New Bar Closing Times In Thailand

[edd]

On Thai global TV today a news report that says "The new opening and closing times for bars will be from 1800hrs to 2300hrs to start today"

Well thats the end of Thailand as a tourist haven.

[SoCal]

No big deal. Start earlier.

So what, less fat a** Europeans sunning their hangovers by the pool, and out doing something for a change?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Take a friend home at 23.00...there'll be booze in the refrigerator.

[Estrella]

[dr_Pat_Pong]

That says it all Estrella.

[Miksu]

   On Thai global TV today a news report that says "The new opening and closing times for bars will be from 1800hrs to 2300hrs to start today"

Well thats the end of Thailand as a tourist haven.  

Well, according to The Nation newspaper, this matter will be decided today.

So it's still open issue.

But it really doesn't have much difference whether it will be 23:00 or 24:00 closing time. Both will be about equally bad and will make sure the tourists won't come back again.

But what maybe worries me even more is this 18:00 opening time. Wouldn't it mean that if this comes into effect, I'm not able to have a cold beer in a bar during the hot daytime hours because none will be open? Heyyyy... that's f***ing great! Especially tourists will LOVE this!

[Khutan]

Consider this; a case of Heinekin at (well known store) in On Nut costs about 750 Bt for 24 bottles, or about 32 baht a bottle.

A bottle of Soft drink at the same store isn't all that much. I forget - I am only ever interested in the price of the beer.

So at Soi Cowboy / Nana the beer is about 100 a bottle now, depending on where you go.

Say you like to drink 6 to 8 beers during the course of the evening you will end up with a bar bill of 600 - 800 Baht, add on the drinks for your friend(s) you can now probably total the bill for drinks alone to be pushing 2000 Baht.

On the same calculation at home getting the drinks out of the fridge, including drinks for your friend, you have paid out at the most 300 bt. This represents a saving of 1700 Baht.

So if you walk straight into a bar, and not order a drink, find a friend and barfine her then of your saving you will have 1200 left, you can then take her to your apartment and show her what a romantic guy you are.

Maybe she might neex a taxi ride home which you could contribute the 1200 towards.

[george]

Here is the article for those having problem with The Nation link:

CABINET DECISION TODAY: Nightmare for nightlife

'Hypocritical' midnight closing will 'cost a million jobs and damage tourism'

BANGKOK: The Cabinet will decide today whether to close all nightspots at midnight amid claims the move reeks of hypocrisy, will damage the tourism industry and leave a million workers without a job.

Deputy Interior Minister Pracha Maleenont, who oversees social-order policy, said a survey conducted in nine provinces found widespread support for shutting night-spots at 12am instead of 2am.

He brushed aside opposition from nightspot operators, saying the measure aimed to prevent children from getting involved in vice.

The midnight close would also be imposed on health and recreational venues such as saunas and spas, Internet cafes, game-machine parlours, snooker halls and karaoke bars.

Under the proposal, nightspot patrons will be fined up to Bt5,000 for not carrying an ID card, while those carrying a firearm faced up to six months in prison. The nightspot would face an increased licence-renewal fee.

Somyos Suthangkura, president of the Entertainment Places Opera-tors' Association of Thailand, warn-ed the move would spell the death-knell for nightspots.

"We are already suffering for having to close at 2am. People come to a cafe at 11pm and if we have to close at midnight, we will be out of business,'' he said.

Somyos said the Interior Ministry's survey was based on the opinions of academics, religious groups, housewives, and non-|government groups advocating for women and children.

He said most respondents polled on radio and television supported the 2am close.

Massage parlour heavyweight Chuwit Kamolvisit labelled the government hypocritical for proposing reduced trading hours, while planning to allow casino-entertainment complexes to operate around the clock.

"The government's claim that it is concerned about youth and vice is merely a bid to project an image,'' he said.

