CHIANG MAI – The Third Army Region Commander announced a major drug seizure of 4 million meth pills in Wiang Haeng district, Chiang Mai, and ordered an urgent hunt for a suspect who abandoned a vehicle and fled. All agencies were told to tighten joint operations and maintain constant pressure on drug trafficking.
On the evening of 17 Oct 2025, at the Northern Border Narcotics Suppression and Interdiction Command in Mae Rim, Chiang Mai, Lt Gen Worathep Boonya, Commander of the Third Army Region, joined Siwa Thamikanon, Deputy Governor of Chiang Mai, Thanwa Phutphong, Director of ONCB Region 5, and partner agencies to brief the media on a large-scale arrest.
The Chaiyanuphap Task Force, part of the Pha Muang Task Force, was on patrol near Ban Huai Hok, Muang Haeng subdistrict, Wiang Haeng district, Chiang Mai. Officers spotted a suspicious pickup bearing registration YN 727 Chiang Mai and moved in to check. The driver fled on foot, leaving the vehicle behind. A search found 18 sacks of meth pills, a total of 4 million tablets, which were seized.
Meth Seizures
The Third Army chief said that since 1 October 2025, the Northern Border Narcotics Suppression and Interdiction Command has seized more than 14.8 million meth pills, 570 kilograms of crystal meth, and 1 kilogram of heroin, and has engaged traffickers in four armed clashes. Drug activity in October remains intense, with high arrest numbers in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai.
Trafficking groups have shifted methods, using vehicles to move drugs from the border to inner districts such as Mueang and Wiang Pa Pao in Chiang Rai, and Mae Taeng in Chiang Mai. From there, shipments are routed to the lower North, the Central region, and the South. Smugglers hide drugs in consumer goods, for example, canned fish, or send them via parcel services and interprovincial buses.
Officials expect pressure to rise during the tourist season. Units were told to step up forward-leaning intelligence work to break trafficking networks, and to tighten interdiction along the border on main routes and tourist roads, especially during the winter peak.
The Northern Border Narcotics Suppression and Interdiction Command, under the Third Army Region, covers 21 districts across six northern provinces, namely Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, Phayao, Nan, and Tak. Its mission is to interdict, disrupt, and suppress cross-border drug smuggling, pursue investigations to expand cases, and build community networks to watch for drug activity in border areas.
At the same briefing, ONCB Region 5 handed over eight seized motorcycles from cases near completion for military use on border patrols against drug smuggling.
Meth Smuggler Arrested
In a separate operation, Pol Sub Lt Chaloemchai Thep-ud, Deputy Inspector (Operations) at Sop Prap Police Station, Lampang, led a checkpoint team after a late-night tip on 16 Oct that a trafficking network would use the Lampang–Tak route, outbound at Sop Prap.
A grey Toyota pickup with Chiang Rai plates arrived at the checkpoint. Officers stopped the vehicle and found the driver, Mr La Hu, a Myanmar national aged about 25, and the passenger, Mr Jirasak, alias Toyo, aged 33.
As officers opened the cab to search, both men tried to run. Police quickly detained Mr Jirasak, while Mr La Hu escaped, leaving a red long-sleeve shirt and a brown bag by the roadside. A thorough search of the pickup uncovered about 200,000 meth pills packed in sacks.
Local leaders were asked to alert residents to help look for the fugitive, but he was not found. Officers planned to track his phone, but it had been left in the vehicle, so they will seek an arrest warrant.
In initial questioning, Mr Jirasak admitted he and Mr La Hu, a Myanmar national whose full identity is unknown, were moving drugs from Chiang Rai to Tak for a fee of 20,000 baht when they were intercepted.
