The raiding party assembled at the police box at the beach end of Bangla Rd at 9pm, to be addressed by Mr Siwat, Phuket Provincial Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) Somprat Prabsongkram and Patong Police Chief Pol Col Sujin Nilabadee.
Among the officers brought in to carry out the operation were personnel from the Territorial Defense Volunteers (OrSor) from the Kathu District 2 branch, members of which now frequently assist Mr Siwat in carrying out his law-enforcement campaigns.
The raids were touted as “intensive action by networking agencies from all sectors to cooperate in the Patong area to detect narcotic substances in the body with service workers in accordance with the war on drugs policy.”
While no incidents of any opposition to the drug tests were reported, an official report of the raids mandated: “Must not interfere with drugs strictly according to government policy.”
Present to conduct the urine tests was Kathu District Public Health Chief Peerapong Cheeplek and Kathi District public health staff.
According to the report, Illuzion nightclub saw 44 male employees and 30 females tested for drugs. All tested negative for drugs.
Sugar nightclub had 25 male and 33 female employees tested. All tested negative for drugs.
Majestic bar had two male and four female staffers tested. All tested negative for drugs.
Ibiza nightclub had 21 male employees tested. All tested negative for drugs.
Tai Pan had 18 male and 12 female employees tested. One person tested positive.
The report made no mention of any legal action against the person who tested positive for drug use.