A police officer was shot and seriously wounded in a raid to arrest two drug suspects at a house in Kalasin province on Tuesday.
Pol Col Wichian Pinduang, the deputy Kalasin police chief, said Pol Sub-Lt Prayong was a member of a police team that went to a house in Ban Khok Noi in tambon Huay Yang in Tha Khantho district to arrest Uma Saenkung and her husband Pairat Wongchalee.
The two were wanted on drugs and weapons charges.
When Pol Sub-Lt Prayong approached Mrs Uma, her husband fired three shots at him with a 9mm pistol, hitting him in the left arm and the abdomen.
Pairat slipped out of the house, stole the policeman's car and drove away.
Pol Sub-Lt Prayong was seriously wounded. He was admitted to Kalasin Hospital.
Mrs Uma was arrested.
Pol Lt-Gen Kawi Suphanan, the Region 4 Provincial Police chief, sent a team of about 100 police and a helicopter to hunt down Pairat, who fled in the stolen police car.