Six arrested over sale of krathom leaves in Bangkok
Police raided a house in Bangkok’s Bang Kapi district early Wednesday and arrested six men on charges of selling krathom leaves, which are used by some for recreational purposes and are banned in Thailand.
The raid by Hua Mark police at 1.30am netted seven kilograms of krathom leaves in 130 plastic bags, a 9mm pistol with 10 rounds of ammunition, eight mobile phones and a weighing scale from a house on Ramkhamhaeng Soi 24 in Hua Mark sub-district.
The six suspects were identified as Sanchai Yaodam, 35, Phaisarn Luangwattanachoke, 37, Wichien Maneewong, 29, Kiartikhachorn Sangaprathum, 22, Surit Phumipark, 29, and Anusit Nethibutr, 27.
Hua Mark Police Station commander Pol Colonel Sarayut Junnawat said police made the raid after receiving a tip-off that residents of the house were selling krathom leaves to youths in the area.
Sanchai admitted that he had rented the house for three months to sell the illegal drug. He bought krathom leaves at Bt1,000 a kg from Pathum Thani to resell.
In 1979, the Thai government placed krathom with marijuana in its classification of narcotics.