CHONBURI, THAILAND – Thai police have dismantled what they believe was a small-scale ketamine production site hidden inside residential townhouses near Pattaya, following a sweeping operation involving multiple law enforcement agencies.
Coordinated raid after expanding drug probe
More than 40 officers from the Pattaya City Police Station, Nong Prue Police, Huay Yai Police, Tourist Police, Immigration Police, and Banglamung District administrative officials carried out the raid on October 31st, 2025, acting on intelligence tied to the recent arrest of several Chinese suspects accused of producing ketamine-laced e-cigarettes, locally known as “pot K.”
The two two-story townhouses in Moo 1, Huay Yai subdistrict, were surrounded simultaneously during the early afternoon operation at about 1:30 p.m. Officers forced entry and conducted coordinated searches under direct orders from Pol. Lt. Gen. Chatchai Surachetphong, Commander of Police Region 2, who had called for intensified action against foreign-led criminal activity in the region.
Drugs, paraphernalia, and crystal meth uncovered
Police said three people—a 38-year-old Chinese man, a 40-year-old Chinese companion, and a 32-year-old Vietnamese woman—were inside one of the homes. During the search, officers found ketamine hidden in rice bowls, clear bags, and plastic containers, as well as about 500 grams of crystal methamphetamine spread across the property. Drug paraphernalia and two vape devices containing ketamine fluid were seized.
The Chinese man identified as Mr. Kai Yu Lin allegedly confessed that the drugs belonged to him, insisting that he was a personal user who bought the narcotics from a Pattaya-area entertainer and did not sell them. The other two occupants denied any connection to the items found.
Suspect caught destroying evidence
The neighboring townhouse produced a more dramatic encounter. When officers entered, Mr. Shuangxi Jian, a 46-year-old Malaysian of Chinese descent, attempted to flee upstairs, where he was allegedly caught pouring chemicals down a toilet. According to investigators, Jian emptied two brown glass jars containing liquid substances before being detained.
Upon further inspection, police discovered new chemical-mixing equipment labeled in Chinese, along with containers of sodium, methanol, and other substances commonly associated with narcotics production. Numerous clear zip-lock bags were also seized.
Links to broader operation under scrutiny
Jian reportedly told officers he had been watching the property for about a year on behalf of a Taiwanese employer who claimed to be establishing a chemical company. He admitted receiving instructions to destroy the chemicals if police appeared, which he carried out moments before his arrest. However, Jian maintained that he did not know what the materials were intended for.
Authorities suspect that the confiscated materials indicate an active ketamine production site, though the arrested suspects have provided limited cooperation. The raid is believed to have been prompted by confessions from earlier arrests involving the so-called “pot K” vape case, suggesting a link to a wider network preparing to flee Thailand.
Police commitment to crackdown
Officials under Pol. Lt. Gen. Chatchai Surachetphong reiterated that the operation was part of a regional crackdown on narcotics trafficking and foreign criminal syndicates operating in Chonburi and its surrounding districts. Investigations are ongoing to track the operation’s suspected leader and verify the full scope of the network.
• Authorities confiscated all chemicals and laboratory tools as evidence.
• Forensic tests are being conducted to confirm whether the compounds were precursors to ketamine.
• Police continue to question the detained suspects while searching for additional accomplices.
Investigators said they were not satisfied with the explanations provided by those arrested, emphasizing that more arrests are expected as the probe widens to identify key figures behind the operation.
“THIS CASE SHOWS THAT NARCOTICS PRODUCTION IS ADAPTING AND HIDING IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS – A SERIOUS RISK TO COMMUNITIES,”
a senior police official said, calling for greater vigilance against cross-border networks working under the guise of legitimate businesses.