Lights dim on Bangkok’s nightlife as military tries to salvage legacy

[Freed1948]

Good on them!

The bar near me plays LOUD Music  Until 2-00 AM.

Shut the idiots down as they have no respect for others!!!

[IAMHERE]

13 hours ago, Darcula said:

Why not just give all the prostitutes an uniform with a couple of medals or ribbons each? That would make everything legal.

would also let a regime punish the prostitutes (and associates) to the extreme, I'd suppose, just like a conscript.

 

On the other hand Thailand entering the Victorian Age could be considered advancement.

Edited March 26, 2018 by IAMHERE
edit to correct weasel words.

[moe666]

Just in Bangkok a week ago, I have to ask what crack down had a great time on Soi4 as well as Soi Cowboy

[gk10002000]

late night partying was hardly the cause of any social disorder.

[Retiredandhappyhere]

14 hours ago, Just Weird said:

"...they've done a damn fine job.

In short, the junta have been a disaster ".

Make up your mind, which one is it?

The Government is always claiming to be misunderstood, but, assuming your comment was not made in jest,  Z42 can now claim to be an even bigger victim.

[Trouble]

Seems like the majority here are whining about the military bringing some kind of order to the chaos in Thailand.  While I do not support the overthrow of civil government and do not like the military running things, it seems to me what they have been able to do in some cases is stop the corruption in the police payoffs by bar owners.  If that is indeed an objective. Of course I question that. Having vacationed in Thailand for the last 30 or more years, I have seen the ebb and flow of the closing hours of clubs and bars over the years.  It used to be most places closed at 2 AM and then the crowds would move on to a place open from 2 AM to 4 or even 6 AM.  There were much fewer of them but none operated within the law. They paid bribes to the police to remain open.  Seems to me the government could set some sensible rules for hours of operation and licensing.  There are two different sectors of night life: (1) those involving tourist areas, and (2) those for the locals.  Bar hours in most places could be until 2 AM and maybe later on Friday and Saturday in local areas and licensed to do so.  In tourist areas, it seems like there was an attempt a few years back to designate bars areas that take into effect the need to hustle money from the tourists and the local residents into consideration. The point is there could be different types of licenses for bars under which they operate and the hours of operation. This is not rocket science, it's about following rules, and stopping the bribery to police to overlooks violations. Unfortunately it is often drugs and/or alcohol that fuels the desire to head to the after-hours places. As we have all seen, it seems like most of the violence that occurs on or near Walking Street in Pattaya occurs in the very late hours and seems to involve intoxicated individuals wondering home at 4 AM. Clubs should not be bribing the police to violate the rules. 

[Just Weird]

12 hours ago, Jingjock said:

Read it again, you seem to have a problem understanding, I can understand all thats been said, read some of your posts before, got anything to do with the name

If you've read my posts before I'm surprised that you didn't notice that you're very, very late to the extremely sharp and amusing "anything to do with your name" type of party!

[3NUMBAS]

its a good thing stickman left long ago as more dire news

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

17 hours ago, Darcula said:

Why not just give all the prostitutes an uniform with a couple of medals or ribbons each? That would make everything legal.

Good comment. I always say the mafia are easy to spot in Thailand as 99% wear (or used to wear) a uniform.

[lamyai3]

5 hours ago, moe666 said:

Just in Bangkok a week ago, I have to ask what crack down had a great time on Soi4 as well as Soi Cowboy

I don't think the OP article is accurate. There was early closing enforced throughout the month of February (many after hours street bars were exempt), but closing times returned to normal from the beginning of March. 

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

Some posters are forgetting that it is all regulated by brown envelopes, not the law.

The "General" government (army) are in it as much as the local authorities and the BiB.

It is all about money

Don't forget: there is NO prostitution in Thailand.

Licenses for dart boards is the latest shake down.

 

[rwdrwdrwd]

1 hour ago, lamyai3 said:

I don't think the OP article is accurate. There was early closing enforced throughout the month of February (many after hours street bars were exempt), but closing times returned to normal from the beginning of March. 

Exactly - it is not the areas focused on prostitution that are affected. There is (or at least was) plenty of activity outside of that arena.

There is thankfully far more to Bangkok that Soi 4 and Cowboy - in fact they are the crap parts of town, there are endless places that are more interesting.

Edited March 26, 2018 by rwdrwdrwd

[InMyShadow]

Exactly - it is not the areas focused on prostitution that are affected. There is (or at least was) plenty of activity outside of that arena.

