do grenades and ak-47 costs? I am pretty sure if the gents in the back of the pick up truck all of a sudden got up with automatic-weapons the police would be less modivated to chase them...

[Fiddlesticks]

I am not a criminal mastermind, but when dealing with Bt650 million couldn't they invest in...

1. Better Weapons
2. Training for using those
3. More hired guns

I mean, really how much do grenades and ak-47 costs? I am pretty sure if the gents in the back of the pick up truck all of a sudden got up with automatic-weapons the police would be less modivated to chase them...

So, let me see if I understand this. . . you are suggesting that the drug smugglers should arm themselves better and be better prepared to shoot it out with the police???!!!!! Let's hope that the criminals do not become the masterminds that you envision. Perhaps we should hope that the number of criminals will diminish and our roads and city will become safer.

[RuskiCat]

I am not a criminal mastermind, but when dealing with Bt650 million couldn't they invest in...

1. Better Weapons
2. Training for using those
3. More hired guns

I mean, really how much do grenades and ak-47 costs? I am pretty sure if the gents in the back of the pick up truck all of a sudden got up with automatic-weapons the police would be less modivated to chase them...

So, let me see if I understand this. . . you are suggesting that the drug smugglers should arm themselves better and be better prepared to shoot it out with the police???!!!!! Let's hope that the criminals do not become the masterminds that you envision. Perhaps we should hope that the number of criminals will diminish and our roads and city will become safer.

Nope. I am not suggesting I am surprised. Considering the amount of money they stand too lose you figure they would protect their investment.

Personally, I am less terrified of the low level scum than I am of the big fish that run governments. If your idea of safety is determined by the number of criminials the police catch on the road you are diluding yourself. They will catch these petty guys, they will never catch their boss, who is the real danger.

[KuhnPaen]

I am not a criminal mastermind, but when dealing with Bt650 million couldn't they invest in...

1. Better Weapons
2. Training for using those
3. More hired guns

I mean, really how much do grenades and ak-47 costs? I am pretty sure if the gents in the back of the pick up truck all of a sudden got up with automatic-weapons the police would be less modivated to chase them...

Because they're not in Mexico. These are not sophisticated cartels with intel networks, and former spec ops hired guns like the Zetas have. They also do not have a major gun producing nation right next door like the USA to supply them with weapons (yes, China makes a lot of guns, but they are not available to private citizens like the US). Part of the "Mexican Style" violence is the willingness to cut out peoples hearts, decapitate reporters, sacrifice people to Santa Muerte, and generally use terrorist tactics. If Thailand ever gets to that point, it will hardly be the vacation destination of 20 million tourists, and simply be a full fledged war zone. I hope it never comes to that.

Edited March 11, 2013 by KuhnPaen

[RuskiCat]

I am not a criminal mastermind, but when dealing with Bt650 million couldn't they invest in...

1. Better Weapons
2. Training for using those
3. More hired guns

I mean, really how much do grenades and ak-47 costs? I am pretty sure if the gents in the back of the pick up truck all of a sudden got up with automatic-weapons the police would be less modivated to chase them...

Because they're not in Mexico. These are not sophisticated cartels with intel networks, and former spec ops hired guns like the Zetas have. They also do not have a major gun producing nation right next door like the USA to supply them with weapons (yes, China makes a lot of guns, but they are not available to private citizens like the US). Part of the "Mexican Style" violence is the willingness to cut out peoples hearts, decapitate reporters, sacrifice people to Santa Muerte, and generally use terrorist tactics. If Thailand ever gets to that point, it will hardly be the vacation destination of 20 million tourists, and simply be a full fledged war zone. I hope it never comes to that.

Hope so too.

But not so hard to get gun here. Not as easy as USA, but not hard at all. I am not going to go into details.

My last visit to MHS I went off road dirt bike ridding my guide a former military guy told me there are certain paths that we want to avoid because they are frequented by machine gun escorted caravans moving between Thai - Burma.

Don't know how often or serious... I just took his word for it.

Edited March 11, 2013 by RuskiCat

[Locationthailand]

I am not a criminal mastermind, but when dealing with Bt650 million couldn't they invest in...

1. Better Weapons
2. Training for using those
3. More hired guns

I mean, really how much do grenades and ak-47 costs? I am pretty sure if the gents in the back of the pick up truck all of a sudden got up with automatic-weapons the police would be less modivated to chase them...

So, let me see if I understand this. . . you are suggesting that the drug smugglers should arm themselves better and be better prepared to shoot it out with the police???!!!!! Let's hope that the criminals do not become the masterminds that you envision. Perhaps we should hope that the number of criminals will diminish and our roads and city will become safer.

Fortunately they probably don't read Thai Visa...

[sunholidaysun1]

650,000000 Bht of drugs and someone thinks a cartel is not behind this ? Can you imagine the amount of chemicals needed to produce all that Meth ? The specialist Chemists ? The workforce ? Not only the production of Methamphetamin / Ice but what about the Heroin and other forms of drugs .We are talking about a factory , a big factory . Have you seen the drug companies who are legitamate and the operation to make vast amounts of pills ? Then there is the transportation of chemicals into where they manufacture and then on completion the distribution . What about the work force , many people on site I would imagine. As for armed guards , absolutely. MONEY BUYS YOU EVERYTHING. Corruption at all levels paid for with drug money .

Who is behind it all is a mystery as its better not to know , however every now and again the king pins of the drug world are named and eventually through DEA/CIA and other agencies , they are caught or killed by rival drug lords.

Getting the drugs out of Myanmar /Laos maybe a problem as the skies will watched for aircraft if possible to use but due to having little or no airport in the northern reaches of Myanmar , taking the road is possibly one way of getting it out . I wonder how many shipments are sent via the river , or overland in Laos to another port of entry into Thailand.

What I would want to know is why that shipment of 650000000 bhts worth of drugs was stopped and a few henchmen killed in the process , I would have thought that to follow that shipment covertly to its destination would have been far better. Then they could possibly catch some bigger fish and not just the armed guard, was it a set up with the drugs cartels / police working together , possibly . 650Mbht seized with a couple of locals killed but who knows , maybe 20 Billion Bht's worth got in and was overlooked ?

I wonder if those drugs were meant for shipment elsewhere ?

Many drug busts are due to tip offs. Sometimes its real informants that pass the information but I would think there are quite a few instances of it all being a set up. Larger qualtities are getting in while the informed drug bust is taking place. However 650000000 bhts worth does seem to be an amount that someone is not going to be happy about losing .

[carmine]

Typical Chiang Rai news item, covering death and drugs.

Yes, not really fair on Chiangrai as most of the stuff is just passing through. Only a little stays here to do its damage.

Well it did happen didn't it. Drug runners firing at police and a massive haul of class A drugs. Its newsworthy in any other civilised country so why not here? Perhaps we should just pretend it didn't happen and cover up the facts? If there isn't a general awareness of such things how on earth will theseproblems ever be improved?

[villagefarang]

Typical Chiang Rai news item, covering death and drugs.

Yes, not really fair on Chiangrai as most of the stuff is just passing through. Only a little stays here to do its damage.

Well it did happen didn't it. Drug runners firing at police and a massive haul of class A drugs. Its newsworthy in any other civilised country so why not here? Perhaps we should just pretend it didn't happen and cover up the facts? If there isn't a general awareness of such things how on earth will these problems ever be improved?

It would just be nice to see equal time for some of the really nice stuff we have up here. Without some general awareness of the upside of living in Chiang Rai how are people to get a balanced view.

[chiangmaikelly]

Typical Chiang Rai news item, covering death and drugs.

Yes, not really fair on Chiangrai as most of the stuff is just passing through. Only a little stays here to do its damage.

Well it did happen didn't it. Drug runners firing at police and a massive haul of class A drugs. Its newsworthy in any other civilised country so why not here? Perhaps we should just pretend it didn't happen and cover up the facts? If there isn't a general awareness of such things how on earth will these problems ever be improved?

It would just be nice to see equal time for some of the really nice stuff we have up here. Without some general awareness of the upside of living in Chiang Rai how are people to get a balanced view.

Look on the bright side. Lots of good stuff in Pattaya too but it has it's own brigade of bashers unlike Chiang Rai/Mai which only has a company sized bashing unit.

Edited March 12, 2013 by chiangmaikelly

[carmine]

Typical Chiang Rai news item, covering death and drugs.

Yes, not really fair on Chiangrai as most of the stuff is just passing through. Only a little stays here to do its damage.

Well it did happen didn't it. Drug runners firing at police and a massive haul of class A drugs. Its newsworthy in any other civilised country so why not here? Perhaps we should just pretend it didn't happen and cover up the facts? If there isn't a general awareness of such things how on earth will these problems ever be improved?

It would just be nice to see equal time for some of the really nice stuff we have up here. Without some general awareness of the upside of living in Chiang Rai how are people to get a balanced view.

Yes thats fair enough. Mindyou, for the record, i rarely ever hear negative comments about your region.