PATTAYA, THAILAND – An apparently agitated truck driver allegedly opened fire on a motorway rescue vehicle late on 15 February 2026 before fleeing on foot into nearby woodland.
Shots Fired on Elevated Motorway Section
The confrontation took place at about 10:36 p.m. on the elevated section of the Bangkok-Rayong Motorway between kilometre markers 129 and 131 in the direction of Rayong near Huay Yai. According to Highway Police Division 1, Region 8, responders reported that an armed man fired at a motorway rescue vehicle and damaged it, after which investigators from Huay Yai Police Station under Pol. Lt. Col. Prakasit Phaladej were sent to the scene.
Rescue Vehicle and Pickup Found at Roadside
Officers initially found the damaged motorway rescue vehicle and a white Isuzu D-Max with Bangkok licence plates abandoned on the hard shoulder. Around 100 metres away, the rescue vehicle with the plate number 3ฒก 4049 showed clear bullet damage to the right rear wheel and wheel arch, while the suspected shooter and a woman had reportedly already fled hand in hand into the adjacent forested area.
Cartridges and 500 Kilograms of Kratom Seized
At the scene, investigators secured one spent 11-millimetre cartridge case outside the vehicle and three live rounds. Inside the pickup, officers also found eight further cartridge cases, which were seized as evidence, while the loading area contained about 51 sacks of fresh Kratom leaves with a total weight of around 500 kilograms.
Dispute With Girlfriend Reportedly Triggered Incident
Rescue workers said they had checked the white pickup because it was in a dangerous position on the motorway shoulder and had only intended to warn the driver for safety reasons. According to their account, the man stated he was arguing with his girlfriend, and the crew advised him to calm down, resolve the conflict peacefully and move the vehicle to a safer location, before he allegedly followed the rescue vehicle, fired twice, forced it to stop and then parked in front of it.
Armed Suspect on the Run in Woodland
After the shots, the driver was said to have taken his companion’s hand and fled with her into the wooded area along the motorway, while the rescuers remained unharmed. The Highway Police stated it was coordinating with Huay Yai Police Station to seal off and search the forest, calling on the public to report any possible sightings of the pair and stressing that the suspect was armed and dangerous, while the investigation continued without interruption.