The man was caught after police saw him drop a bag of the drug from the car he was sitting in while parked on Phang Nga Rd in Phuket Town.
The announcement of the arrest came at press conference held today (July 8) by Vice Governor Chokdee Armornwat and Cpt Aumpon Samorthai of the Border Patrol Police 425 at the Tsunami Meeting Room of the Phuket Provincial Narcotics Control Management Center.
Cpt Aumpon said that police received a tip-off that a drug deal was to take place close to the car park of the Metropole Hotel.
“On July 6, Lt Teerasak Narasri was sent out to observe the area, and at around 11am he noticed an Isuzu vehicle parked on Phang Nga Rd. The car door opened and a bag was dropped from it,” he said.
“He went to check the bag and found that it contained crystal meth. He then opened the car door and found Pokim Saelim, 48, sitting inside.
“When Lt Teerasak searched the vehicle he found a further five bags of crystal meth hidden inside a holdall. In total the drugs weighed 1.14kg,” he added.
Cpt Aumpon went on to explain that Pokim told police that he bought the drugs from a man named Mr Chai and that he would order the drugs by telephone.
“This is the second time he has bought drugs from Mr Chai, he previously bought 1.5kg of crystal meth from Mr Chai for B45,000,” he said.
Pokim has been charged with possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell.