SURAT THANI: Thirteen Thais and 11 foreigners were arrested in a police raid on a hilltop villa on Koh Samui where a party was held in violation of Covid-19 restrictions.
A combined team of local police, tourist police, immigration officers and local officials inspected Lamborghini Villa, a resort hotel on Khao Plai Laem in front of the Samui airport in tambon Bophut at about 10.30pm on Friday.
The team, led by Pol Maj Wannachai Sukjaem, chief of crime suppression at Bophut police station, found many cars and motorcycles parked in front of the venue.
The team found 24 people drinking on the cellar, which was decorated as a pub. They were 11 foreigners, 10 of whom were men, and 13 Thais, three of whom were men. Eighty-nine bottles of beer, whiskey and wine and two bills of alcoholic drinks were seized. All were detained on charges of violating the executive decree and the Communicable Disease Control Act.
During the search, police seized small amount of illicit drugs from two foreigners. A Filipina had a pack of 0.67 grammes of cocaine in her possession while a Frenchman possessed 0.90 grammes of cocaine. The pair faced an additional drug charge for having category-2 drugs in their possession.
A criminal record showed that Chaidieo Thitichayanuwat, 30, who was among the 13 Thais caught, was wanted on an arrest warrant issued by the Taling Chan criminal court on April 8 this year for colluding in fraud and putting false information into the computer system.
All were taken to Bophut police station for legal action.