On May 16, Police Lieutenant General Samran Nuanma, Assistant Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police, along with Police Lieutenant General Siam Boonsom, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, and Police Major General Nopasin Poolsawat, Deputy Commissioner, led forces to apprehend Mr. Nattawat, also known as Tae Wat Yang, after a standoff lasting over 17 hours.
At approximately 12:17 a.m., Arintaraj 26 special operations unit fired a single shot at the door to gain entry into the house and detain the suspect, who was then taken to Bang Khun Non Metropolitan Police Station.
Lt. Gen. Samran stated that after a 17-hour standoff, officers entered the suspect’s residence by shooting the door once. Inside, they found Mr. Nattawat in an exhausted condition. The operation was carried out according to tactical procedures.
The prolonged operation was necessary because the suspect was armed and had fired at officers. Authorities extended the operation to wear him down and minimize resistance. After the arrest, the suspect will undergo drug testing for further legal proceedings.
Initially, the police charged him with two main offenses: 1) Attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, and 2) Illegal possession of a firearm. Any charges related to drug use will depend on the test results.