The Janae Police Chief confirmed that his team performed their duties properly and that the case will be handled based on evidence. Regarding the helicopter shooting incident, he revealed that M16 bullet heads and shell casings were found at the scene. He explained the timeline of a group of youths returning from camping who cooperated fully at a checkpoint and underwent thorough searches, with no illegal items found, including drugs or firearms. Meanwhile, MP Romadon demanded that Prime Minister Nu set up a committee to investigate the facts to address lingering doubts.
On 25 August 2026, MP Romadon Panjor, a party-list MP of the Prachachon Party, visited Janae District in Narathiwat Province to investigate the case of Mr. Soe Lae Dorlae, 21, who was shot in an incident suspected to involve gunfire from a helicopter in Chang Phueak Subdistrict on the night of 22 August.
MP Romadon met with Police Colonel Weerasak Pherasale, Chief of Janae Police Station, to inquire about the investigation. Colonel Weerasak explained that on the night of 22 August, after an arson incident at the Chang Phueak Subdistrict Administrative Organization at 19:50, he immediately set up a checkpoint. At 21:39, they found Mr. Soe Lae and three friends riding three motorcycles passing the checkpoint in front of Janae Police Station. They were thoroughly searched, and no illegal items such as drugs or firearms were found.
The youths cooperated well during the search and were found to have only camping equipment, as they had just returned from camping in Sai Buri. Then, at 22:07, 28 minutes later, the Janae Hospital reported that someone had been shot. A team was dispatched to the hospital and found that the injured person was Mr. Soe Lae, matching the timeline given by him and his friends.
Regarding evidence at the scene, Colonel Weerasak further revealed that police collected 5.56 mm M16 bullet heads from the motorcycle of Mr. Soe Lae’s friend and found three M16 shell casings at the base of a rubber tree on a hill about 10 to 15 meters from where Mr. Soe Lae was shot.
There were two clusters of bullet marks on the road: the first with three marks and the second with nearly ten. All evidence, including Mr. Soe Lae’s clothing, was sent by Janae Police Station to the forensic office for gunpowder residue testing according to forensic science standards.
"This is a serious case, and the police affirm that they are performing their duties correctly. Everything will be examined based on all evidence, which has been sent for forensic analysis, including the disputed bullet trajectories," said Colonel Weerasak.
MP Romadon also visited the scene and found more bullet marks than he expected, noting two clusters. The first cluster was where the four youths saw the helicopter. He counted 12 marks with an 8 cm diameter. Considering the Janae Police Chief’s report of M16 5.56 mm bullet heads and casings, it is likely that a rifle was used. However, the bullet trajectory origin remains disputed between the victim and authorities, with the Narathiwat task force denying shooting from a helicopter. Therefore, he urged the Prime Minister to use his authority to establish a fact-finding committee on this case.
"The committee should consist of credible individuals who collect and explain the evidence to clarify the facts and communicate openly to the public. We must not leave doubts because it affects both the public and government," MP Romadon said.
Additionally, MP Romadon expressed sympathy for the Janae Police Chief, acknowledging that the station is handling ten cases requiring significant resources. He said that a fact-finding committee that publicly reveals findings would increase transparency. His proposal is not to blame anyone but to clarify facts to prevent suspicion. Resolving this issue swiftly would ease public sentiment.
MP Romadon also visited Mr. Soe Lae, who is still recovering at Narathiwat Rajanagarindra Hospital, hoping for justice. He toured the Chang Phueak Subdistrict Administrative Organization area, which suffered severe fire damage in 2010 and was most recently affected by this incident, the worst in Narathiwat Province.