Bar on Koh Tao caught selling laughing gas

Central Investigation Bureau police arrested a bar on Koh Tao, Surat Thani Province, for selling laughing gas, warning that its misuse can be life-threatening. The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), by the Human Trafficking Suppression Division (HPSD) and the 5th Division of the HPSD, jointly arrested Ms. Wansiri, 33 years old, on charges of manufacturing and selling prescription drugs, which are dangerous drugs (laughing gas or nitrous oxide) without permission. The evidence included 14 used 10-inch purple round balloons, 120 10-inch pink round balloons in plastic bags without any rips, 38 tickets for exchanging balloons, 500 baht in cash, one opened tall blue gas tank, and two empty tall blue gas tanks. The arrest took place at a bar in Village 1, Koh Tao Subdistrict, Koh Phangan District, Surat Thani Province. Following the police cracking down on the sale of Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas) because this gas is used for medical purposes, if it is used incorrectly and inhaled to create a euphoria in large q uantities, it can cause nausea, vomiting, unconsciousness, and even death. Therefore, officials have issued a public announcement to entertainment venues in the Koh Tao area, Koh Phangan District, Surat Thani Province, by strictly prohibiting the sale of laughing gas to tourists. Later, the police were notified that a bar in Moo 1, Koh Tao Subdistrict, Koh Phangan District, was secretly selling nitrous oxide to tourists. The police went to inspect the bar and found a group of foreign tourists pumping gas from balloons. The inspection found that the balloons that the foreign tourists were pumping were nitrous oxide gas. The police, together with the Surat Thani Provincial Health Office, identified themselves and arrested Ms. Wansiri (the shop owner). They informed the suspect of the charges and her legal rights. The suspect and the evidence were then taken to the Koh Tao Police Station for legal proceedings. Ms. Wansiri confessed to all charges, stating that she had sold nitrous oxide gas filled balloons to tourists at a price of 80 baht per balloon or 3 balloons for 200 baht. She sold them at the shop where the incident occurred, and there was a seat for tourists to inflate the balloons filled with nitrous oxide gas inside the shop. She had started selling nitrous oxide gas filled balloons to tourists 6 months earlier. For Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas), if inhaled in excessive amounts or continuously, it can cause abnormalities in the nervous system and muscle weakness because the gas interferes with the functioning of vitamin B12. If inhaled frequently for a long time, the body will lack oxygen, which can be life-threatening. - 419 Source: Thai News Agency