Working with Marine Police, officers inspected tour speedboats at Ratsada Pier and a marina in Koh Kaew, reported the CIB.
Suspects named as Mr Jakkrit, Mr Nikorn and Mr Bancha were all charged with illegal possession of a Category 1 narcotic (methamphetamine, or ‘ya bah’) and consuming a Category 1 narcotic without permission.
Jakkrit, 26, was arrested on a speedboat at Ratsada Pier after he was found with seven ya bah pills. He also tested positive for drug use.
Nikorn, 42, was arrested on a speedboat “in the area of a pier in Koh Kaew Subdistrict” after he was found with one ya bah pill and tested positive for drug use.
Bancha, 31, was also arrested on a speedboat “in the area of a pier in Koh Kaew Subdistrict” after he was found with two ya bah pills and tested positive for drug use.
All three confessed the ya bah pills found were theirs and admitted to using the drug, CIB reported.
Meanwhile, boat mechanic ‘Mr Anucha’, 44, was arrested at Ratsada Pier and charged with performing work on a vessel without the correct permit, while ‘Mr Theerasak’, 27, was found to be acting as captain and operating a boat at a pier (or marina) in Koh Kaew without having the correct licence.
‘Mr Pantawat’, 27, was found to be acting as captain on a boat also in Koh Kaew where the boat had no actual accredited machine operator on board.
Pantawat was charged with "using a boat in violation of the conditions or requirements of the boat licence and using a boat whose boat licence has expired" and being detained and prosecuted according to law”.
‘Mr. Sunthorn’, 32, was also arrested at a pier/marina in Koh Kaew after he was found with an “expired ship operator’s certificate”. His certificate had expired in February 2020.
‘Mr Rattanasak’, 37, acting as a boat operator (captain) at a pier/marina in Koh Kaew, was charged with "using a boat in violation of the conditions or requirements of the boat licence”.
All four ‒ Theerasak, Pantawat, Sunthorn and Rattanasak ‒ were charged for violations of the Navigation Act in Thai Waters Act, the CIB report confirmed.
Of note, the arrests have yet to be reported by the Phuket Marine Office.