After conducting a raid on an illegal nightspot that fell under their authority, five senior officers from the Chang Phueak police station in Chiang Mai have been reassigned to inactive posts pending the outcome of an investigation.
Acting Commissioner of Provincial Police Region 5 Pol Maj Gen Krittapon Yeesakhon has authorized the transfer of Chang Phueak Police Chief Pol Col Kittipong Phetmunee and his four subordinates to inactive posts at the Chiang Mai Provincial Police’s operation center. The order was signed by Pol Maj Gen Krittapon Yeesakhon.
The investigation is expected to be finished in a week and a half.
After permitting a gambling den to operate under their watch in the Santitham district of tambon Chang Phueak on August 10, the five senior policemen were previously transported to the center for investigation.
The special unit of the Department of Provincial Administration (DPA) was the one in charge of carrying out the crackdown. During the raid, law enforcement officials detained 104 suspects, 19 of them were identified as card dealers or croupiers. They also took possession of 31 vehicles, 10 motorcycles, cash, and several items related to gaming.
The five recently returned to their positions at the Chang Phueak station after being absent for some time before the most recent DPA operation.
Yesterday, a crackdown was carried out at the Le Neuf café bar restaurant located on Sirindhorn Road in the tambon Chang Phueak of the Muang district in response to complaints lodged by locals regarding the establishment’s operation outside of the legal hours and the provision of alcoholic beverages to customers who were younger than 20 years old.
The DPA special unit and its inspector, district officials, Chiang Mai Provincial Police, Chang Phueak police, and more than 30 officials from Volunteer Defence Corps Headquarters worked together to carry out the crackdown.
During the operation, the authorities discovered that the establishment had approximately 300 customers, 242 of whom were young persons under the age of 20 who were dancing and interacting with one another.
The police operation induced fear in a great number of teenage partygoers. Many people quickly made their way to the exit doors, but the officials prevented them from using them.
According to the DPA inspector Ronnarong Thipsiri, the bar did not have a valid license to operate.
In the event that there was a fire, the bar presented a risk because it was located in a two-story timber house with a low ceiling and there were no fire exits.
Roughly nine in ten of the revelers were students between the ages of 17 and 19. Those who were too young to enter used false identification cards to gain entry. They are currently under the protection of the Social Development and Human Security Office of the Chiang Mai Provincial Government.
The police have filed charges against the bar’s owner, Kiatisak Promnimit, 25, for running the business without a license, selling alcohol after the legal cutoff time of midnight, selling alcohol to patrons under the age of 20, and making unauthorized changes to the property.
According to the officials, there will be a temporary halt placed on the use of the building.
