Police raid on M club. Foreigners arrested.

I was at the M club (3^rd road/soi 14) which boasts a swimming pool party twice a month. It was my first time there. On entering, the bar is nearly pitch black. The pool was deserted and there were about 25 foreigners in the bar. Some alone and some with women of varying ages (mid 20s to mid 40s). I was enjoying my beer when 20 plain clothed police came rushing in and surrounded the entire bar, blocking all exits. The permits, girls’ phones and ID cards, and receipts were seized.

We were all herded into the back of waiting pickup trucks and sent to the police station with the sirens blazing. We were then forced into a 2^nd floor office. No toilets allowed. All exits blocked. All the girls were urine tested and foreigners had to show their original passports or a copy. As I only had my Australia driving license, I was detained for 3 hours until a mate could get into my hotel room to get my passport. Lucky I had my phone with me and had just topped up my credit. Others were not so lucky. The M club owner had a copy of his documents and he was out of there instantly leaving us all behind, confused and scared.

The police later let us know the M club has been under investigation for quite some time. One foreigner was caught doing something not well liked by Thai authority and was being held tightly by the collar of his shirt. He was escorted out a side door. His fate unknown.

The real point of this is to let you know that you are strongly encouraged to carry a copy of your passport AND visa. A photo on your phone is acceptable. Secondly, M club is the last place I will be going again. They are being watched and it’s only a matter of time until they are raided and/or closed down.

Very interesting first hand report and another confirmation for the advice: have adequate documents at hand.

Copy of passport will suffice.

The raid has been in the local press (if Ido not mix something up?).

Edited February 8, 201511 yr by KhunBENQ

Very interesting first hand report and another confirmation for the advice: have adequate documents at hand.

Copy of passport will suffice.

The raid has been in the local press (if Ido not mix something up?).

Too soon for the Pattaya press to be able to report. It usually takes several days for them to remember how to use their translation software.

BTW thanks to the OP for the first hand report.

if a news article appears about this, then this topic may be closed

One foreigner was caught doing something not well liked by Thai authority ....

What's that then?

if a news article appears about this, then this topic may be closed

Does this mean you would prefer a second hand news report as opposed to an 'on the' spot report ?

^^ What it means is exactly what it says and nothing more. And for the record, this forum rule exists ....

10) Do not discuss moderation publicly in the open forum; this includes individual actions, and specific or general policies and issues. You may send a PM to a moderator to discuss individual actions or email support (at) thaivisa.com to discuss moderation policy.

One foreigner was caught doing something not well liked by Thai authority ....

What's that then?

He was having sexual relations with a female employee on the premises.

Allegedly it was a sting operation, where farang bar fined and handed over marked notes which the police photographed in the till after it was raided. Allegedly allegedly.

Cannot stand these stupid police raids anymore, better stay home !!!

Raids in the beach area have been going on for months now. I don't think they will end. What the point is, I don't know. Maybe it's to send a lesson to all the clubs and bars that they're living on borrowed time and there will come a time when Pattaya's current setup will have to change, that the entertainment segment will have to move/hide or shrink or (doubtful) disappear.

Not my problem since I'm a non-participant. But maybe five years from now, Pattaya will be completely different.

Raids in the beach area have been going on for months now. I don't think they will end. What the point is, I don't know. Maybe it's to send a lesson to all the clubs and bars that they're living on borrowed time and there will come a time when Pattaya's current setup will have to change, that the entertainment segment will have to move/hide or shrink or (doubtful) disappear.

The beach?? Do you know about Pattaya? about 3rd Road?

There is about 1.5km (or 1 mi) between M Club and the beach

Could be a payment issue? Non payment, late payment? If you get my drift.

Very interesting first hand report and another confirmation for the advice: have adequate documents at hand.

Copy of passport will suffice.

The raid has been in the local press (if Ido not mix something up?).

Its not a first hand account unless hes on 4 separate forums and repeating it word for word.....

Does being on four forums and copying the text say something about the authenticity?

