DOPA SWAT raids Chinese-linked Huai Khwang club after ban

On the night of 29 August 2026, Thailand's Interior Ministry conducted a covert midnight operation to dismantle a Chinese-linked Huai Khwang club that had allegedly been running without the necessary licenses and despite a previous closure order. The raid, nicknapped "Singha Subdues the Dark Dragon," was spearheaded by Deputy Interior Ministers Phonphir Suwannachwee and Worasit Liangprasert alongside Director Ronnarong Thipsiri of the Department of Provincial Administration’s law enforcement operations center.

The special DOPA S.W.A.T. team, accompanied by officers from Huai Khwang Police Station at their 577 CLUB location, found the club to be fully operational with a large crowd consuming alcohol and e-cigarettes.

Following an order to halt the music and turn on the lights, officials proceeded to separate patrons and screen them for drug use, ultimately discovering that 65 Thai nationals and 67 Chinese nationals had tested positive. Three individuals were subsequently detained for legal proceedings. During the extensive search, two bags containing the drug ketamine were seized, one concealed in a women's restroom and the other found at a customer's table.

The Interior Ministry claimed that the raid followed numerous complaints that the club had re-opened after being shut down last year. The evidence suggested Chinese ownership or connections to Chinese operators, with the club's payment system utilizing a Chinese app and employees acting as MCs. A significant number of foreign workers were also discovered at the venue.

Deputy Minister Phonphir expressed disappointment at the club's failure to be allowed to reopen, questioning if the business had obtained the appropriate construction permits and if it had indeed been granted an entertainment license. He also requested the Huai Khwang police chief to delve deeper into the identity and alleged involvement of a man named "Joe," who reportedly identified himself as the club's owner, Chat.

Additional investigations by Worasit Liangprasert were initiated to examine permit issues, foreign workers, and the club's financial records. The ministry's operation was part of their ongoing campaign to regulate nightlife and uphold public order, targeting what they deemed as "gray businesses" that exploit Thai citizens or transfer earnings abroad.