Picture courtesy of CrimeAsia

 

Provincial officials in Phuket carried out coordinated late-night raids on illegal entertainment venues in Patong and Phuket Town, resulting in arrests, drug seizures and the shutdown of unlicensed businesses. The operations, which began at around 12.30am on 28 December, led to several charges, the detention of suspects and the transfer of cases to local police for prosecution.

 

The raids were conducted under the orders of Phuket Governor Nirat Pongsitthaworn as part of a wider effort to enforce social-order regulations. Authorities said the action followed ongoing complaints from residents and concerns about illicit drug use and venues operating without proper authorisation across key tourist areas.

 

In Patong, Kathu District officials, supported by Volunteer Defence Corps (OrSor) personnel, inspected two venues on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road. At Forty Four K Bar, officers arrested the operator, identified only as “Mr A”, for running an entertainment venue without permission and selling alcohol without a licence, while at the nearby Tropicana Bar, the operator, identified as “Ms B”, was arrested for operating without a permit, with both cases handed over to Patong Police.

 

A separate operation took place in Phuket Town, where officials from the Phuket branch of the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) raided an establishment in the Poonphol area. Acting on reports of illegal drug sales, unlicensed operations and after-hours trading, officers arrested a male suspect at an address described only as Soi Poonphol and seized five small bags of ketamine weighing approximately 3.17 grammes.

 

The suspect was charged with possession and sale of a Category 2 controlled substance, while undercover officers confirmed the venue was operating as an entertainment establishment with live music and karaoke rooms without a licence. The manager was also arrested and charged with operating without permission, selling alcohol beyond legal hours and offering discounted alcohol promotions in violation of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act.

 

Authorities conducted drug tests on 76 staff members at the Phuket Town venue, with six testing positive, including three for methamphetamine, two for ketamine and one for both substances. All six agreed to enter rehabilitation under the Narcotics Control Act, and in total two suspects were formally charged, with seized evidence transferred to Phuket City Police.

 

Officials said the raids form part of an ongoing crackdown aimed at maintaining social order, combating narcotics activity and ensuring safety for both residents and tourists, with further enforcement operations expected to continue.

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Coordinated raids in Patong and Phuket Town led to arrests, venue closures and drug seizures.

• Authorities seized 3.17 grammes of ketamine and charged suspects with licensing and narcotics offences.

• Officials confirmed the operations are part of a continued province-wide crackdown.

 

 

 Adapted by Asean Now from Crimeasia 2025-12-29

 

Very easy stop with allowing to open the venues till 4 am. All bars, restaurants and other businesses should be closed at 2 am.. Everything open after this time will be fined,, not for a few thousand THB but a few hundreds of thousands THB and maybe revoking the licenses or of not licensed put them on a black list that they never could open a business again... 

On 12/28/2025 at 11:15 PM, ikke1959 said:

All bars, restaurants and other businesses should be closed at 2 am..

 

I would like 10 pm better. (like they had in the curfew days)