Varsity lecture held on "ya ba" charge

       A computer-engineering lecturer at a university was arrested in a sting operation and found with 40 ya ba tablets in Chiang Mai's Hang Dong district, police said yesterday. Provincial Police Region 5's Drug Suppression Unit arrested Sutthichat Pattarakul, 31, on the charge of possessing ya ba for use and sale to youngsters. The sting operation was launched after acquiring convincing information of his alleged drug dealing, police said. An undercover officer set up an appointment to buy ya ba from Suchrat yesterday at 1am. When he showed up to deliver the drugs, police arrested him.
       Suchart reportedly told police that he took ya ba to relax and to stay awake late every night to repair computers as a side job, said Pol Lt-Colonel Manit Janthanupongsa of Hang Dong precinct. Suchart told police that he sold ya ba to his younger acquaintances only occasionally.