Closing bars at midnight was infeasible because Thailand is a tourism-oriented country and Bangkok has heavy traffic congestion, he said.

Chuwit proposed that zoning be used to implement control, saying closing hours should be flexible to the suit the nature of a nightspot, while a ban on underage patrons must be strictly enforced.

"This is a way to prevent millions of nightspot workers from losing their jobs and prevent an adverse affect on tourism,'' he said.

Chuwit said many nightspots would be forced to shutdown if the midnight close is approved.

He said his massage parlours would also be adversely affected but would survive because clients begin using them early in the evening.

"I do not understand why Pracha wants to flex his muscles now. If you ask Pracha who visits nightspots these days, he will not give the same answer as he did yesterday," Chuwit said.

--The Nation 2004-01-13

[bangkokpeter]

Who in Thailand really needs tourists ? They should go to Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, etc., if they want to have fun !!!!

[clevenp]

Hello All,

coming from a country where bars and cafees stay open all night (Belgium) where it does not seem to have negative impacts on the studying youth population(actually it is the students who are closing most of the cafees in cities like Gent, Brussels and Leuven around 7 am before they go to the courses at university), it is surprising that the nightlife is going to be closed at midnight ... it will not solve the problem I guess for underaged as they simply will disappear earlier in the evening and the tourists will end up early in a hotelroom ... nor will it solve drunk driving... so the big question is : what will it solve? and what are the underlying reasons?

the last group (the normal tourists) will effectively not be happy, even singapore bars stay open till 8 in the morning and they (the tourists) will move to other countries with simular beaches and simular water where they can hang on the bar socialising and drinking and having a good time... a pity for the genuine tourist industry

closing earlier will create an effect as in the UK with the last call ... more beers will be ordered and the same amount of alcohol will be consumed in just a shorter time (how to get drunk faster) or as one of the previous responses ... more will be drunk "at home".

just my 2 pennies for a thought

[NedKelly]

The fellows in Cabinet are probably madly out there investing in nightspots within proposed entertainment zones because in the future this is where all this rubbish is going to lead. People will have to leave the bar they are in and if they want to party on, thenthey have to go to a bar within the entertainment zone. It's just regulation ! This is why the west ruined it's grass roots entertainment years ago.

[george]

All bars on Patpong and Soi Cowboy in Bangkok were given written Government notices on January 12th ordering (at the earliest) 6:pm openings and 1:am closings, according to the website http://www.rockhardphuket.coml

Patong bars in Phuket have so far been left alone, the website reports.

[KevinN]

I for one think it is a great idea, I did not come here to get drunk and raise ###### all night.

There are three places about a mile from my house that run the karaoke machines full blast until all hours and make so much noise that it is impossible to sleep and the few farang that live in the neighbor hood that do the same thing when ever they come back or get ready to leave the country,I do not know what will be the rules on the private party's plugging up the streets with the big noisy bands with the cheap sound distorting sound systems,but I do hope that they will be included in the ban.

Do you suppose that Thia's could come into your neighborhood in your home country and get by with such sorry behavior?and would you put up with it? I think not, people here also need their rest at night to be able to get up in the morning and go to work to earn a living for the support of their family's,,not everyone in this country is a drunken tourist and on vacation.There are countrys in this world that do not depend on whorehouses to support the country.

[marquess]

The midnight close would also be imposed on health and recreational venues such as saunas and spas, Internet cafes, game-machine parlours, snooker halls and karaoke bars.

So does that mean that my local Snooker, club will have to wait until 6pm before it is able to open? THESE GUYS MUST BE LIVING IN CLOUD CUCKOO LAND. There must be some secret agenda here to put all entertainment business out of business. Still suppose there are the temples!

[Aitit]

people here also need their rest at night to be able to get up in the morning and go to work to earn a living for the support of their family's

Never noticed that Thai's have sleeping problems.

[DaveYo]

It does not stop anyone from having private snookers and spirits 24-7 if one wishes to engage in. One can have a guest list of 50 invitees and privately charge same as in real bar.

