CHIANG RAI, Thailand – Two armed men fired a warning shot to incite panic before robbing a gold shop in a Chiang Rai shopping center, escaping with multiple trays of jewelry and prompting an international border manhunt. The brazen heist occurred at approximately 4:15 p.m. on August 4, 2026, in the Chiang Khong district, leaving staff shaken but physically unharmed.

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According to shop employees, the suspects arrived at the commercial complex on a Honda Scoopy motorcycle bearing local license plates. Upon entering the premises, one of the men discharged a single gunshot into the air to intimidate shoppers and personnel before the pair rushed the gold counter. The duo quickly gathered at least five trays of gold jewelry and fled the scene. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the employees or the shopping center security guard who were present during the incident.

2 โจรควงปืนบุกชิงทอง ใช้เวลาเพียง 3 นาที กวาดทองคำหนัก 184 บาท มูลค่ากว่า 13 ล้านบาท ก่อนทิ้งรถริมแม่น้ำโขง คาดหลบหนีข้ามไป สปป.ลาว#ชิงทอง #ปล้นร้านทอง #เชียงของ #เชียงราย #ข่าวอาชญากรรม #โจรชิงทอง #ไบรท์ทีวี #BrightTV pic.twitter.com/4pse7l09cs

— BrightTV (@BrightTVth) August 5, 2026

Forensic teams and investigation officers have since scoured the premises and reviewed closed-circuit television footage to track the suspects’ movements. Surveillance images indicate the getaway driver was wearing a red, long-sleeved hooded shirt, while the passenger was dressed in a dark jacket and a black hat. Tracing their escape route, police discovered the motorcycle abandoned at the Pla Boo Thong pier along the Mekong River.

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Investigators strongly suspect the robbers boarded a boat to cross the river into a neighboring country, likely Laos. In response, Thai authorities have mobilized border security agencies and established communication with Lao officials and other regional security bodies to intercept the fleeing suspects. Law enforcement is continuing to assess the exact quantity and monetary value of the stolen assets. Meanwhile, police are urging anyone with information regarding the suspects or the stolen goods to contact the emergency hotline or their nearest station as the cross-border investigation intensifies.

-Thailand News (TN)