Krabi Officials Arrest Protest Leader's Cousin with 1,408 Meth Pills
Krabi district officials arrested Karnchit 'Thuek' Khrueakaew, cousin of protest leader Kamnan Mano, with 1,408 methamphetamine pills at a rental house in Krabi Noi. The 39-year-old confessed to buying the drugs for resale and has a prior five-year sentence for drug offenses, having been released only months ago. Authorities stressed the arrest was based on evidence and unrelated to his cousin's political activities.
Krabi — District administration officers raided a house and arrested Thuek Khrueakaew, the cousin of Kamnan Mano, confiscating 1,408 methamphetamine pills. On November 7, Mueang Krabi District Chief Precha Soithong ordered the district's special administration task force to carry out the government's 'Alleviate Suffering, Promote Well-being, Protect Public Peace, Eradicate Drugs, Conquer Tyrants' policy. The operation netted one suspect, Karnchit, alias Thuek Khrueakaew, 39, who was caught with 1,408 meth pills at a rental house in Moo 13, Krabi Noi subdistrict, Mueang Krabi district. During initial questioning, the suspect confessed to owning the drugs, stating he had purchased them in Lam Thap district during a late-night rendezvous at 2:30 a.m., and that other occupants of the house were not involved. Officers charged him with possession of a Category 1 narcotic with intent to sell without a license and forwarded the case for prosecution. District Chief Precha disclosed that the arrest stemmed from intelligence tips that the suspect was secretly buying drugs to resell. A planned raid on the rental room led to the seizure. Precha added that the suspect has a criminal history: he was previously jailed for five years for possession of 30 grams of crystal meth and 38 meth pills, and was released only in August 2025 before falling back into the drug trade. Karnchit Khrueakaew is a cousin of Mano Khrueakaew, the Kamnan of Krabi Noi who is currently leading a protest against the government. Regarding the arrest, officials insisted it was based solely on facts and the suspect's own confession, noting that the Mueang Krabi administration has continuously cracked down on drug dealers and users in the area.