There is thankfully far more to Bangkok that Soi 4 and Cowboy - in fact they are the crap parts of town, there are endless places that are more interesting.

Really.. Where else is a lady going to grab your nuts while enjoying a gin n tonic?

[gk10002000]

The issue is greed.  Many many people flock to Thailand as great vacation get away. Being able to roam the streets at 4 am, still be able to get some drinks meet some ladies at all hours of the day, etc...  But the places that stay open late (or never close) make money.  So others wanted that money.  Then the bickering starts, the ratting out of other owners.  All that happens is the tourists get less, and the Thai places make less.  What the heck is wrong with letting Walking street stay open all night?  Just allow it and take the heat.  LK Metro behind the scene bosses may complain, other side street soi owners may complain, but have some balls and stick to the guns. It is very similar to the beach chair rental mafia.  Who gets the business?  So what did they do?  Took away many chairs, made the locals fight more for spaces.  In the end the mafia still strong armed the locals or took their business

[BobBKK]

13 hours ago, Freed1948 said:

Good on them!

The bar near me plays LOUD Music  Until 2-00 AM.

Shut the idiots down as they have no respect for others!!!

And the answer?  don't live near a bar! 

 

it's not rocket science Rodney

[buick]

6 hours ago, lamyai3 said:

I don't think the OP article is accurate. There was early closing enforced throughout the month of February (many after hours street bars were exempt), but closing times returned to normal from the beginning of March. 

i agree.  hours are back to normal now. 

[Just Weird]

23 hours ago, rwdrwdrwd said:

So... exactly what is *garbage* or *nothing to do with what is happening* about that? They are all true, and they were all attractions to many people (and I don't just mean junkies and clients of prostitutes - most of the latter have been able to carry on as usual).

Yes, legally most places should close at 12 (or 2am with the right license in the right location), but that is very early when compared to other major cities internationally and for years, in practice and with the full knowledge of the police, Bangkok went on lots later than 2am.

Also there HAVE been intermittent curfews beyond the one you refer to, in terms of these types of bars being forced to shut up shop at 12, then allowed until 2, then allowed until 4, then back until 12 again.

What is garbage is the main suggestion of this story that the dartboard issue was happening across Thailand. It isn't, it happened in a few bars in Pattaya and it was not the military that was involved.

 

There have not been intermittent curfews since the coup.  The junta imposed a curfew initially getting people off the streets before a certain time at night and that was lifted and has never been reinstated.  Enforcement of closing times for bars is not a curfew! 

[Just Weird]

22 hours ago, jesimps said:

I'd say your name is very apt. Are you Jamie in disguise?

I'd say that you are very late to the party with that hilarious witticism, it's been said countless times already by other unoriginal posters.

 

"Are you Jamie in disguise?"

No, but who is Jamie?

[Just Weird]

18 hours ago, alex8912 said:

I guess you and your “likes” are a bunch of people who do not go out in Bangkok. Just since Jan 1st I have gone to the same clubs and bars and at just one of them for example ( that has been around at least 10 years) it has been opened until 2 am, 1:45 am, 3:30 am, 4 am and closed at 12 midnight!  This club has nothing to do with prostitutes. 

I go out in Bangkok frequently but what is the point of your comment? 

 

I was commenting about alleged intermittent curfews that have not existed (there has only been one curfew), you are talking about the closing times of one bar/club which are not curfews in the "coup" sense of the word.  I didn't mention prostitutes at all, don't know why you did.

[alex8912]

1 hour ago, Just Weird said:

I go out in Bangkok frequently but what is the point of your comment? 

 

I was commenting about alleged intermittent curfews that have not existed (there has only been one curfew), you are talking about the closing times of one bar/club which are not curfews in the "coup" sense of the word.  I didn't mention prostitutes at all, don't know why you did.

They were told they had to close by the police who get instructions from “ the coup “ I mentioned the whore bars because they were mentioned many times in the thread and are often illegal or run differently than clubs ( I also know some clubs are run illegally ) 

Entire areas have been told close 12 midnight, then 2 am then other times much later is ok. You can play with words and be “”I’m Mr Right” but those changing of closing times  were curfews. 

[alex8912]

14 hours ago, Just Weird said:

If you've read my posts before I'm surprised that you didn't notice that you're very, very late to the extremely sharp and amusing "anything to do with your name" type of party!

