Pattaya, Thailand – June 1st, 2025: A Chinese group operating in Pattaya is facing a slew of charges following a violent incident involving a shooting, drug trafficking, and illegal weapons as The Pattaya News covered here yesterday. The case, which unfolded in a residential area in Huay Yai, has prompted a fierce response from Chonburi’s top police official, who has vowed to crack down on the group’s illegal activities.
The incident began when Mr. Qiyang Song, a 26-year-old Chinese national, was shot in the right knee by a fellow countryman, Mr. Ju Bin, 32, inside a house on Soi Khao Makok 6/4 in the Huay Yai Subdistrict. Police searching a Mercedes-Benz vehicle at the scene uncovered a large quantity of narcotics, sparking a deeper investigation.
At noon on June 1st, 2025, Pol. Maj. Gen. Thawatchakiat Jindakuansanong, Commander of Chonburi Provincial Police, visited Huay Yai Police Station to oversee the case’s progress. He was briefed by senior officers, including Pol. Col. Chatree Suksiri, Deputy Commander of Chonburi Provincial Police, Pol. Col. Atthapol Itthayophasakul, Huay Yai Police Station Chief, and Pol. Col. Phasakorn Phaichit, head of Chonburi’s investigation division, alongside immigration and tourist police.
Police detained three Chinese nationals at the scene: Mr. Ju Bin, the shooter; Mr. Wang Zhijie, 26; and Ms. Zhang Junhan, 24. All three were found to have overstayed their visas. After the shooting, which left Mr. Song seriously injured, the suspects allegedly attempted to drag the victim back into the house. They then fled in a white sedan with a temporary license plate, discarding a firearm in a pond. However, Huay Yai’s investigation team apprehended them 3 kilometers from the scene.
A follow-up search of the house uncovered 3.22 grams of crystal methamphetamine (“ice”), an unregistered handgun, 9mm and .38 caliber ammunition, and equipment for producing e-cigarettes. Further searches of the suspects’ vehicles—a blue Mercedes-Benz and the white sedan—yielded 225.84 grams of ice, 711 methamphetamine pills, 165.83 grams of ketamine, more e-cigarette production equipment, and two branded bags containing 108,000 baht in Thai, Chinese, and U.S. currencies. All items were seized as evidence.
The injured Mr. Song remains hospitalized at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, where police have placed him under guard and will be placed into custody once he recovers. A raid on a room in Soi Thepprasit that investigators connected to the previously arrested suspects led to the arrest of three additional Chinese nationals, also overstaying their visas, and the seizure of two more firearms (a handgun and a slide-action shotgun) and additional drugs. All suspects also tested positive for drug use.
A surprising discovery was a maroon Honda CBR motorcycle with police insignia, previously used by the Hang Nam Sakhon Police Station in Chai Nat Province. The vehicle had been decommissioned and sold at auction for 8,000 baht. Police are investigating how it ended up at the crime scene.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Thawatchakiat praised the swift response of Huay Yai’s patrol and investigation teams, who coordinated with multiple agencies to seize drugs, weapons, and e-cigarette equipment within 24 hours. He outlined two distinct cases: one involving the three perpetrators and another involving the four victims, including Mr. Song. All seven face charges of overstaying their visas, illegal possession of firearms, drug trafficking, and drug use. Mr. Ju Bin faces an additional charge of attempted murder.
While the motive remains unclear due to uncooperative suspects, police suspect a conflict over illegal profits, possibly related to drug sales among Chinese nationals in Pattaya’s nightlife venues. The suspects admitted to distributing drugs within their community. Pol. Maj. Gen. Thawatchakiat added that the investigation will expand to trace the drugs’ and weapons’ origins, financial trails, and any Thai involvement. The gang was already under surveillance by Huay Yai police, who were preparing a search warrant before the shooting occurred, prompted by a bizarre incident involving Mr. Song found swimming in a water tank on the rooftop of a condo several days before.
The Chonburi Provincial Police, under orders from the Region 2 Police Commander, are intensifying efforts to target 1,500 Chinese nationals suspected of overstaying in Thailand. Authorities aim to dismantle such networks and prevent further criminal activity.
Residents reported frequent disputes from the group, heightening community concerns.
