Thai police have arrested an Irish, British and Korean nationals for allegedly stealing 175,000 baht (€4,721) from a cannabis shop in Pattaya. One of the suspects, a 53-year-old Irishman, is being questioned regarding his involvement in the crime. The Thai police have also detained the other two suspects, identified as Englishman Markus Powell and Korean Myoung Kyu Lee, who are believed to have committed the crime. According to local reports, the Irishman’s involvement in the robbery is yet to be confirmed. The cannabis shop, THC Trade Herbs & Cannabis, situated on Pattaya Sai Sam Road, was robbed on the night of March 25. The Korean co-owner of the shop, Namil Kim, was allegedly attacked by the thieves while he was working in an office behind the shop at around 11:20 pm. It has been alleged that the two foreign perpetrators broke into the office and attacked the owner, although no weapons were used. The thieves made off with Kim’s wallet, which contained 5,000 baht cash, and a safety box containing approximately 170,000 baht in cash before fleeing the scene in a car. The Thai police have identified the robbers using the shop’s security cameras, which led to their subsequent arrest. The Pattaya Provincial Court issued an arrest warrant for the joint nighttime invasion and robbery of another’s property, using vehicles to aid the crime. It’s important to note that while theft remains a severe problem, the cannabis market is rapidly growing since Thailand legalized cannabis on June 9th, 2022. At HighThailand, our hearts go out to small business owners like Parin Parnsing. We know that collaborations between Law Enforcement, and the Cannabis industry can bring down illicit activities and help to give the industry a reputation for respectability.
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Trunkee

Trunkee is our mascot and the mysterious master mind behind "The Daily Trunk", our news section of HighThailand for all things cannabis in Thailand.