The suspect shot a patrol police officer from San Kamphaeng Police Station and fled across the border to a neighboring country. Authorities have recently arrested two people who aided the suspect.
In the incident, Mr. Wipak Wongwan, 36, from Mae Rim district, used a 9mm firearm to shoot Police Lance Corporal Apiwat Mala, 27, a patrol officer from San Kamphaeng Police Station, on Ban Pasak Noi Road, Village No. 2, Mae Puka Subdistrict, San Kamphaeng District, Chiang Mai Province, on the night of 27 Jan. Police mobilized forces to search throughout the day and issued an arrest warrant for attempted murder of an officer on the evening of 28 Jan.
Most recently, on 29 Jan 2026, reports state that after the incident, the suspect stole a motorcycle from a local resident and fled to Mae Taeng District. He stayed at a hotel before paying a friend 6,000 baht to drive him to Fang District, Chiang Mai. At 17:00 on 28 Jan, the suspect crossed a natural border at Ban No Lae, Fang District, escaping to a neighboring country to connect with drug trafficking networks there.
Lieutenant General Kritpon Yisakorn, Commander of Provincial Police Region 5, revealed that the suspect has fled across the border to the neighboring country, assisted by two friends—a man and a woman—who have now been detained at Fang Police Station. They will be presented at a press conference at Provincial Police Region 5 headquarters today at 13:30.
Meanwhile, to track the suspect, police have coordinated with the Pha Muang Task Force and officials of the neighboring country. If the suspect is located, authorities are asked to arrest him immediately and notify the police.