Police raid unlicensed Bangkok bar, arrest 63 over drug abuse charges
An unlicensed bar in Bangkok was raided in the early hours of Sunday and 63 patrons were arrested after testing positive for narcotics.
Crime Suppression Division's Children and Women Protection sub-division officers raided the 77 Society bar on Tha Kham Road in Bang Khunthien district at 2am after receiving complaints from local residents that the venue had violated the midnight closing hour.
When police arrived, the bar was rocking, with stage music and some 195 patrons still drinking and dancing.
Police found packets of drugs scattered on the floor, including 41 zip-lock bags of ketamine weighing 29 grams in total, 20 ecstasy pills and 12 zip-lock bags of “ice” or crystal methamphetamine weighing 13g in total.
Of the patrons, 26 men and 57 women tested positive and three zip-lock bags of ketamine were found on two of them.
The owner of the venue, Komsan Taengcham, was taken into custody and slapped with five charges, namely operating an entertainment venue without licences, violating the law by not getting the venue assessed for Covid-19 measures, selling alcohol after permitted hours, violating the Emergency Decree by allowing an illegal gathering and allowing narcotics to be taken at the venue.
