Police apologise after drug chase causes distress to family

Police in Plaibang issued a formal apology to a family after a dramatic drug chase led officers to fire a gun, causing great distress to a grandmother and her six year old granddaughter. The incident unfolded when the suspect’s car crashed into the family’s wall.

Officers from the Plaibang Police Station in Nonthaburi were chasing a suspect involved in drug trafficking. The pursuit ended abruptly when the suspect lost control of his car, crashing into the wall of a house where the family resided. The suspect fled the scene on foot, seeking refuge under the house of 52 year old Wichai who lived with his 78 year old mother, Prapai, and his six year old niece, who was waiting to go to school.

Police fired a single shot in an attempt to apprehend the fleeing suspect, causing alarm among the family members. The incident occurred at 7.39am on June 26. The suspect managed to escape, leaving the family and their property in disarray. The scene left the family deeply shaken, and later, the police realised the gravity of the distress caused.

Yesterday at 6.30pm, at house number 100, Moo 2, Sala Klang Subdistrict, Deputy Inspector Phasakorn Kittiwaniyanon, along with three other officers, visited the family to apologise and explain the circumstances of the incident. The officers included Sergeant Prasit Promchak, Corporal Phonthep Chanchai, and Corporal Jetsada Sanga-Mangkhang, who were directly involved in the chase.

During the conversation, Wichai expressed his dissatisfaction with the officers’ delayed apology, emphasising that it had taken four days and media attention for them to reach out. His cousin, Sompong, intervened, calming the situation and suggesting that the officers leave to allow Wichai and his family time to cool down. A future meeting was proposed for a more peaceful resolution.

Corporal Phonthep detailed the events of the chase. He mentioned that they had received a tip-off about drug dealing in the community and had followed the suspect from Wat Bua. The suspect’s car eventually veered off course and crashed into the wall of a house by the roadside, reported KhaoSod.

Drug chase

The suspect then ran into a nearby alley, slipping and falling, which allowed Phonthep to catch up and attempt to handcuff him. The suspect broke free and continued running into the residential area, Phonthep said.

“I saw the grandmother sitting with the child at the back of a car. The suspect ran through the garden, and I decided to fire a warning shot into the ground to scare him. Unfortunately, he kept running and managed to escape.

“Upon searching the crashed car, we found one gram of crystal methamphetamine, a knife, and 10,000 baht (US$270) in cash. Another suspect fled in a different direction with a bag. We sincerely apologise to the grandmother and her granddaughter for the unforeseen incident. We were merely performing our duty to apprehend the suspect.”