Overview
In a recent raid on a high-end pub in Bangkok’s Huai Khwang district, almost 50 Chinese tourists were detained for questioning. Authorities seized a large quantity of illicit drugs during the early morning operation. The pub’s operations were found to be similar to the infamous Jinling pub.
The Raid
Early Friday morning, at 3 am, police raided a pub in Huai Khwang district, discovering 30 men and 18 women partying in four karaoke rooms. Pol Maj Gen Thirasak Chantrapipat, chief of the Children and Women Protection Division, led the operation. He said that at least four types of drugs, including cocaine, ketamine, ecstasy, and “happy water” (an illicit drug cocktail), were confiscated along with drug-taking equipment.
Several tourists tested positive for drug use and were charged accordingly. Police are investigating whether they violated immigration law and whether the pub operator supplied drugs to its customers.
Investigation and Similarities to Jinling Pub
Police had been gathering information about the pub for two weeks before the raid. They found the pub’s operation to be similar to the infamous Jinling pub, which was raided on Oct 26 last year. At that time, 104 customers, 99 of them Chinese nationals, had tested positive for drugs. The raid led to the arrest of Chinese businessman Chaiyanat “Tuhao” Kornchayanant and 40 others on multiple charges related to narcotics, organized transnational crime, money laundering, and more.
The Jinling investigation also revealed that numerous Chinese crime figures were operating in the country, having obtained long-term visas with the help of corrupt immigration officers.
Ongoing Investigation and Interrogation
Pol Maj Gen Atthaporn Wongsiripreeda, commander of Metropolitan Police Division 1, said police are questioning the staff of the raided pub for more information about the venue. Based on the paperwork, the pub is owned by a Thai national, but police will run a thorough check on its ownership and determine if it is linked to Jinling.
According to an accountant’s statement, several staff members are ethnic people from Chiang Mai who can speak Chinese. Most customers are Chinese tourists who were charged between 6,500 to 15,000 baht for karaoke services, excluding drinks.
During the raid, a Thai man believed to be a security guard was arrested on a firearms-related charge when police found a gun in his possession. Additionally, five vehicles belonging to customers were confiscated for further examination after drugs were discovered in some of them.
