Police crack down on Hat Yai pub for Covid-19 prevention measures
The owner of a pub in Songkhla province has been arrested for violating regulations to control the spread of Covid-19.
On Friday night, police from Kor Hong station in Hat Yai district, along with district administration officials, investigated the “Acoustic Plus” entertainment venue on Khlong Rian 1 Road in Hat Yai district after receiving complaints that the venue violated the opening hours curfew imposed to control the outbreak.
Songkhla’s communicable disease committee had earlier announced that entertainment venues including pubs, bars, and karaoke joints in the province can be open only until midnight till further notice.
Police found the pub open after 2am and over 100 people drinking and dancing in a crowded space without any Covid-19 preventive measures being employed.
Officials arrested Nopphadol Waraheman, aged 41 years, the owner and manager of the pub. He reportedly confessed that he had received warning letters from provincial authorities but chose to ignore them. He was charged with operating an entertainment venue without licence and violating the order of the provincial communicable disease committee.
The pub was ordered to shut down effective immediately.
As of Friday, Songkhla had two confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the province since the new wave was been reported in Thailand in December.