This has been done numerous times, and it is legal since it is private and not open to the public!!!!!!!! Besides it being private, this does not require a work permit

Daveyoti

Only draw back is beware of the pink elephants at home!!!!!!!!!

[randyksf]

I for one think it is a great idea, I did not come here to get drunk and raise ###### all night.

There are three places about a mile from my house that run the karaoke machines full blast until all hours and make so much noise that it is impossible to sleep and the few farang that live in the neighbor hood that do the same thing when ever they come back or get ready to leave the country,I do not know what will be the rules on the private party's plugging up the streets with the big noisy bands with the cheap sound distorting sound systems,but I do hope that they will be included in the ban.

Do you suppose that Thia's could come into your neighborhood in your home country and get by with such sorry behavior?and would you put up with it? I think not, people here also need their rest at night to be able to get up in the morning and go to work to earn a living for the support of their family's,,not everyone in this country is a drunken tourist and on vacation.There are countrys in this world that do not depend on whorehouses to support the country.

I agree there needs to be some laws of enforcement of noise from privet and public events. Construction a 11 pm concerts to midnight on a weekdays, and all who really don’t respect others need to be slapped.

However to wish that the bars closed down at 12 really show you have no support for most single people in Thailand. I am not sure if you can remember when you were single going to the pub until two on a Friday or Saturday night is not a bad thing.

I am 34 have a partner and still like to go out once and while to go dancing and Karaoke clubs with friends.

Now your favorite house parties will just show up all over the place.. People will start to take the party home instead of the bars. So you just wished for more house parties in your Soi.

My Thai friend already said if this happens they will just have a house party. Hope it is not I anyone’s condo on the board. :-p

The simple fact if you center the drinking to an area or location you can impose regulations for control. Enforcement is simple. Now the parties will just move to a condo or something.

You know I think this will be reversed quickly as tourists stop coming here.

KevinN

I hate to say it. But this makes you sound really OLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You know when you were growing up and there was someone in there 80’s who always yelled the kids for anything.

Razing ###### and having a social life that evolves going to public places is totally different.

[bluebear]

Randy - good points there.

Kevin - I didnt come to Thailand to raise ###### either but come a Friday night why shouldnt I be allowed to go to a bar and drink.

What do you prefer small number of licensed premised that are controlled or street / house parties where no one is responsible and will be just as loud and twice as difficult to shut down. Do you really think that the police will care about your complaints that the neighbours are having a noisy party???

Do you suppose that Thia's could come into your neighborhood in your home country and get by with such sorry behavior?and would you put up with it?

Huh? Who do you think causes the most noise and trouble through drink and in bars. It aint us mate. If you do think that, then you have blinkers on and only go to tourist areas. How many farangs do you see in the small local bars that have the loud kareoke ? I will guess, 0 or 1 out of 15 people.

This whole closing time stinks of a lets scare them with something silly but then bring it forward a little bit so that they are relieved.

Protect the children? <deleted> - have the doormen check all ids and not accept bribes. The bar owners are then responsible for any underage drinks and are fined / closed accordingly. Thats the way it works in a normal country.

[george]

Thai TV Channel 11 are direct broadcasting right now regarding this topic. Very interesting! Tune in and follow the discussions. Thaksin seems to vote for a enforced age limit for buying alcohol instead of earlier closing.

I personally believe they can't make a decision today to only allow opening hours 18.00 - 24.00. That would be rediculous.

[george]

Summary:

NEW PROPOSAL POSTPONED!!

No change in opening hours. Purachai shall investigate this matter further, and next follow up by the cabinet will take place in March 2004.

So Good News for the nightlife industry!

Hope i got this right from the TV broadcast...

Please correct me if I am wrong here...

[marquess]

Summary:

NEW PROPOSAL POSTPONED!!

