NONTHABURI, THAILAND – A father who went to visit his son at the Rattanathibet police station in Nonthaburi was arrested after officers discovered 0.54 grams of ketamine in his pocket, leaving both men briefly held in the same cell.
Visit turned arrest
The 35-year-old, identified only as Wuttichai, arrived at the station on the morning of October 16 after learning his son had been taken into custody following a fight. He was allowed to speak with his son through the bars of the interrogation room, but officers soon noticed his anxious behaviour. A search of his belongings produced a small plastic bag containing 0.54 grams of ketamine.
Forgetfulness revealed
Wuttichai immediately admitted to having the drug. He told police he had earlier been at a club on Pradit Manutham Road in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao district and had used ketamine there. “I felt bad throwing the remainder away, so I kept it,” he said, according to officers. He only remembered the stash after arriving at the station; his visible nervousness then prompted a search.
Legal consequences
Police charged Wuttichai with possession of a Category-2 controlled substance. Under Thai law, that offence can carry a prison term of up to two years, a fine of up to 40,000 baht (about 1,000 euros), or both. While formal procedures moved forward, both father and son were provisionally held in the same cell at the station.
Similar cases highlight risks
Authorities noted the case was not unique. They pointed to a recent incident at the Mae Chai police station in Chiang Rai, where a woman brought a food box to an arrested partner that was secretly laced with yaba tablets (methamphetamine). Officers there also detected the concealed drugs and took the woman into custody.
Message from police
The incidents underscore that police stations are treated like any other public place when it comes to drug enforcement. Officers reiterated that bringing controlled substances into a station, intentionally or not, would result in charges. The cases illustrate how quickly a visit meant to check on a detained relative can turn into a criminal matter.
Officials did not provide further details about the son’s charges or the outcomes of Wuttichai’s case. The Rattanathibet station proceeded with standard legal steps following the discovery.