48 arrested at Covid-19 violating luxury Koh Samui birthday party
Yet another illegal gathering, a party on Koh Samui, was busted by police for breaking the Covid-19 emergency restrictions. Early this morning, police raided Maithy Pool Lounge & Restaurant at a luxury resort in the hills behind Bangrak on the northeast corner of the island and arrested 48 people having a birthday party in defiance of Covid-19 rules.
27 foreigners – 6 women and 21 men – were arrested at the Samui party, as well as 3 Thai men and 18 Thai women. Police were tipped off that the venue, part of a resort and luxury residential neighborhood, was organising a birthday bash, despite the Emergency Decree and the Disease Control Act which forbids gatherings with alcohol and large gathering among other restrictions.
The district chief of Koh Samui led a collaborating team of police officers, soldiers, and local officials raid the party at 1 am late Friday night, early Saturday morning at the luxury resort and residents just a few minutes from the recent Covid-19 spreading party busted at Lamborghini Villa 3 weeks ago. All 48 attendees were arrested and taken to the Bophut police station in Chaweng for prosecution and alcohol was confiscated as evidence of the party.
It was a busy night for Covid-19 restriction violators on Koh Samui as before the big birthday party bust police also raided 2 restaurants that were serving alcoholic beverages against the Covid-19 Emergency Decree regulations. The Bamboo restaurant and Apple bar were raided at 9:30 pm when officers found alcoholic drinks were being sold, and the consumption of alcohol was permitted on the restaurant premises.
The owners of each venue had beer seized from their businesses and face 2 charges: selling alcohol and allowing alcohol consumption on-site. Information was unclear on the exact location of the restaurant or bar that was raided as there are many with the same name around Samui. There is a Bamboo restaurant in Maenam, Chaweng, Lamai and Maret, and there are Apple bars in at least Chaweng and Lamui.
There is no word on expected punishments for the restaurants or partygoers, but the Emergency Decree and Communicable Disease Act specifies fines of up to 40,000 baht, and jail sentences of up to 2 years, though punishment and fines seem to be rarely enforced.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
