An entertainment venue in Pattaya is facing closure after it was found to be operating without permission and bags of white powder suspected to be drugs were found around the premises.

Pattaya police were sent to patrol various entertainment venues in Pattaya City.

As of 2.30am on Sunday, most of the entertainment venues were found to have closed by 2am, but some remained open beyond closing time.

In Soi Kophai, the police found one establishment was still open with some 30 young customers inside.

On seeing the police, the customers left, leaving the venue with only a few employees.

But when police scoured the venue, they found many plastic sachets, some with powder in them, scattered around the premises, including the parking area.

In a search of a black Honda Civic car, the police found a plastic bag containing a lump of white substance in it. Nobody claimed to be the owner. The car was impounded.

A number of venue staff were detained. They were charged with operating the shop without permission, opening beyond closing time and allowing the use of drugs.

Since the shop had been raided several times before and prevous customers had tested positive for drugs, and had then reopened without permission, the police would report to the provincial governor and recommend that it be ordered closed.

The police did not give the name of the venue.