Police arrest “Dr Feelgood’

PHUKET TOWN: Police arrested a doctor and three others in raids early yesterday that uncovered dealings in marijuana, the “love drug” ecstacy and cough syrup containing the opium derivative codeine. Dr Somchai Wongbanterng, 35, who has a clinic on Wichit Songkram Rd and lives at Joe Mansion, near the Phuket Hill Hotel in Mae Luan Rd, was due to face court today. Pol Col Paween Pongsirin, Superintendent of Phuket Town Police Station, told the Gazette that police, acting on a report, raided the hotel about 1 am on Sunday and arrested Khwanruan Sintorn, 25, and Karnjana Losiriwongsakul, 28, for possession of marijuana and ecstacy, known in Thailand as “yah E”. The women said they had bought the ecstacy from a man named Yod. Two hours later, police arrested Itthichai “Yod” Krengrit, 23, and Dr Somchai as they brought more ecstacy for the women. The pair confessed to selling ecstacy at 1,500 baht a pill. Yod said Dr Somchai provided the ecstacy. Ten bottles of cough syrup containing codeine were found hidden in the doctor’s Toyota car and an unspecified number of other bottles at his clinic.