Patrons And Staff Of Phuket Bars, Nightclubs Subjected To Drug Tests

[webfact]

Patrons and staff of Phuket bars, nightclubs subjected to drug tests
Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut has launched a campaign to conduct random drug tests at bars and nightclubs across the island.

“Police will conduct random urine drug tests of venue staff and customers,” Governor Maitri said during raids on eight nightlife venues in Phuket Town on Monday night.

“We will also check that the entertainment venues are legally registered as well,” he added.

The Monday night raids hit the popular Kor Tor Mor pub near Nimit Circle on Chana Charoen Road; Ploenchit and Sofa pubs on Dibuk Road; Timberhut; Sanaeha and Rom Dee pubs on Yaowarat Road; and Intro Club on Phang Nga Road.

The campaign will also target video game and internet cafes, Gov Maitri said.

At the Kor Tor Mor pub, officers conducted urine drug tests on 18 men and six women. At Intro Club, officers tested 16 men and 37 women.

“We did not find anyone who tested positive for drugs and every entertainment venue we inspected was registered legally,” Gov Maitri said.

“We will keep randomly checking entertainment venues in other areas around the island,” he added.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Patrons-and-staff-of-Phuket-bars-nightclubs-subjected-to-drug-tests-20616.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-03-27

[RogueLeader]

“We will keep randomly checking entertainment venues in other areas around the island,” he added.

You know, just in case the strength of the baht and the global recession wasn't turning enough tourists away.

[thhMan]

Why not spend police man hours doing some real work and get the suppliers.

Perhaps its too much work?

How does a cop tell his boss (drug baron) that he is under arrest? -sic-

Edited March 27, 2013 by thhMan

[TackyToo]

It looks pretty much as a procedure to generate some money from tourists and scare them away
Let's say you come from Europe where it's not a crime to smoke a joint for a holiday to Phuket. Here is what you have to deal with:

1. verifiability in urine
Cannabis 2 - 3 days after a single use
5 days at a moderate, non-daily consumption
10 days at a daily consumption
20 days with excessive, daily consumption over weeks
Degradation products are still detectable 4 - 12 weeks after the last consumption!

Notice: A urine test is worthless if you suffer from allergies and are on antihistamine medication! Hence, you may have to take one of the other two options:

2. verifiability in blood
THC cannabis active 12hours
Degradation products 3-30 days

3. verifiability in hair
Cannabis up to 3 months after the last consumption

Edited March 27, 2013 by TackyToo

[MaxYakov]

“We will keep randomly checking entertainment venues in other areas around the island,” he added.

You know, just in case the strength of the baht and the global recession wasn't turning enough tourists away.

And those are just starters ... but I'm rant-challenged today. Ah, but I can at least make a list (not in any particular order):

1) Extremely high air and other pollution levels

2) Over-the-top corruption at all levels

3) Dual pricing standards

4) Lack of intellectual opportunities (especially with any women that would go with a farang)

5) High road/sidewalk/footpath death and injury rates

6) Scams aimed specifically at farangs

7) Probably (find the documentation) an epidemic VD/HIV rate

8) Unavailability of a wide selection of international beer brands (in the bars, at least)

9) Excessively high prices for imported items, making them cost-prohibitive

10) Cable western movies that are dubbed to Thai and then subtitled in Thai (if at all)

11) Predominance of the Thai language - time for Costa Rica - Caramba, Senorita!

12) Difficulty in finding relatively inexpensive 52 mm condoms ... or is it 54 mm ... I forget

Edited March 27, 2013 by MaxYakov

[spidermike007]

Why not spend police man hours doing some real work and get the suppliers.

Perhaps its too much work?

How does a cop tell his boss (drug baron) that he is under arrest? -sic-

Simple answer. The suppliers are paying the cops to not arrest them. The Thai toy police like to go where the problem is not. Why arrest the suppliers? That causes the police captains to have to cut back on their villa construction, and their yacht purchases, which shrinks the local economy. Better to go after the tourists. Better for the tourists to just say no. Do the police have a legal right to administer a random blood test to a foreigner in a bar? I would say "eat me policeman. Eat me. Leave this bar right now. I am enjoying my beer. Get the hell out of here. Now. Before I report you to your superiors in Bangkok. You are not wanted in this bar. Get out!".

I do not think any tourist, or expat should ever have to be submitted to a random drug test. That is past ridiculous. Past inane. Just say no. Lock me up bitch. I will not take your test.

[Tanuki]

What an ass backwards country! Yes if you are a regular smoker and come from an enlightened country like Canada you may still have THC in your urine even after a month. It deosn't mean you were smoking here in Thailand but try explaining that to these clowns.

[Tanuki]

Hey what's next Thailand? barging into people's hotel rooms in the middle of the night for a surprise drug test.

[belg]

would be a nice start if the BIB themselves takes the first test, to see who is high on yabaa or alcohol or other pills

[Locationthailand]

Talk about invasion of privacy...

[Arkady]

It looks pretty much as a procedure to generate some money from tourists and scare them away

Let's say you come from Europe where it's not a crime to smoke a joint for a holiday to Phuket. Here is what you have to deal with:

1. verifiability in urine

Cannabis 2 - 3 days after a single use

5 days at a moderate, non-daily consumption

10 days at a daily consumption

20 days with excessive, daily consumption over weeks

Degradation products are still detectable 4 - 12 weeks after the last consumption!

Notice: A urine test is worthless if you suffer from allergies and are on antihistamine medication! Hence, you may have to take one of the other two options:

2. verifiability in blood

THC cannabis active 12hours

Degradation products 3-30 days

3. verifiability in hair

Cannabis up to 3 months after the last consumption

But does testing positive for drugs in a urine or blood test count as possession under the Thai Penal Code?

Do the Thai police nationwide have equipment that can detect cannibis? Nearly all the drug offences are amphetamines which are much easier to detect in urine or blood and I would suspect that most of their detection equipment tests for that.

[samjaidee]

The big questions is: "Which chemicals does it test for?"

Some people may be interested in this link:<removed>

Moderators, I completely understand if you remove this post. The link may be considered inappropriate.

Cheers and happy smoking.

Edited March 27, 2013 by LivinginKata
advertising link removed

[bubblegum]

I have to agree with a previous poster, no way will I allow any drug test that is randomly done. As years ago I would NOT sign to the Irish custums that I packed my luggage myself an have been keeping an eye on it during the voyage. Who knows what and when they plant something ?

And no I don't do drugs but beer and sigarettes.

[spidermike007]

What an ass backwards country! Yes if you are a regular smoker and come from an enlightened country like Canada you may still have THC in your urine even after a month. It deosn't mean you were smoking here in Thailand but try explaining that to these clowns.

It is simply not their business. Period. What a man does in him home should not concern them, unless what they are saying is that the country is becoming fascist. A breath test on the road is one thing, this is quite another. Just say NO!

[RichardSlack]

bleh same old crap. plod lookin for handouts again

[smotherb]

I saw no other mention of this in my cursory read, but who would think a random test of 77 night-clubbers in Phuket would return negative for any kind of drugs?

[candypants]

and the next time some one get bottled by a bouncer on yaa baa, the folks on here will be demanding an explanation as to why nothing is done to stop it.

sounds to me like phuket needs a change, though this may not be it.

[Yahooka]

Why not spend police man hours doing some real work and get the suppliers.

Perhaps its too much work?

How does a cop tell his boss (drug baron) that he is under arrest? -sic-

Simple answer. The suppliers are paying the cops to not arrest them. The Thai toy police like to go where the problem is not. Why arrest the suppliers? That causes the police captains to have to cut back on their villa construction, and their yacht purchases, which shrinks the local economy. Better to go after the tourists. Better for the tourists to just say no. Do the police have a legal right to administer a random blood test to a foreigner in a bar? I would say "eat me policeman. Eat me. Leave this bar right now. I am enjoying my beer. Get the hell out of here. Now. Before I report you to your superiors in Bangkok. You are not wanted in this bar. Get out!".

I do not think any tourist, or expat should ever have to be submitted to a random drug test. That is past ridiculous. Past inane. Just say no. Lock me up bitch. I will not take your test.

You belive so?This has been going on especially in Bkk on regular intervals and has been done recently: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/626894-anti-drug-test-by-pissing-in-the-soi/ .

And if you refuse? I bet after they lock you up you get a stamp in your passport saying "Don`t bother to come back" .

[HerbalEd]

Why not spend police man hours doing some real work and get the suppliers.

Perhaps its too much work?

How does a cop tell his boss (drug baron) that he is under arrest? -sic-

Don't you know that police often find the suppliers by busting their customers ... scaring the hell out of them with threats of prosocution ... and then trading leniency for info on where to find the suppliers?

[HerbalEd]

I'm always amused at how boldly many talk on TV about how they'd refuse a drug test and would rather go to jail than pee in a cup. Very brave "talk" indeed.

[madmitch]

They have done this before. It doesn't last long, though I agree with most of the points above.

I am sure if you took a copy of an old Phuket newspaper you could find most of this weeks stories in it: random drug testing; road accidents; alcohol restrictions at Songkran; tuktuk drivers protesting; Thailand aiming for high end tourists; crackdown on this, hub of that etc. etc. etc.

[Briandajew]

Given the terrible drugs problems in Thailand at the moment, the Thai Government need to pass a law as quickly as possible to have every single person entering Thailand from overseas strip searched, they should be subjected to anal and vaginal cavity searches at the port of arrival, this will stop them, the evil bastards! It should also be carried out in public at the arrivals hall, just to make sure that these evil dope smoking fiends are publicly humiliated - In fact, it might be wiser to carry out an autopsy on all arriving tourists just to make sure they haven't stashed anything.

If they can make any money out of it, they will probably find a way of testing you for NICOTINE after you have been to the bog on a plane and fine you the 2000 Dollars as a suspect for smoking in the aircraft - How long does Nicotine stay in your blood?

