The police spokesperson urgently flew south to take charge of the case involving MP Chaiyana Detdecho, who denied slapping the deputy superintendent's ear, saying he only touched his face playfully. He also ordered swift efforts to locate a police sergeant from Phatthalung Provincial Police, suspected of drug use while attending online training, to bring him in for questioning as soon as possible.
Regarding reports circulating on social media and public pages about the incident where the deputy superintendent of investigations at Thung Yai Police Station, Nakhon Si Thammarat, was slapped on the ear by a former minister and influential local politician during a local political figure's funeral on 8 Aug 2026, questions arose about police dignity. Subsequently, MP Chaiyana Detdecho, a party-list MP and deputy leader of the Democrat Party, as well as former Deputy Minister of Public Health, appeared at Thung Yai Police Station to acknowledge the assault charge but denied all allegations, stating the interaction was playful and that he and Deputy Superintendent Tum maintain a friendly relationship, often teasing each other. He claimed the incident is being politically exploited for discrediting purposes, as previously reported.
The latest update on 14 Aug 2026 in Nakhon Si Thammarat reports that on 13 Aug 2026 at 16:30, Pol. Lt. Gen. Trairong Phiwpan, Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police and spokesperson of the Royal Thai Police Office, visited Thung Yai Police Station to attend a meeting monitoring the progress of the case. This followed the complaint filed by Pol. Lt. Col. Thanongsak Sawadikom, Deputy Superintendent of Investigations at Thung Yai Police Station, against Chaiyana Detdecho for assault under Section 391.
After arrival, Pol. Lt. Gen. Trairong met with Pol. Maj. Gen. Pornchai Khajornklin, Deputy Commander of Region 8 Police and Acting Commander of Nakhon Si Thammarat Provincial Police, along with officers from Thung Yai Police Station. Pol. Lt. Col. Thanongsak also attended. The meeting lasted about one hour. In a subsequent media briefing, Pol. Lt. Gen. Trairong stated he came to review case progress and was informed that Chaiyana had acknowledged the charge but denied all allegations. The police are gathering evidence, including statements from the accused and multiple witnesses, to compile the case file.
Additionally, Pol. Lt. Col. Thanongsak's testimony has been helpful to the case's development, though details cannot yet be disclosed. After collecting sufficient evidence, investigators will submit the case to prosecutors, who will decide whether to proceed with charges.
Regarding Pol. Lt. Col. Thanongsak's mental state, Pol. Lt. Gen. Trairong said in their discussions he appeared well supported and encouraged by his superiors.
Concerning the issue of a police officer from Phatthalung Provincial Police displaying behavior suggestive of drug use during a video conference meeting, the spokesperson reported having received factual information. He has directly instructed the Provincial Police Commander of Phatthalung to urgently verify the facts and locate the officer shown in the footage for investigation into the specific substances involved. However, the officer has yet to be found. The spokesperson emphasized the need to expedite this process.
Regarding public concerns that a delay might affect the detectability of drugs in the officer's system, the police have been urged to bring the officer in for drug testing as soon as possible.