The Provincial Police Commander of Phayao Province, upon learning that a police officer under his command was involved with drugs, ordered the provincial investigation chief to raid and arrest a sergeant from Dok Kham Tai Police Station. The sergeant was caught sitting and using drugs in a shack in the middle of a rice field. A search found 8 methamphetamine pills on him. His department has suspended him from duty pending the disciplinary investigation results.
On 7 May 2026, Pol. Maj. Gen. Pongsawat Chaibaan, Provincial Police Commander of Phayao, learned that a police officer under his command was involved with drugs. He assigned Pol. Col. Wisit Pluemjai, Chief of Provincial Investigation, Pol. Col. Bawon Chaikham, Chief of Dok Kham Tai Police Station, Pol. Lt. Col. Narich Sondit, Director of the Office of Narcotics Control Region 5, Mr. Danucha Chaiwong, Senior Special Investigator, Pol. Lt. Col. Supot Jaiya, Investigation Supervisor, along with the Dok Kham Tai Police investigation team and narcotics officers from Region 5, to conduct surveillance.
They found a drug-using gathering in a shack in the middle of a rice field at Ban Tham Charoen Rat, Village No. 6, Ban Tham Subdistrict, Mueang District, Phayao Province. They detained and searched the suspects, identifying Sergeant Phakphum, also known as Sergeant Boy, aged 44, a patrol unit leader at Dok Kham Tai Police Station, from Dok Kham Tai District, Phayao. He was with two other men. Urine tests showed all three had drugs in their systems.
Searching Sergeant Phakphum revealed 15 methamphetamine pills hidden on him, while one of the other men had 8 pills. Authorities detained the suspects along with the evidence and transferred them to the Dok Kham Tai Police Station for legal proceedings.
Reporters noted that after Sergeant Phakphum's arrest, Pol. Col. Bawon Chaikham, Chief of Dok Kham Tai Police Station, submitted a report to the commanding officers, the Provincial Police Commander, and the Region 5 Police Commander. They proposed suspending Sergeant Phakphum from duty pending a severe disciplinary investigation, to proceed accordingly.