Amy, Miss Teen Thailand in 2006 and now 28, along with Punyawat Hirantecha, 40, were apprehended during a police raid on a house at Chaiyapruek housing estate on Sukhaphiban 5 Rd around 12:30am on Tuesday, acting Tourist Police Bureau deputy chief Pol Maj Gen Surachet Hakphan told a media briefing later that day.
Police seized 70 grams of crystal methamphetamine (ya ice), 16 ecstasy pills, a scale and drug use paraphernalia, reported the Bangkok Post. (See story here.)
The raid followed the recent arrest of a man identified only as Nat at the entrance of Soi Sukhonthasawat 17 in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao district after he was found with an undisclosed amount of crystal meth in his possession, said the report.
When questioned by police he alleged he bought the drugs from Punyawat, Gen Surachet said.
According to police, Punyawat and Amy admitted colluding in the sale of illicit drugs. They allegedly bought 100g of crystal meth from a friend for B40,000 and sold it for B800 per gram. They allegedly admitted being involved in the sale of drugs for about one year, Gen Surachet added.
Police initially charged the pair with possession of illicit drugs with intent to sell.
However, Thai-language newspaper Thai Rath has now reported that Amy has told police that the drugs were not hers, that they belonged to a friend, who she “couldn’t name”, who dropped them off last Sunday (Sept 17) for looking after.
Punyawat said they belonged to someone called “Nat”, said the report. (See story here.).
The news came as Amy’s father, Jan Jacobs, visited her at Sai Mai Police Station in Bangkok.
Mr Jacobs, from Kamala, on Phuket’s west coast, stayed for 20 minutes then spoke to investigators but declined to speak with the press, Thai Rath reported.
Meanwhile, Amy’s arrest has sparked a frenzy of reports online debating Thai celebrity drug-use and what punishments, if any for certain cases, should be meted out.
Amy, a graduate of Satree Phuket School in Phuket Town, said a friend outside the entertainment circle had introduced her to drugs, according to police. She had been using for about a year, to combat stress, the Bangkok Post report noted.
Since winning Miss Teen Thailand, Amy’s career has skyrocketed. Her acting career launched in 2008 with her role in the popular Channel 7 comedy-drama Thidawanorn (“Monkey’s Daughter”), and the subsequent continuation of the Thidawanorn series.
However, Amy has also performed many other roles since, including many guest appearances and most recently in The Cupids Series on Channel 3 this year and stars in the upcoming Monruk Kon Hua Look currently under production.
She also featured in the feature-length movie Gig Number 2 in 2008.
During her heavy filming schedule in 2009, Amy survived serious head injuries, including cerebral bleeding, after a car her friend and fellow actor Buphakorn Nilat was driving struck a power pole in Pathum Thani, on the outskirts of Bangkok, while returning from a film shoot.
Amy, recovered from the road unconscious after being thrown from the vehicle in the impact, was comatose for days and on assisted breathing apparatus for a week.
Regarding Amy’s current situation, many comments of support have posted online, from many Thais posting “Su Su” (“fight, fight”) in Thai to one man posting in English, “As a father of a rebellious twenty year old myself, that I love dearly, I can sympathise. A dad’s worst nightmare,
“I wish him the best of luck in getting his daughter out of this mess. I would certainly bring a bulky envelope or anything else needed.”