Deserted Pattaya hotel turns into drug den, electricity theft hub

Law enforcement and municipal authorities were left stunned as they uncovered a web of trespassing, illicit drug activities, and unauthorised power usage lurking within an abandoned hotel nestled in Soi 1, Jomtien Beach, on Monday.

Despite the warning of a No Trespassing sign, the three-story hotel, shuttered during the Covid-19 pandemic, was harbouring five individuals in separate rooms. Shockingly, each room yielded drug paraphernalia, laying bare the grim reality that the forsaken edifice had become a bustling hub for drug-related activities.

Furthermore, authorities stumbled upon a secret network of electricity theft, with unauthorised wiring clandestinely snaking its way into various rooms. In a swift move, electrical authorities severed the illegal power supply and confiscated it as damning evidence, reported Pattaya Mail.

The individuals apprehended underwent urine tests, conclusively confirming their involvement in drug use.

In related news, authorities in Nonthaburi intercepted a suspicious package containing 7.5 kilogrammes of cocaine, concealed inside 15 seat cushions, on January 2. The package, which was addressed to the homeowner’s daughter studying in Australia, was discovered after the homeowner reported the package.

In Thailand, a trend called rub hew, which translates to help carry, is common among young people studying abroad. It involves offering transnational courier services for a fee, depending on the weight of the package. This service is often found on social media pages used by overseas student groups and frequent travellers.

In other news, a Thai delivery rider dodged a drug charge after a dealer tricked him into transporting crystal meth and ecstasy by claiming the parcel was a watch.

The 38 year old delivery rider, identified as A, reported the discovery of the drugs to Hua Mark Police Station on January 31 at about 10.45pm. He reported to officers that he was hired by a Thai man to deliver a watch to a recipient at the Maitria Hotel in the Rama 9 district of Bangkok but found that the parcel was packed with drugs instead of the watch.