Pattaya —
Pattaya police raided a bar in Jomtien early Monday for illegally selling nitrous oxide balloons.
At 3:36 AM on September 16th, 2024, Pattaya police conducted a raid on the “See You Beach Bar” located on Jomtien Soi 11 in the Nongprue sub-district, Banglamung district, Chonburi province. Authorities seized two nitrous oxide tanks, three balloons filled with nitrous oxide gas, 60 empty balloons prepared for filling, and detained four illegal foreign workers, along with the unidentified person managing the bar.
According to authorities, the raid followed complaints from concerned citizens that the bar was illegally selling nitrous oxide-filled balloons, also known as “laughing gas balloons.” Officers conducted an investigation and discovered that the bar was indeed selling laughing gas balloons as alleged in the complaints. Upon confirming the illegal activity, authorities moved in and seized the evidence while the bar was crowded with both Thai and foreign customers.
Police reported that the bar had been hiding the nitrous oxide tanks in a storage area across from the bar. When tourists placed orders for balloons at 200 baht each, foreign staff members would cross over to fill the balloons with gas and then return to deliver them to customers. However, authorities uncovered the hiding spot during their surveillance and seized all the evidence.
The bar manager, along with the illegal workers, was taken into custody for further questioning. Authorities are also preparing to issue an arrest warrant for the bar’s true owner to face legal prosecution. Their names were not disclosed by authorities pending further investigation.
Under Thai law, the unauthorized sale of modern medicines, which includes nitrous oxide, carries penalties of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to 10,000 baht. The public is encouraged to report any similar violations by calling emergency services at 191 or the Central Investigation Bureau hotline at 1191.
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