A US tourist, identified as Angkhan Vorac Chhieng, reportedly used a fog machine filled with marijuana to release smoke onto Bangla Walking Street in Patong Beach, a popular tourist destination in Thailand. This incident, which occurred at 2:30 a.m. on August 18, was aimed at promoting his marijuana business back home. The street, known for its nightlife, has seen an influx of cannabis dispensaries over recent years. Chhieng, also known as Onky Chieng, is the owner of a California-based marijuana-centered lifestyle brand called Kush Life.
Police in Phuket outlined their accusations against Chhieng in a Facebook post. The accused allegedly admitted to creating content to promote marijuana sales abroad and claimed to be unaware that his actions were inappropriate. A video on social media brought the incident to police attention, who used public surveillance footage to identify Chhieng.
Chhieng arrived in Bangkok on August 15 before heading to Phuket. Authorities located him at a hotel on Bangla Walking Street and informed him that his actions were not permissible in public spaces. He expressed remorse for tarnishing the tourism image of Phuket Province and left the area on August 19.
Thailand legalized marijuana in 2022, making it the first Asian country to do so. However, smoking marijuana in public remains prohibited under Thailand’s public nuisance law and can result in a fine of $780 or a three-month jail term. Thai authorities have been working to tighten regulations surrounding marijuana use in recent times.
