CHIANG RAI – Police in Chiang Rai arrested two men from Sa Kaeo after a car chase through the city centre. The pair were caught with half a million methamphetamine pills hidden in their car, after trying to escape a police blockade.
On 22 May, officers received a tip-off about a drug shipment passing through the city towards Mae Lao district. Police set up checkpoints along key routes, starting from Rob Wiang subdistrict to Den Ha–Dong Mada Road.
Early in the morning, officers spotted a suspicious Toyota sedan at a hotel on Sankok Chang Soi 6. The car was in a narrow lane, so police blocked both ends to prevent escape. As police closed in, the suspects tried to speed out, swerving past the first patrol car.
They attempted to flee onto Phahonyothin Road, but another police pickup truck managed to block their path. Two men inside were detained before they could get away.
A search of the car revealed a suitcase packed with 500,000 methamphetamine pills marked with a green Y1 stamp. The suspects, identified as Mr. Suksawat, 23, from Mueang Sa Kaeo, and Mr. Tanti, 19, from Watthana Nakhon, were taken into custody.
Further investigation revealed a second vehicle, an MG pickup with Ang Thong plates, was leading the way. Police chased this vehicle along Den Ha–Dong Mada Road, but the occupants abandoned it in Dong Mada subdistrict, Mae Lao. Four people ran off into the darkness and avoided arrest.
Police have seized two vehicles and the drugs. The two men caught have been handed over to investigators, while police continue searching for the other suspects.
Recent drug seizures in Chiang Rai, Thailand, highlight the region’s ongoing struggle with drug trafficking, particularly due to its proximity to the Golden Triangle.
On May 13 and 17, 2025, Provincial Police Region 5 seized over 1 tonne of drugs, including 578 kg of crystal methamphetamine (ice) and 529 kg of ketamine, arresting six suspects.
The drugs were intercepted in two incidents: one involving a Mitsubishi XPANDER and another where an ISUZU DMAX crashed after attempting to flee. Suspects admitted to being paid by a Myanmar broker for transporting drugs from Chiang Saen, marking their third smuggling operation, each earning them 1 million baht.
On May 21, 2025, border patrol police arrested a 49-year-old man smuggling 100 kg of crystal meth and ketamine hidden in a vehicle’s roof compartment, originating from Myanmar.
These seizures reflect intensified efforts but also the persistent challenge of trafficking in the region, driven by sophisticated criminal networks and regional instability in the Golden Triangle.
