Chiang Rai – Police apprehended one woman and two men transporting ketamine in a pickup truck through central Chiang Rai. A background check revealed that the woman was already wanted on separate drug charges.

On March 23, officers from Chiang Rai’s city police station, Ban Du station, anti-drug units, and an AI-assisted drug trafficking prevention unit arrested Somchai, 32, of Mae Chan District, Jaso, 42, and Wimmala, 43, of Chiang Rai City.

They were found in possession of approximately 49 kilograms of ketamine.

Police had been monitoring a Ford pickup truck frequenting the Rimkok-Mae Yao route in Chiang Rai. During a routine stop in central Rimkok, officers discovered three parcels in the vehicle. Inside were 49 packages, each weighing one kilogram, wrapped in tiger print plastic bags marked “777.” Chemical tests confirmed the substance was ketamine.

A background check revealed that the female suspect, identified only as, Wimmala, had an active arrest warrant issued by the Chiang Rai Provincial Court (Warrant No. 634/2567, dated December 13, 2024).

Charges included involvement in the distribution of methamphetamine (ice), possession with intent to sell, and participation in a drug network. She was also accused of heading or organizing criminal activities that posed risks to public safety and national security.

Additional charges were filed, and all three suspects are now facing legal action.

Penalties for Trafficking Ketamine

Trafficking ketamine in Thailand carries severe criminal penalties due to the country’s strict drug laws, which are primarily governed by the Narcotics Act B.E. 2522 (1979) and the Psychotropic Substances Act B.E. 2518 (1975), as well as related legislation like the Measures for Suppressing Narcotic Offenders Act B.E. 2534 (1991).

Ketamine is classified as a Category II psychotropic substance under Thai law, meaning it is recognized as a controlled substance with some medical use but a high potential for abuse and trafficking.

For Category II substances like ketamine, penalties can include imprisonment ranging from 1 year to life and fines up to 1.5 million baht (approximately $45,000 USD as of March 2025), depending on the scale of the operation.

Thailand has historically taken a hardline stance on drug trafficking to combat its role as a transit hub in Southeast Asia. While recent legal reforms (e.g., the 2021 Narcotics Code) have shifted toward rehabilitation for small-scale users, trafficking—especially involving organized crime—remains heavily penalized.

Ketamine trafficking has been a growing concern, with seizures often linked to international networks routing drugs through Thailand to markets like Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Australia.