[spidermike007]

Given the terrible drugs problems in Thailand at the moment, the Thai Government need to pass a law as quickly as possible to have every single person entering Thailand from overseas strip searched, they should be subjected to anal and vaginal cavity searches at the port of arrival, this will stop them, the evil bastards! It should also be carried out in public at the arrivals hall, just to make sure that these evil dope smoking fiends are publicly humiliated - In fact, it might be wiser to carry out an autopsy on all arriving tourists just to make sure they haven't stashed anything.

If they can make any money out of it, they will probably find a way of testing you for NICOTINE after you have been to the bog on a plane and fine you the 2000 Dollars as a suspect for smoking in the aircraft - How long does Nicotine stay in your blood?

The full cavity search for "all tourists entering thailand" would sure boost tourism. Maybe you can apply for the position of tourism minister. Got any more wonderful ideas on how to solve the Kingdom's problems? LOL. This is meant in jest, for those of you who are feeling serious today.

[Nowisee]

I'll hang here for my one year just to see the things I want to see and do.

But, I will not be buying a new truck, I will not be buying a new motorcycle and I will add little to the economy specifically for these reasons.

When my year is up (or maybe sooner) I will be going to Central America to live.

Thailand, nice place to visit, but I will not live here. I have more fun in Costa Rica and many of the reasons why I moved here are fading quickly.

We will keep randomly checking entertainment venues in other areas around the island, he added.

You know, just in case the strength of the baht and the global recession wasn't turning enough tourists away.

And those are just starters ... but I'm rant-challenged today. Ah, but I can at least make a list (not in any particular order):

1) Extremely high air and other pollution levels

2) Over-the-top corruption at all levels

3) Dual pricing standards

4) Lack of intellectual opportunities (especially with any women that would go with a farang)

5) High road/sidewalk/footpath death and injury rates

6) Scams aimed specifically at farangs

7) Probably (find the documentation) an epidemic VD/HIV rate

8) Unavailability of a wide selection of international beer brands (in the bars, at least)

9) Excessively high prices for imported items, making them cost-prohibitive

10) Cable western movies that are dubbed to Thai and then subtitled in Thai (if at all)

11) Predominance of the Thai language - time for Costa Rica - Caramba, Senorita!

12) Difficulty in finding relatively inexpensive 52 mm condoms ... or is it 54 mm ... I forget

[rbrooks]

What an ass backwards country! Yes if you are a regular smoker and come from an enlightened country like Canada you may still have THC in your urine even after a month. It deosn't mean you were smoking here in Thailand but try explaining that to these clowns.

No need to explain just pay up in court when they present the results. Actually a brilliant idea from the Thai Keystone Cops to add money to their account courtesy of the ATM highway via Farang.

[HarryMilton]

Why not spend police man hours doing some real work and get the suppliers.

Perhaps its too much work?

How does a cop tell his boss (drug baron) that he is under arrest? -sic-

What does "-sic-" mean?

[FritsSikkink]

What about Holland and the Dutch tourist, where it is legal?

Technically, the drug is illegal in the Netherlands. But the country has an official policy of non-enforcement, and you can buy the stuff — no more than 5 grams at a time

[HarryMilton]

It looks pretty much as a procedure to generate some money from tourists and scare them away

Let's say you come from Europe where it's not a crime to smoke a joint for a holiday to Phuket. Here is what you have to deal with:

1. verifiability in urine

Cannabis 2 - 3 days after a single use

5 days at a moderate, non-daily consumption

10 days at a daily consumption

20 days with excessive, daily consumption over weeks

Degradation products are still detectable 4 - 12 weeks after the last consumption!

Notice: A urine test is worthless if you suffer from allergies and are on antihistamine medication! Hence, you may have to take one of the other two options:

2. verifiability in blood

THC cannabis active 12hours

Degradation products 3-30 days

3. verifiability in hair

Cannabis up to 3 months after the last consumption

So what?

If you plan on going to a country where the use of drugs is illegal, don't use drugs, very simple.

[HarryMilton]

Why not spend police man hours doing some real work and get the suppliers.

Perhaps its too much work?

How does a cop tell his boss (drug baron) that he is under arrest? -sic-

Simple answer. The suppliers are paying the cops to not arrest them. The Thai toy police like to go where the problem is not. Why arrest the suppliers? That causes the police captains to have to cut back on their villa construction, and their yacht purchases, which shrinks the local economy. Better to go after the tourists. Better for the tourists to just say no. Do the police have a legal right to administer a random blood test to a foreigner in a bar? I would say "eat me policeman. Eat me. Leave this bar right now. I am enjoying my beer. Get the hell out of here. Now. Before I report you to your superiors in Bangkok. You are not wanted in this bar. Get out!".

I do not think any tourist, or expat should ever have to be submitted to a random drug test. That is past ridiculous. Past inane. Just say no. Lock me up bitch. I will not take your test.

Great suggestion, I hope no-one is daft enough to take your advice.

[kawaiimomo]

You should probably add "and if you get caught I hope they will hang you up or put you in prison for life for all the damage you caused to society"

BTW the news is strange: From the multiple post about testing for drugs during the day in the street, I understood it is perfectly legal for the cops to perform those tests. Yet they say the owners and customers of night venues will be subjected to tests, wasn't everybody?