Bar Owner Arrested During Full Moon Party Selling Laughing Gas on Pha Ngan Island

Surat Thani –

A bar owner was arrested after he was found producing and selling illegal laughing gas during the Full Moon party on the Pha Ngan Island in Surat Thani.

The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division Police told the Phuket Express that on Thursday (August 22^nd) during the night they received a tip-off from a concerned citizen that laughing gas was being sold at the Full Moon party. Relevant officers went onto the second floor of an unidentified bar on the Rin Beach in the Baan Tai sub-district, Koh Pha Ngan district.

Many foreign tourists were found holding balloons. Two cylinders were found with Nitrous Oxide/laughing gas). In the bar were signs advertising’ LAUGHING GAS BALLOONs TRY NOT TO LAUGH” and “BALLOON 200 Baht FOR ONE TRIP”.

The bar owner, identified only to the media as Mr. Rangsiman, was arrested. He was taken to the Koh Pha Ngan Police Station to face charges of producing and selling dangerous drugs (Nitrous Oxide/laughing gas) without legal permission.

This raid is only the latest in multiple raids and enforcement around stopping the sale and use of laughing gas balloons around Thailand, primarily at tourist focused locations.

Related:

The Anti Trafficking in Persons Division (ATPD) and relevant authorities in Surat Thani arrested the owner of a bar in Koh Phangan for illegally selling nitrous oxide (laughing gas) balloons to tourists.