Irishman arrested for cannabis shop break-in in Pattaya
Tourist Police and Pattaya Police have apprehended an Irishman following a break-in at a cannabis shop in Pattaya. The 23 year old man allegedly broke a window to access marijuana products, which he consumed until he passed out.
The incident, which took place on February 2, was captured on CCTV. Following a complaint lodged at Pattaya City Police Station, an arrest warrant was issued by the Pattaya Provincial Court (No. 70/2568) for the man, Andrew John Mathews from Belfast, for theft by damaging a barrier for protecting a person or property.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Piyapong Ensan, along with officers from the Pattaya City Police Investigation Unit, arrested Mathews on Thursday, February 6. During questioning, Mathews admitted to the theft, stating he took cannabis products but nothing else. He confessed to smoking the marijuana until he fell asleep, and upon waking, he continued to purchase and smoke more, changing his sleeping spots frequently until his arrest. Mathews attributed his actions to impaired judgment caused by the cannabis, reported The Pattaya News.
Photo courtesy of The Pattaya NewsFollowing his confession, Mathews was taken to Pattaya City Police Station for further legal proceedings. Notably, cannabis has been decriminalised in Thailand and has been legal to purchase since 2022.
In similar news, a luxury residence in Huai Yai, Chon Buri, owned by a Chinese businessman, was targeted in a high-stakes burglary, with thieves making off with luxury watches valued at over 100 million baht. The incident was reported to Huai Yai police at 1.30am on Thursday, January 16.
Police officers, accompanied by forensic experts from Chon Buri Forensic Division 2, arrived at the scene—a two-storey detached house spanning approximately 80 square wah and valued at over 8 million baht. Inside a second-floor room, they discovered a black safe, measuring one metre wide and 1.5 metres high, that had been forcibly breached using a sledgehammer and crowbar. Eight wooden watch boxes, each designed to hold 10 timepieces, were found scattered across the floor. A rear window had also been pried open and removed, indicating the burglars’ likely point of entry.
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