CHIANG RAI – Soldiers from Chao Tak Army and Pha Muang Task Force clashed with a drug smuggling operation at the Mae Fah Luang border in Chiang Rai Province. Fire erupted, but no one was injured. Three bags of methamphetamine pills, totaling over 600,000 pills, were seized.
On November 4, 2015, Maj. Gen. Sathit Waiyanon, Commander of the Pha Muang Task Force, assigned Colonel Suphan Roiput, Commander of the Chao Tak Army Special Task Force, held a press conference regarding the clash between the 1st and 2nd Companies of the Chao Tak Army Special Task Force and the drug smugglers.
Three bags of methamphetamine pills, totaling approximately 600,000 pills, were seized.
The incident began at about 05:00, when four operational teams from Company 1 and Company 2 moved in to monitor and block narcotics offences under the Narcotics Code B.E. 2564. The operation took place along a known crossing near Ban Puna, Moo 4, Therd Thai sub-district, Mae Fa Luang district, Chiang Rai, near the Thai border.
While on patrol, soldiers spotted around four to five suspects carrying altered sacks along a mountain path. When the troops identified themselves and attempted a search, the group opened fire with unspecified weapons. A firefight followed for roughly ten minutes, after which the suspects withdrew. All personnel on the security side were unharmed.
Reinforcements, another four operational teams, were sent to secure the area. An initial sweep found three modified sacks at the scene. Checks confirmed the contents as about 600,000 meth pills. The seized drugs were logged as evidence and will be handed over to investigators at Mae Fa Luang Police Station for legal proceedings.
October 2025 Drug Seizures in Chiang Rai Province
Chiang Rai sits at Thailand’s northern border near the Golden Triangle, where Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos meet. In 2025, it remains a major gateway for drug trafficking. Its close links to Myanmar’s Shan State, a key source of methamphetamine, have driven a sharp rise in seizures as Myanmar’s unrest continues.
Thai units, including the Pha Muang Task Force, Provincial Police Region 5, and the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, have ramped up operations under the national campaign, “No Drugs, No Dealers: Toward Zero Drugs Thailand.” Intercepts hit new highs, with methamphetamine in pill and crystal form leading the haul, alongside heroin, ketamine, and opium.
Detailed case reports for October 2025 are still being compiled, but police summaries point to heavy activity. Year-to-date figures, January to October 2025, show northern provinces such as Chiang Rai driving a 172% jump in meth pill seizures compared with all of 2023. From January to August alone, 346 million pills were seized. The list below highlights confirmed October 2025 cases in Chiang Rai based on official briefings and joint operations.
Major Seizures in October 2025
| Date | Location/District | Substances Seized | Quantity | Arrests | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 October 2025 | Chiang Saen District (near the Mekong border with Laos) | Methamphetamine pills | 2 million pills | 2 suspects (after a pursuit and exchange of fire) | Border Patrol Police targeted a suspicious pickup using shared intelligence. The vehicle rammed barricades before officers stopped it. Pills were concealed in the cargo bay. Part of a joint effort with the Royal Thai Navy and Task Force Thap Chao Tak. The estimated street value is around 100 million baht. |
| 18 October 2025 | Mae Chan District (near the Myanmar border) and Wiang Chai District | Methamphetamine pills; crystal methamphetamine (ice) | 4.4 million pills; 300 kg crystal meth | 4 suspects | Two linked actions. In Mae Chan, officers detained two men with pills hidden in a vehicle. In Wiang Chai, a military-police team stopped a Chiang Rai-registered pickup moving crystal meth from the border toward central Thailand. Cases tied to a network using mountain backroads to skirt checkpoints. |
| 23 October 2025 | Chiang Saen District (Golden Triangle) | Methamphetamine pills | 4.8 million pills | 1 suspect (driver) | A multi-agency team, including Border Patrol Company 327, Marine Police, and the Pha Muang Task Force, chased and blocked a fleeing pickup. The load was hidden in altered compartments. The vehicle was seized, and the driver was charged with trafficking. The bust disrupted a major convoy from Myanmar. |
| 1–24 October 2025 (aggregate, Chiang Rai and Phayao) | Various sites (mainly Mae Sai, Mae Fah Luang, Chiang Saen) | Methamphetamine pills; heroin | 4.8 million pills; 66 kg heroin | About 20 suspects (among 1,373 total cases) | Provincial Police Region 5 reported these totals from 16 key operations. Units carried out 98 raids, with armed confrontations in three incidents. Smaller cases also yielded ketamine (undisclosed weight) and opium. The total value is around 240 million baht. Efforts focused on blocking shipments before they reached Bangkok. |
Context and Trends
- Total impact: October seizures mark only part of the surge. From October 2024 to August 2025, Chiang Rai and nearby Chiang Mai recorded 222 million meth pills and 11.5 tonnes of crystal meth seized. That equals a 172% rise in pills and a 39% rise in crystal meth compared with 2023. Heroin has also rebounded, with 327 kg seized from January to August 2025, up 77% since Myanmar’s 2021 coup.
- Tactics and challenges: Traffickers rely on vehicles, drones, and side routes via Laos. Thai forces responded with X-ray scans, ambush tactics, and local tip-offs. Despite many successes, including 53 clashes and 34 trafficker deaths from October 2024 to September 2025, falling street prices point to oversupply.
- Ongoing efforts: The Pha Muang Task Force ran 328 operations from October 2024 to September 2025, netting 175 million pills and 9 tonnes of crystal meth, valued at 36 billion baht. In November 2025, a 3.64 million pill seizure in Chonburi was traced back to Chiang Rai sources, reinforcing its role as a key staging area.
Figures are drawn from official Thai police statements and media reports as of early November 2025. For current updates, follow the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) or Provincial Police Region 5.
