A policeman was killed and a suspect arrested in an exchange of fire between a police drug squad and a group of three alleged drug dealers in Mae Taeng district  on Tuesday.

A manhunt was  launched during the night for two other suspects, one of whom was believed to be wounded.

The incident took place at about 8.30pm after the police lay in wait at an intersection of the Chiang Mai-Pai bypass where a gang of hilltribe people were to show up to hand over drugs to undercover police officers.

Three members of the drug gang — two men and a woman — arrived in a Mitsubishi car and a pick-up truck. As they were about to hand over the drugs, the police identified themselves in order to arrest them. There followed an exchange of gunfirefire between the gang members and the police.

One of the officers, Pol Lance Corporal Siriyuth Noi-arun, 23, collapsed after being hit several times in the body. He was killed instantly. A gang member, who was wounded, fled into the roadside bush .The female gang member fled the scene in the Mitsubishi car.

The third gang member was arrested.

Near the scene of the gunfight, the police found an Isuzu pick-up truck riddled with bullet holes and recovered 2,000 methamphetamine pills from the back seat.

(Source: Bangkok Post)