Phitsanulok / Pathum Thani – June 30, 2025 – A violent confrontation during a drug sting operation in Pathum Thani left two law enforcement officers wounded Sunday afternoon, while a separate pursuit in Phitsanulok resulted in a high-speed chase, a massive methamphetamine seizure, and a seriously injured bystander.

Pickup driver shot dead after police pursuit in Phuket

Pathum Thani: Officers Ambushed in Convenience Store Parking Lot

Around 3:20 PM in Muang district, a police team attempting to arrest a suspected drug trafficker in a planned sting operation came under fire in the parking lot of a local convenience store. Police Sergeant Asanai Rueangsai, 28, sustained gunshot wounds to his arm and thigh, while civilian police volunteer Apichai Chuenjai, 42, was struck in the thigh.

Investigators recovered multiple spent 9mm shell casings at the scene, along with bullet damage to the store’s exterior and a nearby parked vehicle. Authorities believe the suspect, who escaped in his car, may have also been injured after police returned fire, striking the driver’s door. A manhunt remains underway.

A policeman and a police volunteer received gunshot wounds and a passing motorcyclist was seriously injured during drug busts in Phitsanulok and Pathum Thani provinces on Sunday.

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— Bangkok Post (@BangkokPostNews) June 30, 2025

Phitsanulok: High-Speed Chase Ends in Massive Meth Seizure

Hours later, a separate drug interdiction effort turned chaotic when police pursued a suspect vehicle from Chiang Rai into Phitsanulok. Officers disabled the car by shooting out a tire on Highway 117, leading to the discovery of 410 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine (“ice”) packed in 20 sacks inside a white Nissan Almera.

One suspect was apprehended at the scene, though his identity has not yet been released. The detained individual confessed that the drugs were being transported from Chiang Rai to Suphan Buri. A second suspect, identified as 27-year-old Jaturapak Takjang from Surat Thani, fled and remains at large.

Tragically, during the pursuit, a police pickup truck collided with a 67-year-old motorcyclist near his residence, leaving the elderly man with severe injuries, including multiple broken bones.

Four Cambodian Nationals Killed in Sa Kaeo High-Speed Pursuit Accident

Authorities in both provinces are reviewing surveillance footage and witness statements to reconstruct the events. The incidents highlight the escalating dangers faced by law enforcement in Thailand’s ongoing battle against drug trafficking networks.

-Thailand News (TN)