CHIANG MAI– Soldiers from Chaiyanupap Task Force, part of the Pha Muang Force, shot and killed three people during a confrontation with a drug caravan near the Thai-Myanmar border in Fang district. Officials seized at least six bags believed to contain illegal drugs at the scene.
Troops from the 3rd Cavalry Company were on patrol along the border in Mon Pin subdistrict, Fang district, Chiang Mai, after receiving a tip-off about an incoming drug shipment. The group was said to be moving drugs down from the mountains towards Khob Dong village.
The soldiers set up an ambush on the evening of 12 June and waited through the night, but saw no activity. As they prepared to move to a new location the next morning, they spotted a group of about six to eight people carrying large bags.
When the soldiers signalled to inspect them, the group panicked and began shooting, trying to clear a path to escape. A gunfight broke out and lasted around ten minutes.
Once the gunfire stopped, all soldiers were found safe. Three suspects were shot dead with their backpacks still on. Six bags believed to contain drugs and a shotgun were found nearby. The area was then secured, and more officers were called in to search for further evidence.
Reports say the border areas of Fang and Mae Ai districts are near the Myanmar Army’s Tactical Command 2 and Wa militia bases, which have a strong presence along the border. Despite this, drug smuggling into Thailand continues.
Sources say drug production sites are deep inside Wa-controlled areas in Shan State. Ethnic groups such as the Lahu often carry the drugs to waiting points in Myanmar villages before sneaking across the border into Thailand.
Common routes include moving from Wa territory to Ban Piang Sa, Doi Huay Ha, Doi Laem, and Nam Auen, or through Fang district into the forested parts of Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park in Chiang Mai.
Chiang Mai’s proximity to the Golden Triangle (where Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar borders meet) makes it a key transit point for methamphetamine trafficking, particularly from Myanmar’s Shan State.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported a record 236 tonnes of methamphetamine seized in East and Southeast Asia in 2024, with Thailand alone seizing 130 tonnes, indicating the scale of the issue in the region.
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