ROI ET: Four senior police from Muang police station have been transferred following a raid on two popular pubs where more than 200 patrons were underage drinkers.
The transfers came after a task force from the Department of Provincial Administration raided two pubs — Boozer and Drone Club — in Muang district in the early hours of Saturday.
More than 600 people were found inside the two venues, most of them dancing, when the raids began at around 2am. Many tried to flee but failed as officials and volunteers had blocked all the doors.
At Boozer, 138 of the 400 patrons were aged below 20, with the youngest ones being 13 years old, according to the task force’s Facebook page.
Three small packs of crystal methamphetamine were found scattered on the floor.
Pub manager Rungroj Voranam, 43, and Chachawan Leerojwutthikul, who held the permit to operate the nightspot, were detained for legal action.
At the Drone Club, the task force found 78 of the 200 patrons were aged below 20. Manager Orathai Pakdeesamai, 31, and permit holder Raksaya Saengrit were detained for legal action.
All four were charged with allowing people aged below 20 to use their services, selling alcoholic drinks to underage customers, and other related offences.
Dozens of police officers throughout the country are transferred to inactive posts every year for failing to ensure that pubs in their jurisdiction serve only those of legal drinking age.
Moved to inactive posts at the operations centre of the Roi Et provincial police headquarters were Pol Lt Col Sudjit Srisiri, acting superintendent of the station; Pol Lt Col Cherdchai Thanomcheep, deputy superintendent for crime suppression; Pol Lt Col Pairoj Bubpha, deputy superintendent for investigation; and Pol Lt Col Boonsueb Chainam-om, crime suppression chief. The order was signed on Saturday by Pol Maj Gen Pairoj Mankhla, chief of Roi Et police.