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Date: 4th April 2000, Bangkok Post

Underaged teenagers arrested for drinking

Surasak Tumcharoen

Police yesterday staged a token crackdown on the city's most notorious day-time hangout for teenagers in response to complaints from parents and politicians over the supposedly intolerable lifestyle of youths frequenting the place.

Police officers of the Youth and Children Welfare Section, a branch of the Metropolitan Police, raided Centre Point in Siam Square and arrested a few teenagers under 18 on charges of drinking beer.

But most teenagers seemed undaunted as a dozen police officers combed the strip, where youths congregate to show off their latest fads.

Many young people continued to lounge about drinking beer and smoking cigarettes during the police operation.

A group of teenagers, including two who were dressed in tight pants and short blouses that bared their mid-riff, said they all carried ID cards proving they were over 18.

Two teenagers, aged 17, were arrested for drinking beer and smoking at one of the foodshops located in the middle of the Centre Point.

The boys, who just passed their M-5 levels, were taken to Pathumwan police station along with the shopkeeper.

The students, from a well-known secondary-level state school were given a formal warning and dismissed.

The shopkeeper was fined 1,000 baht for selling the beer to underaged customers. One waiter employed at one of the Centre Point foodshops admitted he and his colleagues never asked their teen customers their age when they ordered beer.

"We sell beer to everyone. The shop-owner never asks their age either," the waiter said.

Police said parents had asked them to take action against alleged indecency at Centre Point.

Lalita Rirksamran, vice chairwoman of the House Committee for Youths, Women and Elderly Affairs, recently urged police to contain the "intoler able" behaviour of the teenagers, many of whom had allegedly become binge drinkers.

Meanwhile, on the orders of Pol Maj-Gen Ukrit Patchimsavat, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in charge of busting vice affecting teenagers, the Youth and Children's Welfare police will hold a meeting with all shopowners and operators at Centre Point today, to warn them against selling alcoholic beverages to underage people.

Pol Maj-Gen Ukrit said he will continue to crack down on violators.