Bangkok food shop exposed as illegal pub, arrests made during surprise raid by Top

[webfact]

Photo by Department of Provincial Administration.

 

An unlicensed pub masquerading as a food shop was inconspicuously hiding in plain sight in the Pathum Wan district of Bangkok. After a series of complaints, officers successfully conducted a raid in the early hours of this morning. The food store, Larb Ped Yaso Jae Nim Rong Muang, enjoying a prominent location near Wat Chamni Hattakarn on Rama I Road, was discovered to be an underground pub.

 

Officers from the Department of Provincial Administration’s (DPA) law enforcement operations centre, accompanied by territorial defence volunteers, were involved in the operation that took place around 3am. The trigger for the raid was numerous grievances that had been reported against the shop, which had a reputation for its spicy minced duck salad, a popular Thai delicacy, larb ped, but was under suspicion for functioning as an entertainment venue.

 

During the raid, it was established that the pub was cleverly camouflaged within the second floor of the three-storey building. With sound-proof walls installed, it was evident that the shop was meticulously running a hidden pub. Almost 250 patrons were carousing on the premises at the time of the raid. Surprisingly, 25 of these individuals; A mix of 21 Laotian nationals and four Thai, were below the legal age limit of 20.

On seeing the enforcement officers, a flurry of panic ensued with many patrons attempting to escape but swift action by the officers ensured that all exits were blocked. Alongside patrons, seven employees were also arrested. These staff members were illegal migrants from Laos, who wore polo shirts with the food shop’s logo, Bangkok Post reported.

 

#news

Full story: https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/crime/bangkok-food-shop-exposed-as-illegal-pub-arrests-made-during-surprise-raid

 

-- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-07-03

 

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[ikke1959]

and not only in Pathum Wan, but all over Thailand you find foodshops that are pubs... A heritage from the Covid lockdown, and a lack of enforcements of laws by checking...

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, ikke1959 said:

and not only in Pathum Wan, but all over Thailand you find foodshops that are pubs... A heritage from the Covid lockdown, and a lack of enforcements of laws by checking...

Six pints of lager and a packet of crisps please.

[watchcat]

surprise raid by Top

What's a "Top" ?

[Emdog]

Many 7/11s have picnic tables right out front of the store for patrons to sit at and drink freshly bought beer or whatever. I guess the difference is that the 7's food is not high quality enough to be designated a food shop?

[richard_smith237]

5 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

and not only in Pathum Wan, but all over Thailand you find foodshops that are pubs... A heritage from the Covid lockdown, and a lack of enforcements of laws by checking...

From well before that....    A restaurant licence is far easier to get hold of than an 'Alcohol / Entertainment' licence. 

 

Thus: The vast majority of bars and nightclubs have tables set out and serve food. 

 

This suits every one... as the Police an maintain an 'income' and occasionally raid to show they are doing their jobs or when the see a place become more popular 'threaten' the raid to increase their income (which is paid monthly as a form of protection / tax - which is ultimately, we pay you xxx per month not to raid us and to be there on short notice if an issue / fight breaks out). 

 

Of course, there are many different 'departments' so this takes a little finess to ensure the right ones get their cut and then to control them from getting too greedy....  

 

... when there is disagreement on the amounts, we see these raids - it looks like the prices of everything just went up !!!! 

 

 

 

 

[PETERTHEEATER]

5 hours ago, watchcat said:

surprise raid by Top

What's a "Top" ?

A well known Supermarket. Probably an attempt to eliminate competition. ????

Let me guess....the underage Laotions were female gender?

Two hundred and fifty patrons implies a large area and all undeground?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

5 hours ago, watchcat said:

surprise raid by Top

What's a "Top" ?

Appears to be the name of the author of the original rewritten article on the source website...

 

Which somehow got picked up and added onto to the end of the forum post's headline.

 

 

Edited July 3, 2023 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[watchcat]

22 hours ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

A well known Supermarket.

Would be Tops then?