Nakhon Phanom pub bust reveals drugs, minors and indecent acts
Police in Nakhon Phanom arrested the operators of a well-known pub for a series of legal infractions, including allowing minors on the premises and indecent performances, amid revelations of drug use among patrons. The establishment, known as AEC Nakhon Phanom, was also found to be operating beyond legally allowed hours, causing disturbances to nearby residents.
The crackdown, led by Nakhon Phanom Governor Wanchai Janporn and local officials, followed complaints lodged at the Damrongtham Centre in Mueang Nakhon Phanom District. Undercover officers infiltrated the pub, discovering not only that the venue was open past legal hours but also that dancers performed lewd acts on stage, some without bras, in a show that shocked the attendees.
In the early hours of yesterday, a special operations team, including over 30 administrative officers, raided the pub. They encountered the same indecent performances previously reported by complainants.
Amid the raid, they also discovered several patrons, including at least one individual under the age of 20, intoxicated and dancing energetically.
During the inspection, police discovered the drug methamphetamine scattered on the floor beneath tables and in the bathrooms. Urine tests conducted on-site turned up a shocking revelation: some patrons tested positive, indicated by a purple colouration in their urine samples.
The officers seized alcoholic beverages sold to minors and a small quantity of MDMA, often referred to as ecstasy, packaged in clear plastic bags.
The pub’s owner and the patrons were detained and faced charges at the Mueang Nakhon Phanom Police Station. The accusations levelled against the establishment included selling alcohol past legal hours, allowing minors into the venue, selling alcohol to those under 20, permitting drug offences to occur on the premises, and allowing individuals without national identification cards to use the services, reported KhaoSod.
Further complicating matters for the establishment’s owner, an additional charge was added for permitting indecent or obscene performances. This string of violations was not a first for AEC Nakhon Phanom, as the venue had a history of law-breaking, regularly featuring nudity and lewd behaviour in its shows.
The local authorities are now preparing to propose to the Ministry of the Interior to have the pub shut down immediately.
