School’s out! 120 Bangkok party-goers arrested in drugs raid on pub
Police and drug suppression officials who raided a Bangkok pub early on Wednesday found that alcohol wasn’t the only thing on the menu. Customers dressed in school uniform for a themed party at the Space Pub panicked as the drugs squad entered the premises on Pradit Manutham Road in Bang Khen district at 3am.
Motorcycles parked outside tumbled as party-goers ran to escape the cordon of police and Narcotics Control Board officials.
However, some 120 customers were detained after being forced to take drug tests which came up positive.
A brief search of the pub turned up ecstasy pills, ketamine drug and e-cigarette devices scattered over the floor, presumably ditched by pub-goers during the raid.
Pol Col Alongkorn Sirisongkram, commander of the Kokkram police station, said pub manager Sumet Ramkaew, 28, was arrested along with the 120 pub-goers, 70 men and 50 women.
Alongkorn said the pub had been open for two months and investigations had pointed to it being a drug den.
He said officials would seek to have the place closed down for five years.
The pub manager was charged with operating a pub and selling alcohol without licence, opening beyond closing hour, and tolerating drug abuse in the venue, Alongkorn said.
