CHIANG MAI, Thailand — A drug trafficker was killed and a massive haul of narcotics seized in the early hours of Thursday during a firefight between armed smugglers and an army patrol in Fang district near the Myanmar border.
The confrontation occurred around 12:35 a.m. when soldiers from the Chaiyanuparp special unit of the Pha Muang Task Force encountered four to five armed individuals carrying rucksacks through a forested area near Ban Yom Ban Kluai village in Tambon Mon Pin.
When troops ordered the group to surrender their weapons and bags, the smugglers opened fire while trying to flee. Soldiers returned fire, resulting in a five-minute exchange. Reinforcements secured the area overnight.
By morning, a sweep of the site uncovered three rucksacks containing 200,000 methamphetamine pills and 20.8 kilograms of raw opium. One smuggler was found dead at the scene.
Senior military officials, including Col Maitree Srisantia, chief of staff of the Pha Muang Task Force, and Col Thanaphat Saengnak, deputy commander of the Chaiyanuparp unit, arrived to oversee the aftermath and coordinate with police for further legal action.
The clash is part of an escalating pattern of border drug trafficking incidents. Since October 1, 2024, Thai security forces have intercepted 284 drug operations, arrested 299 suspects, and seized vast quantities of narcotics including:
- 112.65 million meth pills
- 145 kg of heroin
- 8,062 kg of crystal meth
- 42.9 kg of opium
- 695 kg of ketamine
The military has reported 40 armed clashes with smugglers during that time, resulting in the deaths of 16 traffickers.
Authorities have pledged to maintain high vigilance in the region, which remains a hotspot for drug smuggling routes from the Golden Triangle.
