BANGKOK, Thailand – Huai Khwang Police Station has launched a major operation to inspect high-risk entertainment venues and karaoke bars across four zones, following a raid on a club allegedly operating without a licence where drugs and foreign workers were found. The operation, conducted on August 31, targeted nine establishments in the district, focusing on drug use, weapons, illegal foreign workers, and venues that had been ordered closed but continued to operate.

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Pol. Col. Kampon Rattanaprateep, who has been appointed acting superintendent of the station, said the inspections are part of a campaign to restore order and public confidence in the area . Officials discovered 132 patrons at a previously raided venue, with three testing positive for drugs, including ketamine.

Officers also found that several establishments were allegedly employing foreign workers without proper documentation, with investigators looking into possible Chinese funding and nominee arrangements used to conceal foreign ownership.

The crackdown comes after a high-profile raid on August 29 at a venue in the district, where officials found hundreds of customers and drugs on the premises, leading five officers from Huai Khwang Police Station to be transferred pending an investigation. The establishment, known as the “Chinese Huai Khwang pub,” had previously been raided and ordered closed but resumed operations illegally.

Police have emphasised that the operation is part of a broader effort to address crime and illegal businesses in the district, with body cameras used during inspections to ensure transparency. Authorities have vowed to continue such operations and take legal action against any venues found violating the law, including revoking licences and pursuing charges against owners and operators.

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Deputy Interior Minister Pholphee Suwanchawee stated that officials who fail to act against such establishments will also face consequences.

-Thailand News (TN)