reader Posted Sunday at 11:39 AM Posted Sunday at 11:39 AM From Pattaya News Authorities raided a Pattaya nightclub early this morning, detaining 39 patrons for alleged drug use after a violent incident allegedly involving the club’s staff attacking a Chinese tourist. At 3:36 AM on January 5th, 2025, Chonburi Governor Mr. Thawatchai Sritong, along with over 100 officers from the Pattaya Police Station and several other agencies, raided the Panda Club, located in the heart of Walking Street, following an incident over the New Year holidays when the club’s security staff allegedly assaulted a Chinese tourist, leaving the victim severely injured and still seeking medical care. Upon arrival, the team found the venue still open. Over 300 patrons, mainly Chinese nationals alongside Thai and other international tourists, were found drinking and dancing to the music. Authorities immediately halted all activities, turned on the lights, and stopped the music. Many patrons, unaware of the raid, continued enjoying themselves until officers stopped them and separated them into male and female groups for identity verification. The patrons’ identification cards and personal documents were checked, and urine samples were collected to test for drug use. Governor Mr. Thawatchai revealed to the media that the tests discovered over 39 individuals with positive results for drug use, though no illegal substances were found on the premises. There were no reports of any foreigners on overstay of their visa, which is also regularly checked during similar raids. The 39 individuals, including 19 men and 20 women, were taken into custody and transferred to the Pattaya Police Station for further legal proceedings. The police did not reveal their nationalities or the exact drugs the detainees were tested positive for. TPN media notes that the most common drugs tested for during similar raids is methamphetamine, ketamine, and cocaine. Cannabis is decriminalized in Thailand and not tested for. ======================= From Khaosod English Stranded at Sea: Tourists Forced to Pay Midway Through Trip KOH PHANGAN — Tourist safety concerns have emerged on the popular Thai island of Koh Phangan following social media reports of water taxi operators demanding payments from passengers in the middle of the sea. A social media post on January 4 detailed an incident where tourists were allegedly forced to make payments under duress during a late-night boat ride. According to the report, around 2 a.m. on New Year’s Eve, a group of approximately 20 passengers boarded a boat taxi to visit a local pub. The boat operator, who hadn’t disclosed the fare beforehand, stopped the vessel in open waters and demanded 400 baht per person for a one-way journey, refusing to continue until everyone paid. “The waves were strong, and we couldn’t turn back. Remembering the recent tragic incident where a Korean tourist died in a longtail boat accident, everyone felt compelled to pay,” the post stated. The post garnered widespread reactions, with commenters saying things like “Typical behavior,” “Are the police turning a blind eye again?” “This is practically piracy,” “These scammers are destroying our tourism reputation – they’ll be the ones complaining when tourists stop coming. Continues at https://www.khaosodenglish.com/life/socialmedia/2025/01/04/stranded-at-sea-tourists-forced-to-pay-on-koh-phangan-boats/ Quote
vinapu Posted Sunday at 07:22 PM Posted Sunday at 07:22 PM 7 hours ago, reader said: “This is practically piracy,” “These scammers are destroying our tourism reputation – they’ll be the ones complaining when tourists stop coming. no truer words were ever written here. Since it was on open waters quite possibly it could be legally qualified as piracy Quote
