Chiang Mai – Soldiers from the Pha Muang Task Force clashed with drug couriers attempting to smuggle narcotics across the border into Thailand, seizing four sacks containing over 600,000 meth pills.
On Tuesday Col. Phairat Srichaival, commander of the Third Army’s Pha Muang Task Force told reporters they received a tip about drug smuggling activities along the Thai-Myanmar border in Mae Ai District, Chiang Mai.
Acting on this intelligence, soldiers from the 3206 Border Patrol Company were sent to patrol the area.
Around 7:20 AM, the patrol team came across 3-5 suspicious individuals carrying modified backpacks near a natural border crossing in Ban Lai Ai, Mae Ai Subdistrict. When officers approached to investigate, the group opened fire. A five-minute shootout followed, but no officers were harmed.
After securing the area, soldiers found four sacks left behind, each holding about 150,000 methamphetamine pills. A total of approximately 600,000 pills were seized and handed over to Mae Ai Police Station for further legal action.
Cross Border Drug Smuggling
Methamphetamine smuggling in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai in 2025 remains a significant issue, driven by the regions’ proximity to the Golden Triangle—an area encompassing parts of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar known for its long history of drug production and trafficking.
By March 25, 2025, several notable incidents and trends have emerged, reflecting both the scale of the problem and the efforts to combat it.
In Chiang Rai, authorities have reported substantial drug seizures this year. For instance, between October 2024 and early 2025, the Pha Muang Task Force and other units conducted 98 operations, arresting 111 individuals and confiscating over 38 million methamphetamine pills, alongside significant quantities of crystal meth, heroin, opium, and ketamine.
These seizures, valued at nearly 20 billion baht if sold on Bangkok streets, highlight the volume of drugs moving through this northern province, which borders Myanmar and Laos.
A specific operation on March 19, 2025, saw soldiers seize 323 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine in Mae Sai after a firefight near the Sai Lom Joy Market, where smugglers had stashed drugs in a rented property after crossing the Sai River.
Earlier, on March 14, Thai navy officers intercepted a boat on the Mekong River near Chiang Saen, seizing 6 million methamphetamine pills from a 25-year-old Lao smuggler.
Chiang Mai, located south of Chiang Rai, serves as both a transit hub and a destination. Trafficking routes have adapted to increased patrols in Chiang Rai, with smugglers rerouting through Chiang Mai or via Laos.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
