PATTAYA: A total of 155 people tested positive for drugs and officers seized narcotics, drug paraphernalia and weapons during raids on two popular pubs early on Saturday.
Five senior officers at the Pattaya city police station were transferred following the raids, with the national police chief warning all stations not to be negligent when it comes to nightspots in their areas of jurisdiction.
A joint task force, led by officials from the Department of Provincial Administration, raided the Brazil Pattaya and 90’s Bar in the beach resort city in Chon Buri at around 4am.
More than 300 patrons were found drinking and dancing inside the Brazil in South Pattaya when the raid began. As they saw the officers, chaos briefly erupted. Officials managed to bring the situation under control.
A search found a 9mm pistol with 16 rounds of ammunition, a knife, 62 packets of narcotics, including ecstasy, ketamine and crystal methamphetamine, and drug-taking devices scattered over the floor.
All customers were asked to undergo urine tests. Of them, 142 — 94 men and 48 women — tested positive for drug use. Four customers were found to be under 20 years old and 58 others did not have ID cards.
Thaksin Phusi, 41, the pub manager, was charged with illegally operating the pub without permission and selling alcoholic drinks to people aged below 20, Thai media reported.
More than 300 customers were still inside the Brazil Pattaya pub when officials raided the venue at 4am on Saturday. (Photo by Chaiyot Pupattanapong)
The same task force also raided the 90’s Bar on Soi Bongkot in South Pattaya. A total of 13 pub-goers — nine men and four women — tested positive for drugs. One customer was under 20 years old. Many baraku smoking devices were also found.
The operator of 90’s Bar, whose name was not disclosed, was charged with operating the pub without permission, illegally selling alcoholic drinks, selling alcoholic drinks beyond the legal hours and offering baraku smoking services at the venue.
Ronnarong Thipsiri, director of the DPA’s investigation and suppression office, who led the operations, said there had been complaints the two pubs had violated an order of the National Council for Peace and Order by operating beyond legal hours. The pubs also allowed youths aged below 20 to enter, and illicit drugs were used inside.
Before the raids, the department had sent officials to pose as customers, said Mr Ronnarong. They found the two venues were not strict with ID card checking and illicit drugs were used inside.
Many customers were at the pubs between 3am and 4.30am and staff members turned off the lights in frontso it appeared they were closed. However, patrons were still drinking and dancing inside until dawn, said Mr Ronnarong.
The department would ask the Chon Buri governor to order the closures of the two pubs for five years, he added.
Chon Buri police chief Pol Maj Gen Nanthachart Supamongkhol has set up a fact-finding committee to investigate the five officers who have been transferred from the Pattaya station, deputy police spokesman Pol Col Krisana Patanacharoen said on Saturday.
The five officers were transferred to the operations centre at the provincial police office, pending the investigation.
Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda, the national police chief, earlier instructed all stations not to be negligent in their duty. Local stations must be held responsible if raids found gambling, use of narcotics, illegal operation of nightspot venues or human trafficking in their jurisdictions, said Pol Col Krisana.
Sixty-two packets containing drugs were found at the Brazil Pattaya pub.
A pistol, rounds of bullets and a knife are seized during a raid on the Brazil Pattaya pub. (Photo by Chaiyot Pupattanapong)