PATTAYA, THAILAND — A popular night entertainment venue was raided by the Thai Police on Sunday early morning (23 Oct) with a number of drugs found and confiscated. However, no customer was arrested other than the venue manager being detained for further investigation, due to a lack of officers on the scene.
The raid was conducted by police officials from Pattaya City and Chonburi Provincial Police Division after receiving tip-offs of illegal drugs consumed on the premise.
Local media, TV Channel 7 reported that there was an estimated number of 200 patrons in the high-end pub, “Club One Pattaya” when the police arrived. The police ordered the music to be turned off and drug examinations to be performed on the patrons.
However, one male customer reportedly began shouting and refused to be inspected while the examination was ongoing. The patrons then gathered and pushed through the pub’s entrance and fled from the scene to escape the inspection. As there were insufficient officers to maintain order, most of the patrons managed to slip away.
An entertainment venue manager who initially claimed to be the owner of the pub was initially detained for further interrogation.
While the manager was being detained, he openly claimed that he said that he had already paid money for the running of the pub and demanded to know why he was being raided and not other local venues that were assumedly also breaking laws and had drug use inside.
The raid comes as Thailand police intensify drug enforcement activities around the country, following the tragedy at a daycare centre in northeast Thailand on 6 October, with 36 deaths.
The gunman, a former police officer – who killed a total of 38 including his wife and son –was said to be involved in drug addiction with Methamphetamine although autopsy showed no traces of drugs in him, meaning he had not consumed drugs for at least 72 hours.
Earlier on 12 October, Pattaya Police raided a nightclub, “DIRTY” where three illegal objects including two small bags of undisclosed illegal substances, electronic cigarettes, and a pistol with six bullets were seized.
Police Lieutenant General Panurat Lakboon, Deputy Inspector General of the Royal Thai Police and Deputy Director of the Royal Thai Police Narcotics Prevention and Suppression Center said today that he would press more charges against the pub’s manager for falsely claiming that he had a connection with the Chonburi Governor, adding that the manager had tainted the reputation of law enforcement.
The deputy inspector general also instructed Pattaya police to inspect the venue again to see if it was operated with a proper license.
Other than that, the reportedly real owner of the pub, “Gu Yeo (Alias),” is being summoned for an interview with the Thai Police.
As for the pub, Pol. Lt. Gen. Panurat would collect evidence to draft prosecution to propose to the Chonburi Governor in order to forcefully shut the venue for five years under the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO)’s Order Number 22/2558.
All the drugs discovered inside the venue would be tested for fingerprints to find the owners, Panurat added.
It is also reported that Pattaya police would pursue legal action against three men who appeared to be inciting other patrons to push past raiding police to escape. These individuals would be charged with interfering with law enforcement.
Chonburi officials have vowed to continue drug raids and tighten enforcement on nightlife and entertainment venues where drug use occurs.
