Border Patrol Police 32 fatally shot a drug trafficking suspect at the border in Mae Fa Luang District, Chiang Rai Province, resulting in one death and the seizure of 1,130,000 methamphetamine pills.
On 25 May 2026, it was reported that at 17:30 on 24 May, Pol. Col. Ratakorn Intanin, commander of Border Patrol Police 32, Region 3, received a report about drug trafficking from the Mae Fa Luang border area into inland territory. He ordered Pol. Lt. Col. Chawalit Kamtu, deputy commander of Border Patrol Police 32, to deploy forces to intercept at various points.
Later, a suspicious bronze silver Isuzu 4-door pickup truck with Phitsanulok license plates was spotted coming down from Mae Fa Luang District, matching the report. Officers pursued closely along Phahonyothin Road.
The driver became aware and attempted a high-speed escape. Cornered, he turned into Soi 5, Ban Mae Ki, Village 9, Pa Sang Subdistrict, Mae Chan District. Officers followed closely to the end of the alley, a pineapple field, where the vehicle lost control and dropped into a roadside ditch, becoming immobile. The driver then opened the door and fled on foot, leaving the truck in the ditch.
As officers chased the man, he drew a .38 caliber handgun and fired at them to clear his escape path, sparking a gunfight. When the shooting ceased, the man was found face down dead in the field about 100 meters from the vehicle. All officers were safe. The handgun was found beside the deceased.
Border Patrol Police contacted Mae Chan Police Station, forensic doctors, prosecutors, and local authorities to inspect the body. Initial findings revealed he held a personal identification card without registered status, known as a "head center" card. His name was Mr. Ako, 25, from Pong Pha Subdistrict, Mae Sai District.
Six sacks were found on the rear passenger seat area containing boxes labeled as grass jelly drink but actually wrapped packages of Category 1 narcotics (methamphetamine) stamped with blue number 999. It is estimated there were about 1,200,000 pills in total, which were seized as evidence.