In the raid on 2 nightclubs that had been transformed into restaurants and which resulted in 121 arrests, the group of arrested partygoers is first one by one on Covid19 virus pending court hearings.
The raids on The Garden 168 and Mo Salah Bar and Restaurant from late Friday night to early Saturday morning found a mix of Thai and foreign people drinking alcohol, sipping on shishas and gathering in nightlife venues, all of which is against the law.
The revellers, some of whom tried to escape to neighbouring rooftops or hide in the bushes, were all taken into custody and held at the Pattaya Police Station.
Using hookahs is illegal in Thailand at all times, but social gatherings, consuming alcohol and operating a bar or entertainment venue are all temporarily banned under the current Covid-19 Emergency Order and Chon Buri’s Covid-19 restrictions.
The large group of miscreants from the raid are due to appear in court this Monday morning to be charged with their socially merry antics. Those present could be charged under the emergency ordinance or violations of the communicable diseases law, where fines can be as high as 40,000 baht and up to 2 years in prison, although maximum sentences have not often been handed out during the pandemic.
At the same time, all detainees are tested for Covid-19. The tests are conducted at the Pattaya Police Station by medical personnel from Banglamung Hospital.
The staff tested 107 of the people detained during the raid and also tested 26 other people who had come into contact with the partygoers during the raids, including police officers, first responders and reporters.
Everyone who was tested must self-isolate or remain in police custody for the next 24 hours until the test results come back for everyone. Furthermore, anyone who has tested positive for Covid19 is considered to be at high risk and will be transferred to a local hospital in Pattaya for further treatment and observation.
Catch up on more stories here
Follow us on Facebook here
