Late february, the Bangkok Metropolitan Police Bureau launched a swift apprehension operation. The target was a professional, highly agile, and armed antique thief. Having learned that the suspect would be present at an early spring festival, the reconnaissance team decided to disguise themselves as a lion dance troupe.

"We performed entirely spontaneously because there was no time to practice", recalled captain Lertvarit Lertvorapreecha. Due to the urgency of the situation, the male officer even mistakenly wore a female colleague's red silk dress, combining it with long trousers, combat boots, and a traditional male mask.

Despite the somewhat mismatched appearance, the disguise yielded surprising effectiveness. While the excited crowd applauded the lion dance troupe, officers suddenly moved in, subdued, and handcuffed the suspect right under the red and yellow fabric. The individual later confessed to a series of thefts and is awaiting trial on charges of stealing artifacts valued at over 63,000 USD.

Police captain Lertvarit Lertvorapreecha (right) and a colleague disguised as lion dance performers at a temple fair, late 2/2026. *Metropolitan police bureau, Royal Thai police*

The lion dance arrest is just one of many disguise forms adopted by captain Lertvarit's team. They have previously transformed into construction workers, electricians, martial artists, or even moving bushes. Videos documenting these dramatic and often humorous arrests frequently go viral on Thai social media.

"The quickest way to apprehend a target is to surprise them when they are off guard. Criminals cannot escape what they perceive as invisible", Lertvarit shared.

Behind the laughter

While the disguises may appear humorous and highly entertaining, they are in fact critical survival tactics for confronting dangerous, hardened criminals.

In another case, to approach a man accused of child abuse hiding in a hut in an open field, a police officer donned a bush-shaped camouflage suit. He patiently crawled hundreds of meters through dense rice fields. Police determined that in the open terrain, engine noise from a moto or oto would immediately alert him, making the "moving bush" the most perfect solution.

Bangkok police disguised as a bush to approach and apprehend a criminal, late 2/2026. *Metropolitan police bureau, Royal Thai police*

In another case involving an alleged rape at a hotel, police employed an "invisible" ambush tactic. As the suspect entered the room, support units simultaneously rushed out from wardrobes, bathrooms, and from under the bed to subdue him, preventing any reaction.

Captain Lertvarit stated that these tactics are developed based on field reconnaissance and criminal psychology analysis. He hopes these unusual arrest images will foster greater public trust in the dedication of law enforcement. Simultaneously, this serves as a warning to criminals: no matter how well they hide, they can be apprehended by a "bush" or a "lion dance performer" right on the street.

Minh Phuong (According to *Guardian*)