PATTAYA, Thailand – Chonburi Immigration officers have arrested a 30-year-old Cambodian national who used his construction job in Pattaya as a front to deal drugs to both Thai and foreign laborers. Acting on intelligence and aerial surveillance via drone, police tracked the suspect to a workers’ camp in Moo 9, Huai Yai, East Pattaya, Banglamung District. Officers apprehended him after he returned to the camp on a blue Honda MSX motorcycle. A search uncovered 57 methamphetamine pills and four packets of crystal meth totaling 3.17 grams, hidden inside a metal-roofed shelter.
The suspect confessed to working in Thailand legally for over two years before being introduced to the drug trade by a former co-worker. He said he sold yaba pills for 50–60 baht each and crystal meth for 500 baht per gram, and used meth daily to maintain energy for physical labor. Despite having a legal work permit, his criminal activity now disqualifies him from remaining in Thailand. After legal proceedings, he will be deported and permanently banned from re-entering the country.
As part of wider safety upgrades in Pattaya, authorities have intensified surveillance and law enforcement targeting illegal drug distribution and undocumented workers. Drone-assisted patrols, coordinated raids, and intelligence-sharing among immigration, narcotics, and local police units are all being ramped up in response to growing public concerns over crime and community safety—especially as tourism rebounds post-pandemic. Officials have vowed to ensure that Pattaya remains a safe and welcoming destination for both tourists and legal migrant workers.