Not everyone reads your posts. Get over it!

[rwdrwdrwd]

2 hours ago, Just Weird said:

What is garbage is the main suggestion of this story that the dartboard issue was happening across Thailand. It isn't, it happened in a few bars in Pattaya and it was not the military that was involved.

 

There have not been intermittent curfews since the coup.  The junta imposed a curfew initially getting people off the streets before a certain time at night and that was lifted and has never been reinstated.  Enforcement of closing times for bars is not a curfew! 

Fair point in regard to "curfew" - it's quite common in British slang to use it to refer to drinking hours which is what I was referring to.

The "dartboard issue" is very much an aside rather than the main story though, it's not the crux of the article which is as per the headline "Lights dim on Bangkok’s nightlife" and the intro "Thailand’s military government is crushing the spirit of Bangkok’s nightlife amid an intensifying crackdown that is forcing many bars and clubs to close early or indefinitely". The dartboards are mentioned only as one example of long forgotten and ignored licenses and it specifically states that this occurred in Pattaya.

Edited March 27, 2018 by rwdrwdrwd

[rkidlad]

On 26/03/2018 at 8:09 AM, Just Weird said:

"...they've done a damn fine job.

In short, the junta have been a disaster ".

Make up your mind, which one is it?

 

[SupermarineS6B]

On ‎3‎/‎26‎/‎2018 at 1:31 PM, jinners said:

Don't do irony eh?

Don't do English more like......

[munchlet]

The Washington Post is way out of line. Patpong was NOT the original Red Light District of the city, my understanding  is that Sampeng in Chinatown was, as far as Bangkok is concerned. However, it is also true to say that every small town to large metropolis in the country has had it own red light district for centuries. Contrary to what The Thai establishment would have you believe, prostitution did not arrive in the Land of Smiles with the advent of the R&R culture of the Vietnam war, though I dare say it DID probably mean the advent of pole dancing in Thailand as a methodology for ladies and gentlemen of dubious morality to show off their wares.

[Just Weird]

10 hours ago, alex8912 said:

They were told they had to close by the police who get instructions from “ the coup “ I mentioned the whore bars because they were mentioned many times in the thread and are often illegal or run differently than clubs ( I also know some clubs are run illegally ) 

Entire areas have been told close 12 midnight, then 2 am then other times much later is ok. You can play with words and be “”I’m Mr Right” but those changing of closing times  were curfews. 

No, they weren't.  I'm not "playing with words"; an enforced closing time is a closing time, a curfew in the context of a military coup(which is what the OP is about) is a period of time when people are not allowed to be in the streets without the risk of arrest. There is no similarity between the two. 

 

Some bars get early closing instructions while other do not, if I leave a bar forced to close early and go to a bar allowed to remain open that is not breaking a curfew!

[Just Weird]

 

10 hours ago, alex8912 said:

On ‎3‎/‎26‎/‎2018 at 10:22 PM, Just Weird said:

If you've read my posts before I'm surprised that you didn't notice that you're very, very late to the extremely sharp and amusing "anything to do with your name" type of party!

 

10 hours ago, alex8912 said:

Not everyone reads your posts. Get over it!

That was addressed to the poster who said he had read my posts, not to you!

[Just Weird]

10 hours ago, rwdrwdrwd said:

Fair point in regard to "curfew" - it's quite common in British slang to use it to refer to drinking hours which is what I was referring to.

The "dartboard issue" is very much an aside rather than the main story though, it's not the crux of the article which is as per the headline "Lights dim on Bangkok’s nightlife" and the intro "Thailand’s military government is crushing the spirit of Bangkok’s nightlife amid an intensifying crackdown that is forcing many bars and clubs to close early or indefinitely". The dartboards are mentioned only as one example of long forgotten and ignored licenses and it specifically states that this occurred in Pattaya.

"The dartboards are mentioned only as one example of long forgotten and ignored licenses and it specifically states that this occurred in Pattaya".

I know, that's one reason why the article which claims that the lights are dimming on Bangkok's nightlife is garbage.

[Just Weird]

9 hours ago, rkidlad said:

 

You're back?  Lovely.

[lamyai3]

16 hours ago, Just Weird said:

What is garbage is the main suggestion of this story that the dartboard issue was happening across Thailand. It isn't, it happened in a few bars in Pattaya and it was not the military that was involved.

Whether the raids have started nationwide or not, this is what has been announced.