Major Raid at Sunee Plaza

[Gaybutton]

One of the most "massive" raids ever took place last night at Sunee Plaza. The following is an eyewitness account from someone who was there, but wishes to remain anonymous:

_____

 

About 22:00 on May 9, a huge raid was conducted in Sunee Plaza by uniformed Pattaya Police accompanied by army and navy personnel. Swooping from all three entrances to Sunee Pllaza, police went to each bar and required that all the bars' staff come to a meeting point in the soi in front of the Sunee Plaza bar("plastic chairs"). There must have been about 50 law enforcement officials herding over 100 bar employees.

 

Police collected ID cards at their temporary "office" located at the picnic tables on the terrace of the Don Plaza Hotel. Urine samples were collected in the Corner Bar's bathroom and tested using the bar's pool table as a makeshift lab. Several TV cameras were present.

 

In addition, the head official of the Banglamung licensing office led inspections of bars to check on their licenses.

 

The number of young men that were arrested is unknown at this time. However, there were about six that appeared to have failed their initial pee test. The raid was finished about 23:30. No farang were bothered.

 

 

[TotallyOz]

A friend of mine from Ireland was there last night and only in Pattaya for 2 days and said he had never experienced anything like that before. He had no idea what was going on but left the area and decided to head on to Chiang Mai early.

 

I'm sure the papers will cover this event. If so, please keep those of us in other lands up to date. Thanks for the info GB.

[Gaybutton]

I'm sure the papers will cover this event. If so, please keep those of us in other lands up to date. Thanks for the info GB.

 

So far I haven't spotted anything about it in the local media. Maybe tomorrow . . .

[Guest luvthai]

I guess nothing major was found as there were no followups in any of the papers about the raid. Seems as if they are just hasseling the businesses there. Sunee seems a lot more compact now as businesses keep closing and fewer are re-opening.

[Maple]

"Police Investigate Sunee Plaza Complaints": Pattaya People, 15 May 2007

 

Deputy Chief of Banglamung District Office – Mr. Phongthasit Pitjanan, together with Pattaya Police Chief, Pol. Col. Sutin Sappuang and officials went out to investigate Soi Sunee Plaza at 10 pm on 9th May, after receiving complaints from residents and tourists that some of the venues there have under aged boy and girl prostitutes.

 

The inspection made that day was based on checking the venues’ licenses, checking everyone’s ID card, and making urine tests.

 

From the 150 teenagers checked that night, the team found 19 people whose urine proved positive for drug taking and 4 venues couldn’t show any proof of licenses.

 

All the people involved were escorted to Pattaya Police Station for further investigation.

 

http://www.pattayapeople.com/default.asp?F...&IdArticle=5691

 

AND

 

Excerpt from a report on Pattaya City News on Sophon Cable (not posted on their website):

 

Police checked 30 bars. Ten males under 18 years, 20 tested positive for drugs. Several bar owners taken in for having employees under 18. No licensing irregularities found.

 

 

[Gaybutton]

The PATTAYA MAIL also published an article about this:

 

http://www.pattayamail.com/current/news.shtml#hd5

 

[Guest wowpow]

Police find underage staff at South Pattaya bars - Pattaya Mail - Boonlua Chatree

 

An inspection of entertainment outlets in South Pattaya by the assistant district chief of Banglamung and officers from Pattaya Police Station has revealed that many of the staff members were under the legal age for working in licensed premises.

The search was undertaken during the night of May 9-10 by assistant district chief Pongsasit Pitajinan and Pol Lt Col Santi Chainiramai along with a team of officers, following reports that many outlets were operating illegally and allowing underage people onto the premises.

The officers were divided into two teams, one of which searched the bars of Sunee Plaza, noted for its gay go-go bars and beer bars. Police checked the ID cards of more than 60 staff members and found that 19 of them were under the age of 20. Drug tests were performed and licenses of the outlets checked. It was found that 10 outlets were providing service illegally.

The other team searched the beer bars in South Pattaya and found that many of them were operating without legal documentation. The owners of some of the bars were arrested.

Pongsasit claimed that complaints had been received from tourists that many beer bars and other entertainment establishments were operating without a license, and that they were employing staff members who were under the age of 20. Police have ordered that the offending outlets be closed for 30 days, and that the owners of those without licenses apply for the necessary documentation." Pattaya Mail

 

I copied this as I thought it interesting that employing staff under the age of 20 seems to be a problem. Were they go-go boys? were they bar-staff?

[Guest luvthai]

So which bars are closed for 30 days and which ones had problems with their license?

[Guest ear wig]

In all the years I have been coming to Thailand and I'm talking about when the dinosaurs roamed around Pattaya, as there are many coming back now.

 

I have never once seen in raid, after raid, after raid, after raid, a farang taken away unless you call the Wild West Show, where several friends were and none of them saw any one taken away, two people I know were there did not have any means of Id and they were not accosted at all. or unless your stupid enough to take a boys from a bar who is obviously to young and they use to target certain bars now and then, but rarely, then unfortunately you were left with a 600,000 or more bill, to be sneaked out of the country, after the Kangaroo Court Tv and Newspapers have made a scape goat of you

 

just sit back if it happens and watch the show, its quite Interesting many years ago in Sunee Plaza we use to have to dodge Bullets, machetes and hideous fights with rival gangs, and dead bodies taken off on the back of motor bikes, but never a farang was harmed, now that's what I would be worried about, but no it was not until a bullet whistlers past my head, I did think I was taking a big risk but as I said it was as if we was in a film in the old wild west days, all part of the show.

 

Dont worry even the Cameras are not trained on the customers, only the street to see if any bomber passes by after the event, so much mis information written about Gay Pattaya I wonder if I'm in the same place when you get there..... you have more chance of being hit by a falling Plain then being arrested in Pattaya for anything, unless of course you cross a drug dealers or taxi or hair dressers pitch, then watch out. the bullets will fly. or you will off a balcony.

 

Very young boys are good for World wide publicity, to show they are doing something, its like putting a plaster on a Dam, dont you think if they wanted to stop anything going on there, they could do as they do in Soi 4 Bangkok, make all the bars pay for a guard on the entrances, considering its only restaurants there, why dont they put a guard on Soi Twilight, of course not its a there bread and butter, get your selves into perspective.

 

Customers mean money, Money means Bribes, bribes mean you continue to live happily, its all a game, play the game by the rules and every one wins......... Have fun Gay Pattaya it has been the same in many years even in the Siren Bar on the Beach Road, Boxing Bars one of the first bars in Pattaya, and its not going to change now. only slowly evolve as its doing into a more up markets fun place to be.

 

Come and see for your self you will not be disappointed so all those guys who write to me from around the world about the horror stories you hear, I bet your be booking your next trip before you leave from your first I know so many do believe me.

[Guest luvthai]

So far I've heard that Duc's bar and Euroboys were closed after the raid. Not sure if either have re-opened.