PATTAYA, Thailand – In a midnight raid on August 30th, 2025, at 12:36 AM, Banglamung Police, under the command of Pol. Col. Sarawut Nootnarut, stormed a commercial building at 112/13-14, Soi Phornprapanimit 2. The operation, led by Pol. Lt. Col. Kornphong Sukwisit and Pol. Sub-Lt. Thongthawat Phonlakhon, targeted a convenience store secretly operating as a full-scale electronic cigarette (vape) shop.
Acting on a tip from concerned citizens, police uncovered over 600 vape-related items, including e-cigarette devices, flavored vape pods, coils, and disposable vapes, displayed in glass cabinets and hanging on racks inside an air-conditioned backroom. The storefront, branded as “Orderve,” posed as a typical convenience store selling miscellaneous goods to deflect suspicion.
The shop’s operator, identified only as Ms. A (name withheld), was detained along with two employees. Authorities also seized 20,000 baht in cash from vape sales. During the raid, an individual at the scene attempted to bribe officers to resolve the matter, but police rejected the offer and warned of additional charges for attempting to bribe a public official.
Ms. A admitted to police that the shop had been covertly selling vapes for over four months. Initially operating as a fruit shop, the business switched to a convenience store format to avoid scrutiny as customer traffic raised suspicions. Despite the disguise, police saw through the ruse.
This is not the first time the “Orderve” shop has faced legal action. The establishment has been raided multiple times for illegally selling vapes, defying government policies aimed at cracking down on e-cigarettes. After previous busts, the shop relocated and reopened under the convenience store facade, only to be caught again.
Ms. A, her two employees, and the seized vapes were handed over to Banglamung Police Station for further investigation and legal proceedings. Authorities vowed to continue their crackdown on illegal vape sales to uphold public safety and government regulations.
