Authorities surrounded the area and arrested a man in red pants who drew a gun and fired at police conducting a house search. He fled into the grassland. Checking his record revealed warrants for attempted murder and reckless driving.
A reporter reported that at about 3:30 p.m. on 26 Oct 2026, investigators from Phutthamonthon Police Station received a tip from an informant about a planned drug handover inside Khlong Yong School Alley. They deployed officers to the area to plan the arrest.
Upon arriving at the scene—a worker's residence at a car care shop in Maha Sawat Subdistrict, Phutthamonthon District, Nakhon Pathom Province—officers detected the smell of drugs and noticed the front door was open. They saw a man suspected of using methamphetamine sitting inside. When officers identified themselves, the suspect spotted a gun beside him, resisted, tried to grab the weapon, and fled out the back door toward fields and canals. Officers pursued closely and called for backup.
During the chase, the suspect, feeling cornered, turned and fired one shot at the police to clear his escape route. He then used his familiarity with the area to disappear behind houses in Moo 4, Maha Sawat Subdistrict. Later, a civilian reported seeing the suspect jump over a canal and run into Soi 39. CCTV footage showed a shirtless man wearing red pants running past a house at about 3:48 p.m.
Later, Police Major General Phitak Uppong, Commander of Nakhon Pathom Provincial Police, along with Deputy Commander Police Colonel Kritsanat Wongklahan, Phutthamonthon Police Chief Police Colonel Pornchai Ariyanont, Phutthamonthon District Chief Mr. Sanchai Phakdeechotjawalit, and district officials led forensic teams and administrative officers to inspect the scene and personally command the situation.
A search of the suspect’s room, identified as 55-year-old Mr. Kraiwit Boonthong from Khao Phanom District, Krabi Province, uncovered numerous illegal items: one long shotgun with four rounds loaded, one short shotgun, two small bags of crystal methamphetamine, and five methamphetamine pills. Officers seized all evidence and handed it to investigators for legal proceedings.
Authorities coordinated with Police Major General Kan Thammakasem, Commander of Region 7 Special Investigation Division, to deploy the special operations unit (Intree 7) and a thermal drone to thoroughly scan the area. The suspect had fled into fields, abandoned forests, and areas with many canals. Heavy rain complicated the search. Concurrently, Police Major General Phitak Uppong ordered a 24-hour forward operations center be set up at the pavilion in Moo 1, Khlong Yong Subdistrict, led by Deputy Police Colonel Ittiphon Phonthewabancha and Chief of Investigation Police Colonel Piyoros Kanhasiri, who coordinated a tight perimeter with the Nakhon Chai Si Police.
Officials also contacted local leaders, including village heads and community leaders, to warn nearby residents to be vigilant. Since the suspect was armed and had fired at officers, people were urged to report any sightings of a shirtless man wearing red pants immediately to the operations center or by calling 191.
At 2:30 a.m. on 27 Oct 2026, officers successfully arrested Mr. Kraiwit inside the grassland area they had surrounded. He was taken into custody for further questioning.
A criminal record check revealed Mr. Kraiwit had an extensive history and two outstanding warrants: one from Thung Song Provincial Court for attempted murder and illegal possession and carrying of firearms (20-year statute of limitations) under Thung Yai Police jurisdiction, Nakhon Si Thammarat; and another from Wiang Sa Provincial Court for reckless driving causing serious injury and property damage under Wiang Sa Police jurisdiction, Surat Thani. He also had multiple prior convictions related to drugs and firearms and had served several prison terms for offenses against life, firearms law, and drug charges. He was released from a firearms-related sentence on 15 Sep 2023 before committing the recent shooting to escape police.
Further developments will be reported as they become available.