CHIANG MAI – Police raided an illegal kratom workshop in the heart of Chiang Mai city, arresting 7 teenagers at the site, along with a large stash of kratom and cough syrup. The teens admitted they had been operating for some time, selling the Kratom mixture in person and online to locals and foreigners, moving roughly 200 bottles daily.
The raid involved the police Region 5 Investigation Team, together with local Chang Phueak police, who searched a commercial building on Chotana Road in Chang Phueak. Officers had received information about a group of young people gathering there and selling a mix of kratom extract and cough syrup to their peers, both directly and online.
Inside, police found the rear of the building had been converted into a production space, housing five large pots for boiling kratom leaves. They also discovered batches of kratom syrup ready for bottling.
Seven teenagers were detained at the scene. Police confiscated about 150 bottles of kratom-cough syrup mix, around 280 bottles of cough medicine, eight bags of sugar syrup, 32 bottles of fruit-flavoured syrup, cooking equipment, five accounting books, and 3,120 baht in cash.
During questioning, the teens admitted they had been making and selling the mix for a long time, charging 100 baht per bottle and selling about 200 each day. With syrups added to create an appealing taste and scent, customers kept coming back.
Buyers included both Thais and foreigners. The operation stayed open all day and night, much like a convenience shop. In groups fond of kratom drinks, it was well known where to find them.
Police pressed charges for selling pharmaceutical products without a licence under the Medicine Act (B.E. 2510) Section 12, carrying a prison term of up to five years or a fine of up to 10,000 baht or both. They also cited the Herbal Product Act (B.E. 2562) Section 17, for producing or selling herbal products without a permit, which can mean up to two years in jail or a maximum fine of 200,000 baht or both.
Further charges were made for the production or sale of unregistered herbal products under Section 58(4), with possible penalties of up to one year in prison or a fine of up to 100,000 baht or both. All suspects were handed over to the Chang Phueak Police Station for legal action.
What is the Kratom Cough Syrup Mix?
The drink known as 4×100 (spoken as “see koon roy” in Thai) is a home-made mixture popular with young people in southern Thailand, especially in provinces like Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat, which border Malaysia.
This drink is a combination of kratom (a local plant with both stimulant and opioid-like effects), cough syrup, soft drinks, and ice. It offers a cheap, euphoric high and has become a popular but dangerous alternative to alcohol or “lean” (a codeine-based drink) since about 2010. The danger comes from its unregulated contents and the risky mix of different drugs.
Traditionally, Thai labourers and farmers have used kratom for extra energy, pain relief, and to fight hunger, usually by chewing the leaves or making weak tea. The 4×100 mix is much stronger and more addictive.
This party drink is often prepared and enjoyed in hidden places such as rubber plantations or village sheds to avoid authorities, and is sold for around 100 baht (about $3 USD) per serving. While kratom became legal for medical and traditional reasons in Thailand in 2021, 4×100 itself is still banned due to its links to addiction among youth and its health dangers.
Why Young People in Thailand Use It
4×100 became widely popular with teenagers and young adults between 2010 and 2012 in southern Thailand. Factors include poverty, boredom, and limited forms of entertainment in mostly Muslim towns and villages where alcohol is frowned upon.
Some surveys suggest up to 94 percent of teens in border areas have tried it, and about one in five becomes hooked. Compared to other drugs, 4×100 is cheaper and easier to get: kratom trees are everywhere, and other ingredients are sold in regular stores.
For users, the drink creates a fun and social high. A small dose can feel energizing, while larger amounts leave people calm and sedated, much like alcohol, but without hangovers. It’s popular during group hangouts for stress relief, escape from tough jobs, or simply acting out in places hit by local unrest and limited job choices.
Still, the reputation is getting worse. Older people see it as a problem among the “backwoods,” and media coverage often blames it for leading young people to harder substances.
Dangers and Health Effects
4×100 is not just strong tea. Mixing opioids, antihistamines, and caffeine brings major risks. Users often feel sick, dizzy, or constipated. Calls to emergency services are not rare, and overdoses can cause breathing to stop, seizures, heart rhythm problems, or liver damage.
Some deaths have occurred, such as a case in 2009 when a 21-year-old died with mitragynine, caffeine, diphenhydramine, and alprazolam, all found in his body. Addiction is widespread and has badly affected many villages in the south, with up to 5 percent of people (about 80,000 to 100,000) estimated as regular users. This leads to family breakups, increased crime, and has even been linked to conflicts in the area.
Police have raided cough syrup suppliers and street dealers (one crackdown in 2017 took over 42,000 bottles), but the law is unevenly enforced. Health officials argue that education and community programmes work better than tough bans, especially since kratom might help some addicts quit methamphetamines.
In short, 4×100 is a cheap and easy drug mix that has fuelled serious problems among young people in southern Thailand. If you want to experience kratom’s place in local culture, stick with traditional uses, such as chewing the leaves or making basic tea. Mixing it with syrup and soda brings heavy risks, and the harms far outweigh the temporary high.
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