Phuket pub raids target nominee-run Thalang venues

Phuket pub raids late on Sunday, 8 November, shut down an unlicensed nightspot in Thalang district and put a second venue on course for closure, as officials investigate whether foreigners secretly own both businesses through Thai nominees, according to the Bangkok Post and Nation Thailand.

The operation, codenamed "Andaman Lockdown", was run by the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA). It began at 11.50pm and targeted two venues: CLC (Come Leo Come) in Cherng Talay and The Black Bar on Don Jom Tao Road in Tambon Thepkrasattri, The Phuket News reported.

What officials found in the Phuket pub raids

DOPA deputy director-general Ronnarong Thipsiri led the special operations team, working with Phuket provincial and district officials. Thairath English said the team included Phuket deputy governor Romdon Hayi-Awa and Thalang chief district officer Wilailak Ruangphon.

The raids followed complaints that the two businesses were operating without licences, claimed the backing of influential local figures, and might be owned by foreigners using Thai citizens as fronts. The complaints also raised the possibility of money laundering. Undercover administrative officers checked the venues before the raid and found that neither held an entertainment venue licence.

Inside CLC, which promotes itself as a luxury restaurant and supper club, officers found many foreign customers watching live performances. Managers, staff, DJs and dancers came from Russia, Ukraine, Iran and Myanmar, according to the reports. The Bangkok Post said officials closed the venue down on the night.

Key points from the operation:

• When: Sunday, 8 November, from 11.50pm.
• Where: CLC in Cherng Talay and The Black Bar in Thepkrasattri, both in Thalang district.
• Charges: both operators were charged with running an entertainment venue without a licence; the Bangkok Post said The Black Bar's management was also charged with selling alcohol outside legal hours.
• Next step: DOPA is preparing to ask the Phuket governor to close both venues for five years.

Immigration, work permit and money checks

The case does not end with the licence charges. DOPA has asked Phuket Immigration to check whether the foreign staff and customers entered Thailand legally, and the provincial employment office will check whether those working at the venues hold valid work permits.

The department also plans to ask the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) to examine the venues' finances. Investigators want to know where the money to set up the businesses came from, and whether Thai shareholders were running the premises on behalf of the real foreign owners.

Officials said the venues' activities also breached National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) Order No. 22/2015. On that basis, DOPA is preparing a recommendation asking the Phuket governor to order both venues closed for five years.

Part of a wider crackdown on nominee businesses

Ronnarong described Andaman Lockdown as part of the Interior Ministry's policy to keep public order and tackle illegal foreign business ownership in big tourist destinations such as Phuket.

"The Ministry of Interior's duty is to maintain social order, create a peaceful and orderly society, prevent vice-related activities and ensure public safety," he said, quoted by Nation Thailand. "Anything that conflicts with these objectives must be eliminated through the mechanisms of the state."

The raids are the latest in a run of enforcement action on the island. Police recently widened a nominee probe into Rawai companies, officials carried out raids on unlicensed hotels in Kathu and Patong, and a Russian man was arrested in a crackdown on unlicensed tour guides.

For bar and restaurant owners, the message from this operation is that licences, opening hours, staff work permits and shareholder structures can all come under scrutiny at the same time.

How residents can report problems

Ronnarong urged the public to help by reporting suspicious activity. Residents can contact district or provincial Damrongtham Centres, or call the Interior Ministry's Damrongtham hotline on 1567.

Phuket Times will follow up if the governor signs the closure orders or if immigration and AMLO checks lead to further charges.

Further details are in Nation Thailand's report on the raids.

Photo: Nightlife on Bangla Road in Patong, used to illustrate the Phuket pub raids; the raided venues are in Thalang district (Karelj via Wikimedia Commons, public domain).