Public gun battles wreaked havoc on the streets last week and police admit more needs to be done to keep the public safe.
Three shootouts between police squads and suspected drug traffickers broke out on crowded roads on Tuesday alone.
The first happened in Bangkok. It started with a car chase near Maha Nak market in Saphan Khao area, and then the bullets started to fly on a road running along Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem in Pomprap Sattruphai district. The shootout lasted about 10 minutes.
Warisnon Roengkamol, a drug suspect, was found dead following the gun battle.
Warisnon's three-month-old son was also found alive in the car.
Another suspect, Pichet Dokmaiphum, 37, was shot and injured.
About 136,000 methamphetamine tablets and about 8kg of crystal methamphetamine were found in the suspect's car and seized.
University student Somruedee Wanawanant, 23, was standing near the melee and was hit by a stray bullet that grazed the left side of her face.
The second incident erupted on a Chon Buri road. The driver of a Toyota Vigo pickup truck was in pursuit of a Honda Civic car. During the chase, three men riding in the truck's bed were seen shooting at the Civic.
The driver of the car, Santisuk Yindeesuk, 28, abandoned the Civic and escaped, but an unidentified 23-year-old student was found dead in the car.
Police have determined Mr Santisuk was involved with a drug trafficking gang and the dead student was his girlfriend.
The third incident took place in Lamae district of Chumphon.
During a sting operation, drug suspect Thinnakorn Boonmak, 25, was shot dead, while Pol Sen Sgt Maj Thammanoon Nokkhao was hit by a bullet. The shot narrowly missed his heart.
A total of 400 meth tablets were seized during the battle.
Drug suppression police say more needs to be done to make the police and the public safer in the war on drugs.
Pol Maj Gen Thanai Apichartsenee, chief of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau of the Royal Thai Police, said drug gang members, who often deliver narcotics from hilltribe sources, are always well armed.
"They open fire at the authorities," he said. "They think they have a chance to survive if they fight tooth and nail."
The amount of drugs these gangs are moving is huge, he said. They are also well aware that if they get caught they would face a death sentence.
Mistakes happen when it comes to fighting back against the drug traffickers, despite how well-trained the officers are, Pol Maj Gen Thanai said.
More intensive training would be needed to prepare the drug suppression officers for tougher operations. More experienced officers would be added to supervise the young officers while carrying out operations, he said.
The outcome of the Maha Nak market crackdown was a mistake and should be treated as a case study for the drug suppression police, Pol Maj Gen Thanai said.
"Drug traffickers, especially Hmong ones, now apparently use their children or wives to deceive the police," he said.
Officers often skip drug searches when there is a child or a dog in the car because they appear less suspicious, he said.
Pol Maj Gen Thanai admitted the police were to blame for what happened in Tuesday's shoot-out in Bangkok, which injured the innocent bystander.
"I've been involved in 30-40 drug suppression operations, and those in Bangkok and surrounding provinces are more terrifying than elsewhere," he said.
Contact Crime Track: crimetrack@bangkokpost.co.th