15 suspected drug smugglers killed by Thai border patrol
Authorities say Thai soldiers clashed with suspected drug smugglers in a forested area in the country’s north near the Myanmar border, killing 15
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Thai soldiers clashed with suspected drug smugglers in a forested area in the country's north near the Myanmar border, killing 15, authorities said Thursday.
The soldiers encountered the group of suspects carrying backpacks Wednesday evening and ordered them to stop, but they instead opened fire, according to the Pha Muang Task Force, the military unit in charge of security in Thailand's northern border provinces.
A firefight ensued for about 10 minutes, the agency said. No soldiers were wounded but on Thursday morning when the military returned to inspect the scene in the Fang district of Chiang Mai province, they found 15 suspected smugglers dead and 29 backpacks packed with crystal meth, authorities said.
It was still being investigated whether the suspects had brought the meth in from Myanmar. The route is a common one for drugs being smuggled into Thailand.
The exact quantity of crystal meth seized was also not immediately available, and the task force did not say whether any suspects are believed to have escaped.