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Foreign manager of Koh Phangan hostel faces deportation for cannabis possession


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Foreign manager of Koh Phangan hostel faces deportation for cannabis possession

 

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Picture: Thai Rath

 

A Lebanese man who is the manager of a guesthouse on Koh Phangan has been arrested for drug offences.

 

Salem Rose, who manages the Wanderlust Hostel in Baan Tai village, was arrested on Tuesday.

 

During the raid, police and local officials asked Mr Salem to produce his work permit, which he did.

 

However, when police said they wanted to carry out a further search of the premises, Mr Salem refused and became uncooperative, Thairath reported

 

Military officials were then called and access to the premises was gained.

 

A search of Mr Salem’s living quarters found 11 grams of cannabis and other drug paraphernalia.

 

Mr Salem claimed the cannabis was for personal use but police allege that he sold it to tourists who stayed at the hostel.

 

Officials also say that that hostel was operating without the correct permits.

 

Mr Salem has been charged with possession and supply of a category 5 narcotic.

 

Officials said that he faces having his work permit revoked and being deported from Thailand.

 

The raid on The Wanderlust comes as officials have launched a crackdown on illegal activity on the island, made famous for its Full Moon Party.

 

Recent months has seen a rise in drug arrests, as well as action taken against hostels which officials have said may be operating illegally.

 

Thairath reports that after complaints from local business owners, 37 businesses on the island are currently being investigated by police for operating illegally.

 

In January, a Dutch man and Italian man were arrested and charged for operating a hotel without the proper licenses and for carrying out work prohibited to foreigners.

 

Meanwhile, officials also ordered six hostels, one of which was The Wonderlust, to close due to operating illegally.

 

Source; Thai Rath

 
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-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-02-15
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Posted

Don't understand  the many posts supporting this hostel? If it was not opperating legally should it not be closed or forced to get legal. Thete must be others who are opperating legally despite what the cynics say.

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Posted
21 minutes ago, crazykopite said:

Closing down hostels has a knock on effect for all local business the little Thai restaurants or shops in the nearby vicinity where these hotels must now be feeling the loss of business. Soon there will be a lot of businesses being closed down which in the end will result in an increase in theft / robberies because people need a means of surviving all this is not good for such a small island .

 

Depends on occupancy rates. Most hostels are in the same general area. Others will just get more business, meaning more people employed. 

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Posted
4 hours ago, webfact said:

Military officials were then called

Is that the standard practice for the police to call the military to search for business premises?
Why couldn't they do it themselves?

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