Admin officials lead drug arrests

Ekanan Wangsuwan, 35, and Patrasuda Oncham, 26, were arrested beside a Thanachart Bank ATM on Phuket Rd at about 11:20pm on Jan 19, the officers reported.

A subsequent search of a room at municipal workers accommodation in Moo 1, Wichit, saw officers seize 510.89 gramme of ya ice packed in six separate plastic bags along with two pills of methamphetamine (ya bah).

Officers also seized drug paraphernalia, a mobile phone and a Honda Scoopy i motorbike.

Mr Ekanan and Ms Patrasuda were taken to Phuket City Police Station and charged with “jointly possessing for sale and attempting to sell a Category 1 narcotic”, the officers noted.

In their report, the officers said they were acting under the direction of a slew if high-ranking officials, including Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew, Phuket Vice Governor Anupap Rodkwan Yodrabam, Phuket Provincial Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) Somprat Prabsongkram and Akara Suwattikul from the Phuket Provincial Defense Office.

Oddly, however, the arrests were made by officers led by Thalang Deputy District Chief Panjapong Boonchan, acting under direction of Thalang District Chief Bancha Thanu-in, Deputy District Chiefs Siripong Leeprasit and Wisut Romin.

Present as enforcers during the raid were personnel from Thalang and Muang District units of the Volunteer Defense Corps (OrSor), led by Chiradet Burarak, the report said.