Picture courtesy of Naewna

 

Four foreign tourists were apprehended for smoking cannabis on Pai's Walking Street in Mae Hong Son, following a police crackdown aimed at maintaining order and discouraging such behaviour.

 

On 9 March 2025, a coordinated operation led by Major General Songkrit Onarchaikrai and other local officers took place on Pai's bustling Walking Street.

 

The law enforcement team, comprised of officers from various departments, including Deputy Inspector Virapat Kalapitch, conducted patrols to address complaints from both locals and tourists about cannabis and cigarette use in public areas, which had been causing discomfort and health issues for passersby.

 

As part of their efforts to enforce regulations and prevent public disturbances, officers detained four tourists for smoking cannabis.

Picture courtesy ofNaewna

 

The individuals, each from a different nationality - German, British, French, and Dutch - were fined under charges of causing a public nuisance.

 

The initiative to patrol and educate tourists on local laws continues, with the aim to curb illegal activities and enhance visitor experience in this popular tourist destination, reported Naewna.

 

-- 2025-03-11

 

 

Big police crackdown nationally to "maintain order". Smoking cigs, smoking dope and all vaping shops temporarily closed yet the high daily death rate on the roads remains and people still riding without helmets. This stinks of Thaksin.

Pai is not the place to be... They will notice soon and than they complain.... On the other hand there are much worse things the police should take care of... simple.. black smoke fuming cars, no helmets on motorcycles, kids on motorcycles, weapons and teenagers.. and so many more

One guy looks 55

This is crazy. Why always go after the foreigners?

 

There are often groups of Thai people smoking  marijuane while sitting utside a restaurant very close to our house causiing either to get a free smoke or closing the windows to keep the smell out.

 

The local win motorcycle guys sat openly smoking it on the street the other day.

 

I guess foreigners have money. 😁

37 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

One guy looks 55

Meaning what?

3 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Big police crackdown nationally to "maintain order". Smoking cigs, smoking dope and all vaping shops temporarily closed yet the high daily death rate on the roads remains and people still riding without helmets. This stinks of Thaksin.

What are you on?

4 foreigners smoking weed, and thus bothering others, got fined, and what do you bring to the equation: Thaksin and road safety? 
Are you feeling ok?

1 minute ago, KireB said:

What are you on?

4 foreigners smoking weed, and thus bothering others, got fined, and what do you bring to the equation: Thaksin and road safety? 
Are you feeling ok?

You are obviously unaware that there has been and seems to be a continuing nation wide crackdown on selling vapes, vaping and smoking dope and cigs in public areas. The road safety thing is a comparison of what is more important in "maintaining order". I'm not surprised though that you one; fail know about a nation wide crackdown and two; understand the road safety comparison. 

1 hour ago, petedk said:

This is crazy. Why always go after the foreigners?

 

There are often groups of Thai people smoking  marijuane while sitting utside a restaurant very close to our house causiing either to get a free smoke or closing the windows to keep the smell out.

 

The local win motorcycle guys sat openly smoking it on the street the other day.

 

I guess foreigners have money. 😁

Like the old cigarette butt trap in BKK. A Thai could discard the butt anywhere even if standing next to a cop but a foreigner will get the Bt2000 fine.

16 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

You are obviously unaware that there has been and seems to be a continuing nation wide crackdown on selling vapes, vaping and smoking dope and cigs in public areas. The road safety thing is a comparison of what is more important in "maintaining order". I'm not surprised though that you one; fail know about a nation wide crackdown and two; understand the road safety comparison. 

No, I know exactly what is going on here, but fail to understand your 'comparison' with road safety, Thaksin. It seems totally unrelated imho. 
 

It's very simple, smoke your weed in a dispensary or at home and don't bother others. 




 

Is arrest the right word?

 

 As others mention it seems similar to the fine for dropping a cigarette butt on the street, would that be called arrested?

 

Anyone know what the fine was?

1 hour ago, KireB said:

No, I know exactly what is going on here, but fail to understand your 'comparison' with road safety, Thaksin. It seems totally unrelated imho. 

 

The road safety part is pretty self explanatory, no? They're bothered by this one annoying thing (smoking weed in public) but totally unbothered by the endless daily traffic violations. I'd rather have people smoking weed in public than getting blasted in the face with diesel smoke when I'm on my bike, and yes this happens nearly every day at least once. Police seem fine with that even though it's technically illegal too.

1 hour ago, KireB said:

No, I know exactly what is going on here, but fail to understand your 'comparison' with road safety, Thaksin. It seems totally unrelated imho. 
 

It's very simple, smoke your weed in a dispensary or at home and don't bother others. 




 

Maybe I am obtuse, but I get it.

The square-headed Ex-PM has never hidden his distain for any form of consumption. Thousands have died in anti-drug activities, most of which were later shown to be innocent bystanders. Cracking down on minor public nuisances should play second fiddle to cracking down on the incessant death of locals and visitors alike on Thai roads.

 

The point made pertains to priorities...

4 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Pai is not the place to be... They will notice soon and than they complain.... On the other hand there are much worse things the police should take care of... simple.. black smoke fuming cars, no helmets on motorcycles, kids on motorcycles, weapons and teenagers.. and so many more

True but none of those net the police thousands of baht for each instance. They go where the money is. Foreigners pay the highest baht.

1 hour ago, dinsdale said:

Like the old cigarette butt trap in BKK. A Thai could discard the butt anywhere even if standing next to a cop but a foreigner will get the Bt2000 fine.

 

3 hours ago, petedk said:

This is crazy. Why always go after the foreigners?

 

There are often groups of Thai people smoking  marijuane while sitting utside a restaurant very close to our house causiing either to get a free smoke or closing the windows to keep the smell out.

 

The local win motorcycle guys sat openly smoking it on the street the other day.

 

I guess foreigners have money. 😁

It has always been and will always be like this. It is the xenophobia and money grubbing that is the core of Thai "culture".

Perhaps the police targeted them because they were foreigners, aiming to send a message to other foreigners that smoking dope in public is an offense.

What should be a routine practice for a police officer to issue a fine for smoking in prohibited areas. Easy... Finished, End of Drama. It is called doing their job.

 

Instead you get this;

"The law enforcement team, comprised of officers from various departments, including Deputy Inspector Virapat Kalapitch..."

 

And what happens after all this non-sense? They hand out a fine.

13 minutes ago, faraday said:

Perhaps the police targeted them because they were foreigners, aiming to send a message to other foreigners that smoking dope in public is an offense.

People that don't know Pai may not know that 99% of the people walking around there are tourists. It's very clear to me why they were targeted.

25 minutes ago, Bangel72 said:

Is arrest the right word?

Yes, it is, they were stopped and detained until they paid the fine for the offence that they committed.  They were not free to go.

I will go out for a couple of sherbert on the bar strip in my sleepy little town and I will.bet I can count at least 100 foreigners and thais openly smoking the <deleted> in bars and the street plus many many more smoking in bars and resturants which is illegal 

5 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Big police crackdown nationally to "maintain order". Smoking cigs, smoking dope and all vaping shops temporarily closed yet the high daily death rate on the roads remains and people still riding without helmets. This stinks of Thaksin.

Wow - he's literally become the bogeyman for some! (I'm waiting for him to be blamed for global warming)

And I thought it was only Israeli's who committed crimes in Pai??!!

9 minutes ago, ScubaGuy said:

What should be a routine practice for a police officer to issue a fine for smoking in prohibited areas. Easy... Finished, End of Drama. It is called doing their job.

 

Instead you get this;

"The law enforcement team, comprised of officers from various departments, including Deputy Inspector Virapat Kalapitch..."

 

And what happens after all this non-sense? They hand out a fine.

"What should be a routine practice for a police officer to issue a fine for smoking in prohibited areas. Easy... Finished, End of Drama. It is called doing their job".

That's what the police did!

 

"Instead you get this;

"The law enforcement team, comprised of officers from various departments, including Deputy Inspector Virapat Kalapitch..."

That's just how the media reported it

 

 

8 minutes ago, Docno said:

Wow - he's literally become the bogeyman for some! (I'm waiting for him to be blamed for global warming)

Well he does tend to open his cake hole quite a lot and spout a load of hot air.

8 minutes ago, jwl53 said:

I will go out for a couple of sherbert on the bar strip in my sleepy little town and I will.bet I can count at least 100 foreigners and thais openly smoking the <deleted> in bars and the street plus many many more smoking in bars and resturants which is illegal 

And you are suitably outraged by this behaviour, are you? Where do you live? Sounds an interesting place!

9 minutes ago, Docno said:

Wow - he's literally become the bogeyman for some! (I'm waiting for him to be blamed for global warming)

His mate Dutertes was arrested today as he stepped off the plane for his role in overseeing over 6000 extra judicial killings. Be nice to see Teflon Thaksin face similar charges.

4 hours ago, Harrisfan said:

One guy looks 55

What's your point

Other than a bit of a belly the farang looks fairly well put together and appears to be a quality tourist- matching colors, shirt fits well and tucked in, crisp shorts with a belt.  Can't see a watch but I bet it matches the belt.  But looks can be deceiving, in reality he's a Marijuana addict.

I’m planning on going to Kho Samui for a week.  I’ll be traveling from BKK.  I wonder if my e-cig will get confiscated in security before take-off?

6 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Big police crackdown nationally to "maintain order". Smoking cigs, smoking dope and all vaping shops temporarily closed yet the high daily death rate on the roads remains and people still riding without helmets. This stinks of Thaksin.

 

indeed.

oddly i can still venture out my front door and walk 500m to pay for sex or buy a bag of coke.