Tak private pier banned after major drug bust

The Tak governor has banned the import and export of goods at a private pier following the arrest of a truck driver found smuggling a large quantity of drugs from Myanmar.

On Saturday, Tak Governor Chucheep Pongchai issued an order revoking permission for the use of Ban Ku Luang Pier (Pier 48) in Moo 1 village, Tambon Mae Ku, in Tak’s Mae Sot district as a border transit point for goods between Thailand and Myanmar.

The pier was operated by a local businesswoman, Kanya Kaema.

The revocation of permission was ordered after a truck driver and his assistant were arrested by police and officials from the Narcotics Control Board on Friday. They were caught in Nakhon Sawan with 18 million methamphetamine pills, 250 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine (ice), and 300 kilogrammes of ketamine hidden in their truck.

The suspects admitted that they had driven their truck to deliver drinking water to Myanmar via Ban Ku Luang Pier, using a ferry service to cross the river. After delivering the drinking water, they stayed overnight in Myanmar, during which a drug trafficking ring took their truck, loaded it with drugs, and returned it to them to cross back into Thailand via the pier on Friday.

In addition to banning the use of Ban Ku Luang Pier, the governor also ordered 59 other private piers in Tak to suspend ferry services for vehicles travelling to and from Myanmar.

According to the order, only goods may be shipped via the 59 private piers using boats or rafts provided at the piers, while trucks must either wait to receive or deliver goods on the Thai side of the border.