Chiang Rai News

Myanmar Drug Lords Increasing their Product across Northern Thai Borders

Chiang Rai provincial police in Thailand received a tip-off that a large amount of illegal drugs would be trafficked into the country from Myanmar (Burma).
Investigators located a group of suspected drug traffickers who managed to escape, but left behind a pickup truck with 34 backpacks containing 4,080,000 methamphetamine tablets.

CHIANG RAI – Myanmar’s Drug Lords, uncertain about Myanmar’s New government’s policy on narcotics, have begun dumping their goods in large quantities across the Northern borders of Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai.

Worries of a potential crackdown in Myanmar have led to a huge influx of illicit drugs into Thailand in the first quarter of this year.

Massive amounts of drugs also have been stashed along the Thai-Myanmar border, ready to be smuggled into Thailand via the northern border provinces.

Authorities in February arrested 13 traffickers and drug mules and seized ya ba and ya ice worth two billion baht _ but there is plenty more where that came from.

“Large quantities of speed pills have been produced and stashed on the Myanmar side of the border,” deputy national police chief Pol Gen Somyos Poompanmuang, who supervises a nationwide anti-drug suppression operation, said.

“The Pha Muang taskforce estimates there are about 500 million speed pills stored at the Myanmar border.”

Since the beginning of this year drugs police have arrested many suspects, including major traffickers, and seized millions of speed pills and sizeable amounts of crystal methamphetamine, or ya ice.

During the first quarter of this year authorities seized large hauls of illicit drugs in almost 40 cases, with several other smaller busts by local police.

The 40 major cases include the seizure of 1 million methamphetamine pills and 46 kilogrammes of ice in Chiang Rai province early in January, with a major drug suspect caught in the operation.

On that same day, police arrested two suspects and seized 890,000 speed pills and 1kg of ice in Ayutthaya.

On Jan 15, soldiers from the Pha Muang taskforce killed two suspects in a clash with a drug gang and seized 1.2 million speed pills in Chiang Rai’s Mae Fa Luang district.

On Jan 29, 900,000 speed pills and 5kg of ice were seized and four suspects caught at a restaurant in Chiang Rai’s Muang district.

On Feb 6, 1.4 million speed pills were seized and one suspect arrested in Lamphun province’s Li district.

Pol Gen Somyos Poompanmuang,

Another 1.97 million speed pills and 20kg of ice were seized and a major drug suspect caught in a Valentine’s Day bust in Chiang Rai’s Mae Chan district.

The following day, about 970,000 speed pills were seized in Muang district of Lampang. About 1.94 million speed pills were seized later in the same province on Feb 24.

Then on March 20, 1 million speed pills and 30kg of ice were seized, with one suspect caught.

In the latest crackdown last Tuesday, police arrested 12 tribal drug suspects, seizing 120 bars of heroin weighing 42kg and 38kg of ice worth a total 600 million baht.

Pol Gen Somyos said drug networks opt to use tribal people instead of Thais to smuggle illicit drugs into the country, believing Thais are more likely to be police spies.

Experts from the Narcotics Suppression Bureau and the Office of the Narcotics Control Board say the influx of illicit drugs into the country has increased dramatically since October last year, resulting in the large number of drug case arrests.

From October last year until last Monday, a total of 186,050 drug cases were reported, resulting in the arrests of 194,601 drug suspects and the seizure of 59,033,492 speed pills, 959.30kg of ice, 118.74kg of heroin and 10,469.50kg of marijuana.

Authorities have also seized assets worth 677.39 million baht from 1,741 drug suspects.

Pol Gen Somyos said drug producers and traffickers are uncertain about the Myanmar government’s policy on drugs. Worried there might be a crackdown, they have accelerated the release of their goods in exchange for cash.

Pol Gen Somyos said there are two phases in drug trafficking. In the first phase, illicit drugs are smuggled and kept along northern border provinces of Thailand. This is called a “short-haul” transport of illicit drugs.

Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phrae and Nan provinces are used as storage points for the drugs, he said.

In the second phase – “long-haul” smuggling – the goods from the northern border are smuggled to Bangkok or to the South before being smuggled to third countries via Malaysia.

He said Thailand’s improved intelligence-gathering has played a key role in many drug arrests.

Authorities plan to install large X-ray machines on two main roads in the northern route to detect narcotics hidden in trucks and large vehicles travelling from the North, Pol Gen Somyos said.

Traffickers are hastening the smuggling of drugs into Thailand before the machines are installed.

“After learning that Thailand will have road checkpoints with large X-rays, drug traffickers have rushed to smuggle illicit drugs quickly to avoid being arrested later,” said the deputy national police chief.

“This is rush hour for drug traffickers – we call this period ‘happy hour’ for their unlawful activities,” he said.

Chiang Rai News

Chiang Rai Man Kills Woman’s Infant Daughter When She Refuses His Sexual Advances

Police in Wiang Kaen District of Chiang Rai Province have arrested a 50 year old man after the threatened to rape a 20 year-old woman and the proceeded to murder her 2 and half month old baby.

Police with doctors from Wiang Kaen Hospital and the Chao Luang Wiang Kaen Welfare Association were summoned to the scene of the incident to a 2-story cement house, Village No. 2, Tha Kham Subdistrict, Wiang Kaen District of Chiang Rai

On arrival they found Ms. Chanikarn, age 20, in a state of distress crying uncontrollably beside her 2 and a half month baby girl (Linlada) that was dead on the floor.

After calming Ms. Chanikarn, the child’s mother, said that at approximately 2:30 p.m she was out to collect diapers that had been dried in front of the house, while her 2 and a half month old daughter was sleep on the ground floor of the house.

