Just after midnight on the night of August 30, Banglamung police staged a no-nonsense raid that turned what appeared to be a sleepy Pattaya convenience store into the scene of an undercover vape operation. At 12:36 a.m., officers arrived at 112/13-14, Soi Phornprapanimit 2 and peeled back the curtain on a business that had been quietly selling electronic cigarettes under the benign name “Orderve.”
The operation was led by Police Colonel Sarawut Nootnarut, with Police Lieutenant Colonel Kornphong Sukwisit and Police Sub-Lieutenant Thongthawat Phonlakhon among the team on site. The raid came after local residents alerted authorities to suspicious activity, and what the police found confirmed their concerns: a backroom outfitted with air conditioning and glass cabinets lined with vaping merchandise.
Inside the hidden display were more than 600 vape-related items—e-cigarette devices, flavored vape pods, coils and disposable vapes—arranged like trophies behind the glass. The inventory looked more like a boutique vape shop than the modest convenience store façade it was hiding behind. Apparently, Orderve’s shelves of everyday goods were a clever costume designed to keep regular foot traffic and scrutiny to a minimum while the real commerce took place out of sight.
The operator, identified only as “A” in initial reports, was detained along with two staff members. Authorities also seized roughly 20,000 baht (about US$620), which investigators believe to be proceeds from the illicit vape sales. At one point during the raid, someone tried to slip a bribe to the officers to make the case disappear. The officers refused and warned that a new charge for attempted bribery could be added to the roster.
Under questioning, A admitted the shop had been discreetly selling vapes for more than four months. The business had actually started life as a fruit shop, the kind of wholesome neighborhood spot that invites little suspicion. As sales picked up, however, the operator shifted to a convenience store model—more inventory, more customers, and a better cover for steady foot traffic. That ruse worked for a while, but police say they weren’t fooled for long.
This wasn’t Orderve’s first brush with the law. Pattaya News reports that the same establishment has been raided several times in the past for illegal vape sales. Each time, the shop reportedly relocated and reopened under a new guise, only to be discovered again. The pattern suggests a determined effort to circumvent government orders restricting e-cigarette distribution, and it’s exactly the kind of persistence that’s now drawing a more persistent police response.
After the raid, A, the two employees, and the confiscated vaping items were transported to Banglamung Police Station where further investigations and legal proceedings will take place. Police have reiterated their commitment to curbing illegal vape sales across the district, framing the action as both a matter of enforcing regulations and protecting public health.
For locals who tipped off authorities, the result will likely feel like vindication: community members raised alarms about abnormal customer peaks and unusual deliveries, and officers answered that call. For the operators of Orderve, the night’s events are a sharp reminder that a convenience-store costume can only hide contraband for so long.
As Pattaya continues to juggle a bustling tourist economy with concerns about public safety and illegal trade, expect the police to keep their eyes peeled for other shops trying similar tricks. The message from Banglamung law enforcement is clear—if you’re selling vapes when you shouldn’t be, don’t expect the lights to stay off for long.
Authorities say they will continue to follow up on leads and respond to community reports. Whether that means more raids, more seizures, or more arrests, the goal is the same: enforce the law, prevent illegal distribution, and keep the streets of Pattaya safer for residents and visitors alike.
Good on the police for shutting that down — hiding behind a convenience-store front shows deliberate intent. Vaping shops that flout laws put tourists and kids at risk. Hope they pursue the bigger networks behind these sellers.
Or maybe they were just small business owners trying to survive in a tough market? Not every raid is justice served.
I get survival, but selling illegal goods that harm public health isn’t the same as a normal hustle. There are legal ways to pivot a business.
Legal or not, the ban creates a black market. Criminalizing demand doesn’t stop it; it pushes it underground where it’s worse.
As a mom, I’m with Joe. If they’re selling flavored pods that attract teens, that’s not just business ethics — that’s dangerous.
Police raids are performative sometimes; are they really stopping anything long-term? Feels like a show for headlines.
As a neighbor, I reported odd deliveries and saw late-night customers. This wasn’t just theater, it was a real problem for our block.
If neighbors are disturbed, okay, that’s different. But I worry about selective enforcement and whether small operators are scapegoats.
Selective enforcement is real, but repeat raids at the same place suggest deliberate evasion, not just being in the wrong place.
I ran the shop and was arrested; I admit we sold vapes discreetly. It wasn’t meant to hurt anyone — it was to keep the business afloat.
If you’re the actual A mentioned, then own it. Bribe attempt is a serious allegation, though; that makes it worse.
From the police side: repeat offenders make enforcement necessary. Community tips led us there; that matters for public safety.
I understand public safety, but there are complexities — supply pressures and unclear market rules pushed people to take risks.
Pattern is obvious: close, relocate, reopen. That cat-and-mouse ruins trust and shows networks adapting to bans.
From a public-health perspective, unregulated vaping products pose unknown chemical risks, especially flavored disposables aimed at youth. Enforcement must be paired with education and cessation support.
Agreed — but bans can have unintended consequences like black markets. Regulation and quality control would be better than blanket prohibition.
Regulation helps, but only if implemented robustly with monitoring. In places with weak regulation, bans are sometimes used as stopgaps.
Sounds like a policy issue. Still, if enforcement is inconsistent, neither bans nor regulations will be fair or effective.
This is why people distrust law enforcement and policy — demand exists so supply finds a way. Punishing sellers is short-term thinking.
Short-term or not, if the products are illegal, sellers chose to break the law. Empathy doesn’t excuse that.
Empathy isn’t excuse-making; it’s recognizing why people take risks. Solve demand and the market calms down.
I appreciate the nuance, but as a resident, I preferred the police acted. Late-night customers changed the vibe of our alley.
As a visitor I don’t want sketchy shops selling dodgy vapes. It makes the city feel less safe, and tourists get the wrong idea.
Exactly. Pattaya’s image matters for tourism revenue. Illegal trade hurts everyone, locals and visitors alike.
Tourists shouldn’t be the only reason to care. Residents’ health and kids’ safety matter more than optics.
Multiple raids at the same address show persistence. We’re following leads, and rejecting bribes is non-negotiable for credible policing.
Thank you for refusing the bribe and listening to the community. That restored some faith for our neighborhood.
One bribe refusal doesn’t erase systemic issues, but it’s a step. Transparency in follow-up would help public trust.
Lol people always find ways to sell stuff. Still, hiding behind a fruit shop? That’s cinematic and shady at the same time.
Cinematic but illegal. There’s a difference between hustle and creating a public-health hazard.
Kids in my community are already trying disposable vapes. We need stronger prevention programs, not just raids that move the problem elsewhere.
Prevention programs plus enforcement. Education alone won’t stop black markets, but neither will enforcement alone without support services.
If you make safe alternatives available and affordable, you reduce the incentive for illegal sellers. Demand-side strategies work.