Chiang Mai – The gunman who shot a police officer at San Kamphaeng Police Station has confessed, saying, "I did not want to be arrested and sent to prison a third time because I had both drugs and a firearm on me, so I decided to draw my gun and shoot." He was taken for a reenactment before being sent to court to face serious charges of attempted murder of an officer.
In the case where a suspect fired a gun at Police Corporal Apiwat Mala, 27, a patrol officer at San Kamphaeng Police Station in Chiang Mai, while requesting to conduct a search before fleeing, the incident took place on a village road at Ban Rai Phatthana, Moo 8, Mae Puka Subdistrict, San Kamphaeng District, Chiang Mai. The San Kamphaeng police investigators collected evidence and witnesses and obtained an arrest warrant from Chiang Mai Provincial Court. The court approved a warrant for Mr. Wipak Wongwan, 36, on charges of attempted murder of an officer performing official duties and carrying weapons and ammunition in public without lawful reason. Authorities then intensified efforts to pursue and arrest him.
Additionally, the suspect has a history related to drugs. The investigation team learned that the suspect who shot the police officer is a Thai national of tribal descent, originally from Mae Ram Subdistrict, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai. It is expected that he will be apprehended soon.
Later, at 19:30 on 9 Feb 2026 GMT+7, officers from Region 5 Police Command, led by Police Lieutenant General Kritthaphon Yisakorn, Regional Commander, and Police Major General Thawatchai Phongwiwatchai, Deputy Commander, received coordination from military border units in Fang and Mae Ai districts, Chiang Mai. They were informed that Myanmar authorities had detained Mr. Wipak Wongwan, a 36-year-old Thai tribal national who was the gunman who shot the San Kamphaeng police officer. The Region 5 Police coordinated with Myanmar authorities to assist in the arrest. The Myanmar side then handed the suspect over to Thai military personnel at the Mae Ai-Fang border in Chiang Mai. The military subsequently transferred custody to Region 5 Police for further proceedings.
At 11:00 on 10 Feb 2026 GMT+7, at the Region 5 Police Office, Police Lieutenant General Kritthaphon Yisakorn interrogated the suspect again. Afterward, the suspect was sent to San Kamphaeng Police Station in Chiang Mai for investigators to conduct a reenactment at the crime scene in accordance with his confession.
Police Lieutenant General Kritthaphon Yisakorn revealed that the suspect confessed, "The reason I drew my gun and shot at the police was because I did not want to go to prison a third time, as I had drugs and a firearm on me." After committing the act, the suspect fled to stay with his girlfriend at a bungalow in Mae Rim District. He then hired another suspect, previously arrested and who had helped him flee across the border to a neighboring country. This suspect had prior drug convictions and had been imprisoned twice. An accomplice named “Bird” remains at large and has an outstanding arrest warrant.
The suspect was apprehended near the border at Ban Arunothai, Muang Na Subdistrict, Chiang Dao District, Chiang Mai. Military forces coordinated with authorities from the neighboring country to arrest and transfer him to Thai military personnel at the border. He was then handed over to Region 5 Police. The suspect, Mr. Wipak Wongwan, 36, from Mae Ram Subdistrict, Mae Taeng District, Chiang Mai, was charged under the arrest warrant issued by Chiang Mai Provincial Court for "attempted murder of an officer performing official duties or because of such duties."
Case details: On 27 Jan 2026 at about 19:00, Police Corporal Apiwat Mala, a patrol officer at San Kamphaeng Police Station, Chiang Mai, encountered a pink-and-white Honda Cub motorcycle with license plate 3กฐ 5694 parked on a public road at Ban Rai Phatthana, Moo 8, Mae Puka Subdistrict. Alongside it was an unidentified man. Police Corporal Apiwat approached to inspect the man and the motorcycle. The man then drew a gun from his pants and fired three shots at Police Corporal Apiwat. The officer fled and returned fire once while chasing the fleeing man.
The suspect was later identified as Mr. Wipak Wongwan, 36, from Mae Ram Subdistrict, Mae Taeng District, Chiang Mai. An arrest warrant was issued by Chiang Mai Provincial Court on charges of attempted murder of an officer, and authorities pursued the suspect until his arrest.
At the time of arrest, the suspect carried a black backpack. Upon searching the bag, officers found a mobile phone box containing two plastic bags, one blue and one brown. The blue bag contained 288 orange, smooth-surfaced methamphetamine pills marked with the English letters "MY." The brown bag contained 83 red, smooth, flat methamphetamine pills marked "WY" and an additional 5 similar pills marked "WY," totaling 376 methamphetamine pills.
When questioned, the suspect admitted ownership of the drugs. Authorities charged him with possession of Category 1 narcotics (methamphetamine) without permission, informed him of his rights, and handed him over to investigators at San Kamphaeng Police Station for further legal proceedings.
Later, at 15:30, Police Colonel Suramon Chalermjan, Chief of San Kamphaeng Police Station, along with officers, escorted Mr. Wipak Wongwan, 36, to conduct a detailed reenactment of his confession at the crime scene in Ban Pong Pa Ueang, Ban Rai Phatthana-Mae Puka Road, Moo 4, Mae Puka Subdistrict, San Kamphaeng District. The suspect admitted to shooting the police officer. He stated that he discarded the 9mm firearm used after fleeing but could not recall where.
Reporters asked the suspect about his motive for shooting the police officer, but he declined to answer. After completing the reenactment, authorities took him to the detention room at San Kamphaeng Police Station for further interrogation.