Koh Pha Ngan police accused of ignoring foreign cannabis thieves
A Thai cannabis shop owner accused police officers on Koh Pha Ngan island, in the southern province of Surat Thani, of inaction after they allegedly ignored a cannabis theft committed by two foreigners on February 26.
Jariya Kamonrat, the owner of the cannabis shop, Monkey’s Dispensary, posted in a Facebook group for business operators on Koh Pha Ngan to seek information about the two foreign thieves. She also shared CCTV footage of the crime, clearly showing the identities of the two suspects.
Jariya revealed that the crime took place on February 26 when two foreigners, both around 25 years old, visited her store to buy cannabis.
The foreign man in the blue shirt ordered cannabis products and paid for them before the pair left the shop.
While checking her stock, Jariya discovered a jar of cannabis flowers worth over 6,000 baht was missing. She immediately reviewed the security footage and identified the two foreigners as the culprits.
The foreign man in the white shirt seized the opportunity while Jariya was giving change to the man in the blue shirt, discreetly grabbing the jar of cannabis. He then rearranged the items on the counter to cover up the theft.
Jariya reported the incident to Koh Pha Ngan Police Station, providing the CCTV footage, and continued to follow up on the case.
However, during a recent meeting with the police, she was disappointed by their response when she inquired about the case’s progress.
Officers allegedly said, “Where do you want us to arrest the suspects? You don’t even have their names.”
Jariya argued that the police should be responsible for identifying the suspects. Frustrated by their inaction, she decided to track down the thieves herself.
She urged members of the Facebook group to share any information they had about the two foreign men and offered a reward for details leading to their arrest.
Several cannabis thefts committed by foreigners were reported previously. Three weeks ago, an Irishman was arrested for breaking into a cannabis shop in Pattaya and consuming ganja products until he passed out.
Two other foreign cannabis thieves remain at large after stealing from a shop in Krabi in January. CCTV footage showed one of them putting a jar of cannabis into a trouser pocket. Shop staff revealed that the two spent a long time sitting outside the shop after the theft, smoking cannabis.
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