Authorities found more than 300 underage drinkers packed inside a popular nightspot in Chiang Rai in the early hours of Saturday — with all three fire exit doors locked.
Officials stormed Parclub on Rat Bamrung Road around 2am.
Upon seeing the officials, many teenagers waiting to enter the pub fled on motorcycles. Inside, the team found a room packed with young customers who were drinking and dancing. They ordered staff at the pub to turn off the music and switch on the lights.
An inspection found 325 patrons under the legal drinking age of 20, with the youngest ones aged 16. Fifty customers did not have ID cards.
All three fire exit doors were locked.
The pub operator was charged with allowing people aged below 20 to use its services, operating beyond legal hours, serving alcoholic drinks to underage customers and related offences.
Following the raid, the superintendent of Muang district police station in Chiang Rai was transferred to an inactive post.
Authorities will also propose that the Chiang Rai governor revoke the operating licence of the pub and order its closure for five years.
Saturday’s raid came less than a month after a fire on Aug 5 at the Mountain B nightclub in Sattahip district of Chon Buri, which has taken 23 lives to date. Its fire exits were also blocked.
