A police senior sergeant major stationed in southern Thailand is under investigation after he was allegedly seen using a narcotic substance on camera during a mandatory online training session attended by 259 fellow officers, according to several news sources. The incident took place Monday, August 10, during a virtual training program organized by Provincial Police Region 9 for officers ranging from squad leaders to deputy superintendents.
The officer, attached to Talay Noi police station in Khuan Khanun district, Phatthalung province, was reportedly seen on camera appearing to use drugs while a guest speaker was addressing the group over Zoom, according to several news sources. The moment left many of his colleagues on the call visibly shocked, according to several news sources, since the behavior was visible to everyone logged into the session rather than happening off camera.
Several participants who noticed the behavior found it unacceptable and took screenshots as evidence before the session ended, according to several news sources. They then reported what they had seen to their superiors and contacted local media, asking that the officer’s conduct be looked into. The images and the officers’ complaints became the basis for the investigation that followed.
When reporters traveled to Talay Noi police station seeking comment, they were unable to reach the station’s superintendent, Pol Col Rangsi Manjit, who was attending a separate training program for senior police executives at the time, according to several news sources. Colleagues at the station also declined to say whether the officer had any previous history involving drugs when approached by journalists, according to Bangkok Post.
Pol Maj Gen Chaowalit Liangsupong, commander of Phatthalung provincial police, said he learned of the allegations through online media reports rather than through an internal channel. He ordered Talay Noi police station to launch an urgent fact-finding investigation into the matter and said that if the claims are substantiated, the officer will face the most severe disciplinary measures available under police regulations, applied without exception, according to several news sources. He did not elaborate on what those measures might involve or offer a timeline for when the investigation would conclude.
The officer previously served in neighboring Trang province before transferring to Talay Noi station roughly two years ago, according to several news sources. He has not been publicly identified by name while the investigation remains open, and attempts by reporters to reach him for comment were unsuccessful.
The training session that led to the allegations was part of a fiscal year 2026 professional development program run by Provincial Police Region 9, which oversees police operations across seven southern provinces: Trang, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Satun, Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat, according to the region’s official website. The course was delivered remotely over a video conferencing platform and brought together working officers from squad leader level up through deputy superintendent rank, a format that let hundreds of participants from across the region attend the same session without traveling.
That same format is what put the alleged misconduct on display in front of so many colleagues at once, since every officer logged into the call could see the same shared video feed in real time. In an in-person classroom setting, the incident might have been noticed only by those seated nearby. Instead, it became visible to the full group of 259 participants, several of whom independently raised concerns afterward, according to several news sources.
As of Thursday, Phatthalung police had not announced a timeline for completing the internal investigation, and no formal disciplinary action had been confirmed. Officials have not said whether the officer will be suspended or reassigned while the inquiry continues, and he remains at his post pending the outcome.
