Kratom and disorderly: Pattaya bar raided over illegal jungle juice
Undercover cops bust bar flogging kratom cocktails without a licence
A Pattaya bar has landed in hot water after being caught red-handed selling kratom-laced cocktails and operating without a licence during a late-night sting by police and district officials.
At around 9pm, yesterday, May 13, a special operations team from Pattaya City Police, alongside Bang Lamung district officers, swooped on a buzzing beer bar in Nong Prue, Chon Buri. The joint raid came after reports of illegal activity and uncovered more than just cold beers and lively conversation.
Inside, Thai and foreign punters were enjoying their evening when officers discovered 33 bottles of kratom-infused drinks stashed in a blue ice bucket behind the bar. A stack of five receipts at the till openly listed both booze and kratom beverages under the bar’s name.
The bar’s cashier, 43 year old Sawitree, was arrested on the spot and hauled off to Pattaya City Police Station. She now faces a trio of charges:
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Operating an unlicensed entertainment venue.
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Selling alcohol outside permitted hours (11am–2pm and 5pm–midnight).
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Illegally selling food or drinks containing kratom, violating the Food Act.
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The dodgy drinks and receipts were seized as evidence, with police warning more crackdowns are on the way for similar shady setups around town.
In a related bust last month, a 20 year old woman was arrested during an early morning raid at a shop in Pattaya’s Village 8, where undercover agents caught her flogging kratom beverages to underage customers.
That operation, spearheaded by Banglamung District Chief Patcharapat Sritanyanon, revealed more than 20 teenagers guzzling the green stuff at picnic-style tables, surrounded by ice buckets and bottles. Officers found even more kratom stored in fridges, ready for the next wave of youthful drinkers.
Local police say they’re stepping up efforts to stamp out the growing underground kratom scene, warning that selling the potent leaf extract without proper licensing is a fast track to a jail cell.
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