BANGKOK — In an early hour operation Sunday, Thonglor police raided a gay party in downtown Bangkok, where hundreds of attendees, including three foreigners, were subjected to hours-long drug testing.
Police Colonel Pansa Amarapitak, Superintendent of Thonglor Police Station, reported that the operation stemmed from intelligence received on December 6 about an illegal party involving drug use at room 2001 on the 20th floor of a hotel in North Klongtoey, Wattana district, Bangkok.
On December 7, Thonglor police collaborated with Metropolitan Police Division 5 investigators and Police 191 to plan the raid. The operation was executed at 1:30 a.m. on December 8, when officers received confirmation of numerous individuals entering the specified room.
Upon entry, police found hundreds of Thai and foreign male partygoers, all wearing identical underwear. Officers discovered quantities of Category 1 narcotics (Ecstasy) and Category 2 psychotropic substances (Ketamine) during their initial search. All attendees were subsequently detained and transported to Thonglor Police Station.
Preliminary investigations revealed 120 attendees, including several notable figures – a TV series actor, a former executive of a renowned beauty clinic, professors, doctors, and celebrities. Three foreign tourists, one of them is Vietnamese national and a few women were also present.
According to police investigations, the partygoers had attended an earlier gathering before converging at the hotel. The event required pre-registration through a private group chat, with administrators vetting potential attendees. Thonglor police’s attempts to infiltrate the group were unsuccessful, leading to the decision to conduct the raid.
After all detainees underwent drug testing as part of the ongoing investigation, 97 individuals tested positive for narcotics. Police have charged 31 individuals (30 men and 1 woman) with drug possession, including a Taiwanese man found with three Ecstasy pills and a Vietnamese man found with 1.0 grams of ketamine. An additional 66 people (65 men and 1 woman) were charged with drug use. All suspects were over 20 years old and have voluntarily agreed to enter rehabilitation programs
On December 9, 2024, authorities will summon those charged with drug use to report for mandatory rehabilitation as required by law. Meanwhile, suspects found with drugs in their possession remain in custody and will be detained at either the South Bangkok District Court or the South Bangkok Criminal Court, depending on their specific charges and the quantity of drugs involved.
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