FOLLOWING raids on a pub and a karaoke bar operating illegally in New Petchburi road area with the latter exclusively for Chinese tourists and some found to have taken drugs Makkasan police station chief and deputy chief were today (June 3) transferred with an investigation launched, Matichon newspaper said.
Maj. Gen. Attaporn Wongsiripreeda, commander of Metropolitan Police Division 1, signed the order transferring Pol. Col. Jarin Lamluek and Pol.Lt.Col. Booncharat Choti, chief and deputy chief of Makkasan police station respectively, to the headquarters till further changes.
A fact-finding committee has also been set up to investigate the illegal operation of Chow Cafe & Bar and Diamond KTV Bangkok Service Station located within the 115-room Meria massage parlour building.
At 1.30 a.m. today a team from Metropolitan Police Children and Women Welfare Division raided Chow Cafe & Bar which was run like a pub with there being a live music show and alcohol served. The operator was arrested and charged with running an entertainment venue and serving alcohol without permits.
At 2.30 a.m. another team raided Diamond KTV Bangkok Service Station located on the first floor of the massage parlour building with 98 people, mainly Chinese tourists and staff, found there and several of the patrons intoxicated and high on drugs.
Later 56 people were rounded up and taken to Makkasan police station for legal action with the operator charged with running this venue and selling alcohol without permits, allowing weapons and drugs into the bar and possessing methamphetamine and Ketamine. Some of the patrons were charged with overstaying their visa.
This karaoke bar, which is only meant for Chinese tourists with Thais not allowed to enter, consists of eight rooms but during the raid four were opened for use. The service charge for each room is 100,000 baht for six hours with there being a private DJ and waitresses to serve the revellers.
During the raid several types of drugs were found in these rooms including cocaine, Ketamine, Ecstasy and Happy Water, which is a powerful combination of six psychoactive substances that are dissolved in liquid to make this beverage
Altogether 48 tourists were rounded up and underwent urine test with 32 of them, 22 men and and 10 women, found to have taken drugs.
CAPTION:
Raid on Diamond KTV Bangkok Service Station with an image of Pol. Col. Jarin Lamluek inset in above photo. Both photos: Matichon
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