Spicy career change: Som tam seller turns full-time drug dealer

Police arrested an elderly woman at her home in the Isaan province of Udon Thani after she left her former career as a som tam seller to become a full-time drug dealer. The suspect said she found drug dealing easier and more lucrative than her previous job, despite her son’s recent arrest for the same crime.

Kumphawapi Police Station’s official Facebook page in Udon Thani reported its successful drug bust yesterday, May 15.

“#MakeWayForOldPro A 63 year old woman was arrested in the Chae Lae sub-district with 54 yaba (methamphetamine) pills.”

The post attracted attention from netizens, particularly those residing in the same community as the suspect. Many comments criticised the woman for engaging in illegal activities at her age.

Matichon reported that the 63 year old woman in the report was Prayong Tumputsa, who was known among locals in the area for previously selling som tam, also known as papaya salad. However, locals recently discovered her shift to drug dealing and reported it to the police.

Prayong’s arrest was made yesterday at her home in the Chae Lae sub-district, Kumphawapi district, Udon Thani province. She attempted to escape but was unsuccessful.

Officers found 54 methamphetamine (Yaba) tablets in a small purse hidden in her shirt. The drugs were packaged in plastic bags containing one to two tablets each.

Prayong confessed to selling Yaba to local addicts over the past three months, following her son’s arrest. She bought the drugs in batches of 70 to 100 pills from a man in the area for 25 baht per tablet and resold them for 40 baht each.

Prayong stated that she was too old to continue selling som tam and found drug dealing to be more convenient and profitable.

Prayong was charged under Section 145 of the Narcotics Control Act: possessing Category 1 drug (methamphetamine) for sale. The penalty is imprisonment from two to 20 years and a fine of 200,000 to 2 million baht.

Officers are continuing their investigation to identify and arrest the other drug dealer mentioned by Prayong.