CityNews – Around 400 police, soldiers and officials raided pubs and bars in the Khuang Sing and Santitham areas on Saturday night.
Photo: Weerasak Panyachod.
They conducted urine tests for illegal drugs, and checked the ages of drinkers and whether bars had the permits needed to sell liquor.
In Khuang Sing, the officials found two bars that didn’t have liquor permits. One bar owner said he had just taken over the business, and the other said he had left the permit in his car. The law says it must be displayed in the bar, where it can easily be seen.
In Santitham, the officials found three underage drinkers – two boys and a girl – in a bar, and let them off with a warning. Under Thai law, people can buy alcohol from the age of 18 but must be 20 to visit a bar.
The owners of all three bars will be prosecuted. The raid started around 10pm, and involved officials from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, Chiang Mai Provincial Public Health Office and the Excise Department, as well as police and soldiers.