PATTAYA: Thirty-two people, Thais and foreigners, were arrested at a restaurant in Pattaya where customers were drinking alcohol and smoking baraku on Thursday night.
Police led by Pol Maj Chainarong Chai-in, crime suppression chief at Pattaya police station, raided Sky Mountain Laem Bali Hai eatery in tambon Nong Prue, Bang Lamung, around 11.30pm on Thursday.
They were acting on information the restaurant illegally allowed customers to drink alcohol and smoke baraku inside the premises in defiance of controls implemented to curb the spread of Covid-19
When police arrived, they found customers were drinking and smoking shisha tobacco from baraku, or hookahs.
They arrested 24 Thai and seven foreign customers and one employee, the caretaker, who were taken to Pattaya police station.
The customers were charged with violating the disease control order and illegal assembly in violation of the emergency decree.
The caretaker was charged with violating orders by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration by allowing alcoholic drinks to be consumed inside the premises, not having a restaurant licence and illegally providing baraku and alcoholic drinks.
The 32 people arrested at the Sky Mountain Laem Bali Hai, at Pattaya police station. (Photo: Chaiyot Pupattanapong)
Hookahs seized at the Sky Mountain Laem Bali Hai restaurant in Pattaya during the police raid on Thursday night. (Photo: Chaiyot Pupattanapong)