Police raid popular Bangkok pub

[Thaivisa News]

Photo Credit: www.dailynews.co.th

Bangkok:- Over 100 policemen raided a popular pub on Soi Thonglor in Bangkok's Vatana district early Thursday following complaints that it repeatedly violated the two-am closing time.

The raid at the Liberty Pub on the second floor of the Liberty building was made at 2.15 am and it was led by Metropolitan Police Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Sriwarah Rangipramkul himself.

He led several senior officers from his bureau as well as officers from the Narcotics Suppression Division to make the raid.

Police found over 100 pub-goers, including foreigners, still dancing and drinking. The officers stopped the music and turned the lights on and rounded up the party goers for drug test. Five, including two staffs of the pub, tested positive to drug use. They were arrested for abusing drug.

Two managers of the pub, Sombat Lanwong, 45, and Bamrung Pluemjit, 49, were arrested after police found that the pub was operated without a license.

Sriwarah told reporters after the raid that his bureau had received complaints that the pub violated closing time for over a month. He indicated that commander of the Thonglor police station and four other senior officers of the station would be transferred because of the raid.

At the same time, a group of police officers raided the Safe House pub on Ekamai Road after it was found violating the closing time. Police found some 50 pub goers but none tested positive to drug use.

Its manager was arrested for violating the closing time and running the pub without entertainment venue license.

[steven100]

do none of these joints have a proper license ? sure appears that way !

[scorecard]

Wonder if any officials did any safety and exit inspections?

[dinger]

100 officers for curfew violation: really

[Tywais]

"Thonglor police station"

Still haven't fixed that station I see. Transferring the commander and his lieutenants is a good start though.

[thaipod]

About time that station was touched.

[WitawatWatawit]

Over 100 cops led by the metropolitan police commissioner himself, no less. To do a job that should only require a small handful of licensing police. I'm impressed. By the photo ops, I mean.

But we should be eternally grateful that unlike raids on dangerous and armed criminal drug gangs which usualy only involve a half a dozen scared sh!tless cops, none of the villains got away. The patrons and managers and staff, every evil, antisocial one of them, were captured and subdued with a great show of bravado. None escaped. Repeat, none escaped.

[YeahSiam]

Surprised no one tested positive for

drugs at Safe House.

[borisloosebrain]

Wonder if the purpose of the raid was to vacate the position of station commander because some other upstanding cop was coveting the very lucrative position of Thonglor staton boss. :-/

[Kurtsie]

It would take over 100 to take down the illegal beer bars on Asoke now open past 4amevery night. Bring extra pee testing cups too!!!!

[The manic]

Why close late night bars in a late night city? Why should adults be put to bed early? It's pathetic.

[kkup]

I have a mate coming in July, I didn't realise BKK had a 2am kurfew, is there anywhere to go after 2?

[Smee]

I have a mate coming in July, I didn't realise BKK had a 2am kurfew, is there anywhere to go after 2?

Yes. Thonglor Police Station.

[eddie61]

Wonder if the purpose of the raid was to vacate the position of station commander because some other upstanding cop was coveting the very lucrative position of Thonglor staton boss. :-/

and might the successors second name be Punponmuang or Pompammuang or something like that. Pattaya done, Bangkok done, and Phuket next, methinks

[DTL2014]

lets see if they will enforce the law at all other late night venues Bossy , Spicy etc- or is that income already been carved up by corrupt govt officials?

[mango66]

"Thonglor police station"

Still haven't fixed that station I see. Transferring the commander and his lieutenants is a good start though.

they transfered to onather station, which still dont have any illegal pubs for bribe collecting,

as this officers are now experianced proffesionals,

they will introduce this business there for sucess , be sure !!

[Jim walker]

No licence for entertainment so I would presume that this would exempt any type of public liability insurance that these establishments would have, just in case the place burns down along with its customers inside. Should transfer the building owners along with the local corrupt police.

[maidee]

free drinks ?

[tx22cb]

Thonglor police are the worst - apathetic towards ordinary citizens, protective towards those who pay bribes. They should all be transferred to the Thai equivalent of Juno.

[jspill]

arrested after police found that the pub was operated without a license.

Translation - not paying off the police to even be open at 2:15am.

[F4UCorsair]

100 officers for curfew violation: really

No doubt they knew it would be inevitable that there would be other violations, including drug use, so not just for curfew violatioms......... really!

[jspill]

I have a mate coming in July, I didn't realise BKK had a 2am kurfew, is there anywhere to go after 2?

Climax goes to 3 or 4

Insanity (formerly Insomnia) about the same

Sugar on Soi11 fairly late I think

Shock39

Bossy

Mixx

Spicy

Swing (new location, not right to spicy anymore) goes the latest, maybe til 6

The same building as this one that was raided has Wip club on the ground floor, haven't been in a while but that goes late

[Emster23]

I wonder if some political out is the money behind these places. Very suspect about selectivity regarding raids. Sorry.

[thailandforumaddict]

At least they raided it before it burnt...

[lostoday]

50 people dancing at 2 AM and no one tests positive for drugs? Some fake drugs out there.

[Bignose]

I really don't care if it takes 500 police to carry out a raid, if these establishments are operating illegally then they should be closed down.

Yes there will be other venue's operating illegally but do you expect them all to be closed down on the same evening? In a perfect world the answer would be yes but we're not in a perfect world are we?

These venue's (and many more like them) have been operating for years with the full knowledge, permission and collusion of some well placed and powerful people.

The tide may be turning but it will not be an easy or quick fix, lets show some patience and appreciation for the progress that is being made. If we still had the previous administration do you think any of this would have happened?

[cgphuket]

Surprised no one tested positive for

drugs at Safe House.

Depends on which drugs they were testing for. A multie-panel test would likely have been positive for 80% of them.

[trogers]

"Thonglor police station"

Still haven't fixed that station I see. Transferring the commander and his lieutenants is a good start though.

Only way to cut down on corruption is to catch and jail those offering bribes. That's how Hong Kong and Singapore work.

[Assurancetourix]

I have a mate coming in July, I didn't realise BKK had a 2am kurfew, is there anywhere to go after 2?

Sleeping at home, perharps ?

[tinhead]

Saigon

I have a mate coming in July, I didn't realise BKK had a 2am kurfew, is there anywhere to go after 2?