She said she was suddenly approached by a Mr. Lee, about 40 years old, who lived on the opposite side of the road. He came towards her and grabbed her arm and threatened her saying if she didn’t sleeping with him he will go and kill his daughter.

Miss Chanikan refused and ran away, then Mr. Lee then walked into the house and grabbed Ms. Linlada’s leg, smashing the child’s head against the cement floor of the house. The infant died immediately.

Mr. Lee then just walked away and returned to his own home, leaving Miss Chanikan and her dead baby.

When police went to Mr. Lee’s home he immediately confessed killing the infant and was taken to Wiang Kaen Police Station for further questioning. Under caution he told police that he was sexually attracted to Miss Chanikan‘s and when her husband leave for work he took the opportunity to approach her.

He said when he saw her husband leave he crossed that road and found Miss Chanikan in the yard alone, he then threatened her to sleep with him, saying he would kill her child if she didn’t have sex with him. However when she refused he flew into a fit of rage walked into her home and murdered he baby. He said he was out of control with rage.

After killing the infant he walk across the street to his home and waited for the police to arrive. The police have charged him with premeditated murder and attempted rape. He is being held without bail at the local remand center.

Meanwhile, Miss Chanikan and her family were preparing a religious burial ceremony for the child.

Other Chiang Rai News:

Machete Wielding Man Shot an Killed by Police in Chiang Rai

https://www.chiangraitimes.com/chiangrai-news/machete-wielding-man-shot-an-killed-by-police-in-chiang-rai/

Chiang Rai News

Police in Chiang Rai Launch Crackdown on Cyber Criminals in Golden Triangle

CHIANG RAI: Prime Minister Settha Thavisin has authorized the establishment of an emergency cyber center operated by the Royal Thai Police to combat transnational crimes committed by call center gangs along the Thai border in Chiang Rai province.

On July 19, Prime Minister Settha Thavisin directed the Center to combat information technology crimes. The Royal Thai Police (Royal Thai Police) will crack down on call center gangs in Myanmar, Laos, and along the border.

His directive comes as call center gangs ratchet up their scams to defraud people of their money, causing concern among Thais and jeopardizing the country’s economic and social stability.

Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panphet, Deputy Commander and Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division, Assigned Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai Pitanilabut, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Police/Deputy Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division, has launched the operation ‘Bombing the Thieves’ Bridge’ in collaboration with the CAT Office, G., mobile phone network operators AIS DTAC TRUE NT, and local security agencies to cut the mobile phone signal and WiFi internet that criminals illegally use to deceive Thai citizens.

Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panphet, Deputy Commander and Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division

Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai stated that they will begin pressing the first action of the ‘Explosion of Thieves’ Bridge’ in Chiang Rai Province toward the thieves’ base of operations in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone.

The territory surrounding King Roman in Laos. King Roman is now a full-service entertainment destination with an airport that welcomes travelers from Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar, he explained.

According to Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai, this operation will have no influence on honest people along the Thai border, and it will only target cyber criminals.

They will also increase the arrest and prosecution of unlawful service towers, such as SIM booths, which allow gangs register SIM cards to swindle the people. Dealing with criminal organizations of foreigners and Thais who band together to deceive and damage Thais.

Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panphet, Deputy Commander and Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) suspended more than three million SIM cards on July 16 because the holders had not verified their identities with their mobile phone operators by the deadline, in accordance with the NBTC’s measures to combat alleged fraudsters’ mule accounts.

The names of the holders of 80 million mobile phone numbers used for mobile banking transactions did not match the names associated with the mobile banking accounts.

The NBTC would require mobile phone companies to authenticate SIM card holders and the names of their mobile banking accounts. The verification procedure is expected to be completed by the end of September this year.

In addition, the NBTC and Royal Thai Police have collaborated to combat illegal telecom towers throughout the country’s borders, disconnecting signals at 465 places, altering antenna direction at 470 towers, and dismantling antennas at 179 locations.

They are certain that the move will disrupt contact center gangs and other types of technology-based crime.

Other Chiang Rai News:

Machete Wielding Man Shot an Killed by Police in Chiang Rai

https://www.chiangraitimes.com/chiangrai-news/machete-wielding-man-shot-an-killed-by-police-in-chiang-rai/

Chiang Rai News

Machete Wielding Man Shot an Killed by Police in Chiang Rai

Police in Mae Chan, Chiang Rai, shot and killed a 28-year-old man who allegedly attacked a police officer with a machete. The officer was slashed in the right leg with the machete.

According to police, the culprit, known only as Mr. Toon, had been harassing local villagers in Mae Chan district, Chiang Rai, threatening them with a knife and using violet insults.

The village headman arrived on the scene to try to calm Mr. Toon, but he was shouting hysterically and taking swipes at him with the machete, so he contacted the police.

When the responding officer arrived at the site about 9 p.m., he attempted to calm the man, but he instead assaulted the officer, slashing his right leg with the machete. In self-defense, the cop had to fire his gun at Mr. Toon, striking him in the chest.

Mr. Toon and the policeman were taken to Mae Chan Hospital, where Mr. Toon died of a gunshot wound. Pol Sgt. Sutthikiat Phanomphraisakul was released from the hospital after receiving numerous stitches for his injuries.

Local police received a tip around 9.30 p.m. yesterday that a guy was causing mayhem in the village. When authorities arrived, they discovered 28-year-old Toon strolling along a public road, holding a large knife and threatening people. Mae Chan district officials attempted to contain the incident.

During a search of Mr. Toon’s home, authorities discovered methamphetamine consumption equipment. Locals told authorities that the man was addicted to Yaba (Methamphetamine) and an alcoholic.

The authorities are conducting an inquiry to determine Toon’s motivations and whether any underlying issues contributed to his violent outburst.