Authorities on Monday raided a bar for allegedly selling drinks mixed with magic mushrooms, as well as nitrous oxide -- commonly known as laughing gas -- to New Year revellers.
The raid took place at Bello Bar on Rin Beach on Koh Phangan in Surat Thani on Monday at about 3am after authorities had been tipped off that the bar was selling fruit smoothies mixed with psilocybin mushrooms to both Thai and foreign revellers welcoming in the New Year on the beach.
Psilocybin mushrooms -- also known as magic mushrooms -- are hallucinogens that are mainly used as a recreational drug. They are categorised as a Type 5 narcotic under Thai drug laws.
The raid was carried out jointly by soldiers from the Fourth Army, Koh Phangan police and Surat Thani local government officials.
Authorities also seized three 20kg cylinders containing laughing gas, about 3,000 balloons and more than 1.5 million baht in cash.
Selling nitrous oxide without authorisation is illegal. They also confiscated bottles of liquor to examine whether the spirits were properly taxed.
Three people were detained for questioning -- Duangruedee Sae Lim, 38, the bar owner, Charnchai Buakham, 44, and Khamnuan Somsuk, 59, both bar employees.
Ms Duangruedee told police that the beverages blended with the mushrooms were sold to tourists for 300 baht per glass while balloons filled with laughing gas were sold at 150-200 baht apiece.
Police charged them with the trade and possession of Type 5 narcotics and selling nitrous oxide without authorisation.
