Tracing the drug trafficking networks as they cross the natural barrier of the Mekong River, employing vast illicit funds to develop sophisticated methods and technologies to evade authorities and deliver drugs directly to the next generation.,
Although drug arrests happen almost daily, society often only sees the endpoint of these networks. Behind the scenes, transnational networks continue to operate relentlessly, constantly advancing their smuggling plans to be more complex and modern to avoid detection by authorities. What lies behind this issue? The SEE TRUE team will take you to uncover the truth.
Our news team visited the banks of the Mekong River in Nakhon Phanom province to follow the mission of Border Patrol Police Company 236 in intercepting transnational drug trafficking networks.
Pol.Lt.Col. Jirawat Rangsat, commander of Border Patrol Police Company 236, revealed that their primary work focuses on deep intelligence. Once information is obtained, they analyze the local situation to plan operations, such as intercepting vulnerable border points today to prevent drug smuggling and watching for the arrival of hired "pilots" who transport drugs.
The geographical feature in the middle of the Mekong includes an island called Koh Don, suspected to serve as a temporary drug storage location for shipments arriving by boat, known locally as "water hands." Once confident that the Thai side is accessible, drugs are transported inland to be handed over to drivers, known in the trade as "pilots." These pilots then distribute the drugs to various locations, including using Thailand as a transit route to third countries.
Our team noted that huts have been built on the sandbanks, which is unusual because such temporary shelters are typically constructed to guard agricultural crops. However, no crops are grown in the area. Thai authorities cannot inspect these sites because they lie outside Thai sovereignty and can only monitor them from a distance.
While patrolling, officials took our team to spots frequently used to offload drugs from the Mekong. The Border Patrol Police revealed that since the start of the new year, they have seized half a ton—or about 500 kilograms—of crystal methamphetamine at these riverbank points. If these drugs enter deeper into Thailand, the damage would be immense.
At night, when offenders typically act, undercover officers monitor the drug trafficking networks by blending in and observing. These networks also engage in vehicle and illegal goods theft. It's possible that they watch authorities’ movements and refrain from acting when observed. Uniformed foot patrols armed and visible serve as a deterrent. A key sign of offenders is vehicles with suspicious license plates.
Our team decided to break away to gather evidence independently and discovered several mysterious drones flying across the Mekong. Officials confirmed drones are used to transport drugs, but the ones we saw were likely "surveillance drones" scouting for authorities blocking their routes.
Tensions rose when, during our visit to a high-risk area, a car with heavily tinted windows followed us closely, likely acting as a lookout for the trafficking network. This vehicle probably scouts to assess if conditions are safe for the rest of the group to proceed. Because this network operates in stages and has massive funding to develop new methods and technologies, authorities, lacking manpower and modern equipment, face exponentially greater challenges.
Local residents revealed that before the January elections, drug trafficking and arrests were frequent. They observed that after the elections, these illegal activities noticeably decreased and became silent.
These drugs are only "a single link" in the chain of corruption that has long gripped Thai society. Ultimately, the drug war is a battle we cannot win unless we cut the power held by corrupt individuals and eradicate the dark profit networks that have deeply infested Thailand.
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