No change in opening hours. Purachai shall investigate this matter further, end next follow up by the cabinet will take place in March 2004.

So Good News for the nightlife industry!

Hope i got this right from the TV broadcast...

Please correct me if I am wrong here...

Well done George! For keeping us upto date

[george]

We are of course all thankful that PM Thaksin and the cabinet is reading the Thaivisa.com Forum reguarly, listens to our humble comments and take our advise before proceeding with new regulations.

[Miksu]

Summary:

NEW PROPOSAL POSTPONED!!

No change in opening hours. Purachai shall investigate this matter further, and next follow up by the cabinet will take place in March 2004.

So Good News for the nightlife industry!

Hope i got this right from the TV broadcast...

Please correct me if I am wrong here...

Wow, I really hope you got it right!

I've been so pissed off by this closing time issue that I already started to check through my flight ticket conditions to find out whether I still could cancel my trip (I paid the the ticket already 4 months ago). Well, it seems I don't need to get to that, and it seems I'll still be able to take it easy and have beers without a rush in my Feb-Mar holiday. That's definitely good news!

But still must keep a close eye on their decisions later on. Should they decide something stupid on March or later, it can still mean my next trip to Thailand will be the last one? I hope it won't get to that, tho.

[Guest chingy]

don't matter, if i can't stay after midnight, im going underground simple as that, and believe me there are plenty out there, when an offical run out of idea they come up with moronic idea to make it look like they are doing something useful, oldest trick in the book

oh by the way, 5yr. Stanford/ political degree, cheer

[Miksu]

don't matter, if i can't stay after midnight, im going underground simple as that, and believe me there are plenty out there,

Sure there are these places and in fact I've sometimes been to some. But to be honest, I don't really like them too much and often they are very small-scale places. So having a beer or two in them is ok but disco/nightclub-style underground places don't really exist, do they? Or at least I haven't ever ended up in any. Must have good local knowledge to find them.

[george]

BREAKING NEWS:

Cabinet postpones decision on midnight closure of nightspot hours

BANGKOK -- The Cabinet today agrees not to approve a proposal requiring all nightspots nationwide to stop their services at midnight, saying that such a blanket, unconditional enforcement of service hours would hurt tourism a large number of people involved.

The Cabinet agrees to set up a working panel, which comprises Deputy Prime Minister Purachai Piemsombun and Deputy Interior Minister Pracha Maleenond, to study the matter on February 6. The final decision has to be made by March 1.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said in a televised cabinet meeting the Interior Ministry's idea of making entertainment places and restaurants close at the witching hour was impractical.

"I would like to see a more thought-out idea, not a blanket proposal, Thaksin said.

"The dusk-to-midnight operating time restriction may be barking up the wrong tree. It will affect restaurants featuring music," Thaksin said.

--The Nation 2004-01-13

[p1p]

Miksu.

Went to one of those places with some Thai friends a few years back. Good band playing but felt very uncomfortable with large Thais gathering close behind my seat.

Had one drink and decided to leave.

Bill was 5 beers at 80 Baht plus 1 Farang beer at 2,500 Baht. Demand reinforced with large knives and hunks of wood.

We paid and left.

[andreas]

Well its going to be a cheap holiday for me,bars close at 2300 hours.

[p1p]

...

[Miksu]

Miksu.

Went to one of those places with some Thai friends a few years back. Good band playing but felt very uncomfortable with large Thais gathering close behind my seat.

Had one drink and decided to leave.

Bill was 5 beers at 80 Baht plus 1 Farang beer at 2,500 Baht. Demand reinforced with large knives and hunks of wood.

We paid and left.

Yep, that's the danger. You never know if underground place is honest or not. That's why I rather avoid them than go to them. The times I've visited in such places has always been with a fairly large group of people (mainly thais). I guess it's safer then when enough people and especially enough thais to go with.

Andreas, the decision on early closing times was postponed today and will very likely to be completely overruled in Feb or March.