I found three only

Raids in the beach area have been going on for months now. I don't think they will end. What the point is, I don't know. Maybe it's to send a lesson to all the clubs and bars that they're living on borrowed time and there will come a time when Pattaya's current setup will have to change, that the entertainment segment will have to move/hide or shrink or (doubtful) disappear.

The beach?? Do you know about Pattaya? about 3rd Road?

There is about 1.5km (or 1 mi) between M Club and the beach

Yep, am well aware of the difference. I failed to make clear that my remarks about the area from 2nd to Beach have been a hot zone for raids and the raids are obviously spreading. It is hard to discern a pattern to the raids but they are legion.

Police are also really focusing on drugs, setting up choke points around Klang and Arunothai over to 3rd. I've driven through 4 drug search stop checks (never stopped) at this location. Plainclothes cops are focused on Thais exclusively, confirmed by my GF. I've personally watched two dealer takedowns off Buakhao and Tang Mo. And several times now roundups of suspects of some kind filling police pickup trucks heading to a station on Nern Plub Wan.

Lots of activity but to me anyway, no pattern other than my speculation in my original post.

Very interesting first hand report and another confirmation for the advice: have adequate documents at hand.

Copy of passport will suffice.

The raid has been in the local press (if Ido not mix something up?).

Its not a first hand account unless hes on 4 separate forums and repeating it word for word.....

Does being on four forums and copying the text say something about the authenticity?

I found three only

The person appears to be a new member on the various forums this has been posted.

I was there it happened as the op said.

I was there it happened as the op said.

Did the BiB just check your passport / visa was ok and let you go?

The police are moving as they have been on soi 6 this past week too.

One foreigner was caught doing something not well liked by Thai authority ....

What's that then?

He was having sexual relations with a female employee on the premises.

Is that all? What a let-down.

I was hoping for something much more entertaining.

Very interesting first hand report and another confirmation for the advice: have adequate documents at hand.

Copy of passport will suffice.

The raid has been in the local press (if Ido not mix something up?).

Its not a first hand account unless hes on 4 separate forums and repeating it word for word.....

Does being on four forums and copying the text say something about the authenticity?

I found three only

The person appears to be a new member on the various forums this has been posted.

There is always a first time you have to sign up with a forum. Would you think that when one has something interesting to report would be a good timing?

Could be a payment issue? Non payment, late payment? If you get my drift.

By "drift" do you mean your "imagination" fueled by reading too many speculative posts by the gossipy old dears on Thai Visa?

Very interesting first hand report and another confirmation for the advice: have adequate documents at hand.

Copy of passport will suffice.

The raid has been in the local press (if Ido not mix something up?).

Too soon for the Pattaya press to be able to report. It usually takes several days for them to remember how to use their translation software.

BTW thanks to the OP for the first hand report.

"Too soon for the Pattaya press to be able to report. It usually takes several days for them to remember how to use their translation software. "

Actually some of the print news and other news sources in Thailand actually publish in Thai, so you could do a Thai language search on Google or pick up a Thai newspaper to see if it's been reported. Or maybe it takes a you a few days to remember what the local language is.

strange ( not really) we never see and raid activity on the jet ski businesses

Cannot stand these stupid police raids anymore, better stay home !!!

Well at least it helps them with their inferiority complex. Ehh...

So no official reports of this incident then ?

The quoted pub names are different but at first it was felt this might be the same incident ....

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/798618-police-raid-pattaya-pub-net-five-drug-users/

Edited February 9, 201511 yr by Rimmer
link fixed

One foreigner was caught doing something not well liked by Thai authority ....

What's that then?

He was having sexual relations with a female employee on the premises.

Is that all? What a let-down.

I was hoping for something much more entertaining.

It depends, it might have been buggery, or some other form of relations that the police decided were not acceptable. Does the OP know the exact details?

The quoted pub names are different but at first it was felt this might be the same incident ....

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/798618-police-raid-pattaya-pub-net-five-drug-users/

Errr that link is some guy pimping his niece.

Edited February 9, 201511 yr by Rimmer
link fixed