Officers began their latest effort at 9pm last night (Nov 15), as heavy rain continued across Phuket’s key tourism town, with many areas suffering minor flooding.
Accompanied by fellow district officers and personnel from the Kathu branch of the Volunteer Defense Corps (OrSor) dressed in camouflage uniform, along with officers from the Patong Police, Kathu District Public Health Chief Peerapong Cheeplek and his staff conducted drugs tests on “random” individuals.
The tests last night targeted touts working on Bangla Rd who are registered as living in Kathu District.
Of the 195 individuals on the list of people to be tested, a total of 117 people were tested for drugs.
Of the 62 males tested, two tested positive and volunteered to enter a drug rehabilitation programme, said an official report of the tests conducted last night.
Of the 55 women tested, none tested positive for drug use, said the report.
The campaign to conduct “random” drug tests would continue as part of the ongoing “war on drugs”, Mr Siwat said.
“Patrols on foot will continue to maintain peace and order for the people in the Kathu district, watching over places where a groups of people, including tourists, where many foreigners come to visit,” said the report.
Officers will continue to meet with business operators to help each other keep an eye out for any unwanted people or objects, the report continued.
People were urged to inform the authorities of any suspicious activities or objects found that may be related to drugs, the report concluded.
Touts working on Bangla Rd were arrested last month on drugs charges after they were found selling the generic painkiller Anadol tourists on the pretense that it was cocaine.
The two men, who worked as venue touts on Bangla Rd, were also named as involved in the attack on 35-year-old American tourist Rakkan Gassim Algassim, from Pennsylvania, on the popular nightlife street in late Septmeber.