Satun: – Provincial police have sought and received the court-approved warrants to arrest a drug gang member Natthaporn “Nik” Dumsin, 16, on charges related to the killing of two police officers.

Based on police report, a police teamset up a road checkpoint on a local road at Manang district on Saturday. The team leader was Lt Colonel Jirapas Sengseng, deputy superintendent of Manang police station.

The checkpoint was meant to curb the trafficking of krathom or mitragynaspeciosa, classified as illicit drugs in the same category of marijuana.

At the checkpoint, a teenager drove motorcycle in a suspicious manner and refused to stop for check and questioning.

Policemen recognised Natthaporn as the driver. Jirapas and the checkpoint team suspected him to involve in the krathom trafficking.

Natthaporn had been lying low for months after Jirapas pressured him and his teenager gang.

As he suddenly reappeared and evaded the checkpoint, Jirapas and Sergeant Thanasak Thorapis gave chase in a police pickup truck.

Less than 10 minutes into the chase, the checkpoint team heard a series of gunfire at the rubber plantation nearby.

Police went to investigate and found Thanasak dead on the driver’s seat at the scene. Jirapas sustained multiple gunshot wounds and died the following day at the hospital.

At the scene, police collected 22 bullet cases and 16 unused bullets for M-16 assault rifle as evidence.

Investigators suspect that Natthaporn was the bait to lure Jirapas for the killing.

Satun police chief Maj General Sunthorn Chalermkiat said he believes Natthaporn is still hiding in the province as he is the son of a powerful local politician.

Sunthorn said he expects the arrest of the suspect would lead to identifying the gunman or gunmen.

The son of a powerful local politician. Has a rather sinister tone to it.

You would think a politicians son would have a better life mapped out for him but no, like father like son.

The son of a powerful local politician. Has a rather sinister tone to it.

You would think a politicians son would have a better life mapped out for him but no, like father like son.

I would think a powerful local politician would assist police in every way possible to apprehend and get a fair trial for his son.

As it is, as a cop-killer, he may not survive the arrest when they do catch him.

Some will call me naive on both things, the assistance and the eventual arrest.

I've seen labourers chewing kratom. I was even offered some. At that time I didn't know it was illegal or what it was. He told me it makes him work harder all day, so I assumed it was coca or some kind of speed-like plant. It would be against forum rules to say anything else. Lets leave it at that.

if they gun down the cops

what hope do the locals have

what hope do the girls have from these

reprobates

killing cops for Krathom leaves?? Just doesn't seem right. I am sure there is much more to this story than is being told so far. Oh yes, we are in Thailand. Par for the course.

bored rich kids

get gun

kill some people

can hide because dad is this or that...

maybe they will give him a good job for the govt like the ear medicine mans son, seems that politicians kids can do as they like here

Less we forget about B R Boys and the wine drinking MP....House of Darn Rotten... Bang .... Stop or I'll shoot, you stepped on my gucci shoes..