Thai and foreign customers arrested for allegedly drinking alcohol and playing pool at Koh Samui restaurant

[spidermike007]

Yeah, that secret connection between beer and Covid. The authorities would be better off spending their time on closing down the canning factories, sealing off the borders, and actually doing work that is useful, and keeps Thailand safe. 

[DUNROAMIN]

Must be time for another Photo op. Should be a good photo, line up the hardened criminals, coffee cups and billiard balls with 10 Thai swat team members.????????

[Neeranam]

6 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Now playing pool is not allowed after  darts, bridge and what will follow??

Nothing illegal about paying darts or bridge. 

 

Here from a Bangkok Sports club

 

[superal]

4 hours ago, ronster said:

Crime of the century ! They say alcohol can’t be served as it will cause people to misbehave and spread covid . Yet you can have the same number of people in the place drinking coke and playing pool so that’s utter horse**** !! 
The fact you practically can’t get on samui without a test and the daily positive test numbers are single digit mostly when tested means you have more chance of getting struck by lightning than catching it I would say . 
So when everyone in samui is vaccinated then what ? Because there will still be positive tests even amongst vaccinated people , so are they going to carry on telling all bars and restaurants not to sell alcohol ?

Ruined thousands of peoples life’s on samui for 4% infection rate in last 4 months ! Well done government ????

and millions throughout Thailand

[Roel]

I heard that the police already passed the restaurant but then the smart BMW announced: ceramic cups suspicious, ceramic cups suspicious, make a U-turn, make a U-turn.

[DJ54]

45 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Nothing illegal about paying darts or bridge. 

 

And 100% no street walkers.. .. or what’s it called Ladies of the night.. hahaha

[Burma Bill]

6 hours ago, smedly said:

Chinese tourists are different, they get bused around to specific spots from specific hotels

Yes indeed, in Chinese owned buses from Chinese owned hotels to visit Chinese owned buffet restaurants and Chinese souvenir shops, also Chinese temples and Chinese operated boat tours!! 

[Pinot]

In my Phuket Beach town all the restaurants are selling alcohol like this. I was in one the other day and there is the local police Commander sitting there with a bottle of wine on his table, drinking it alone. 

 

My guess is like stated above the bribe money wasn't paid. 

 

Tourists shouldn't come here.  Hospitals that full, covid raging, a big majority of the population unvaccinated and crooked cops who can pull this nonsense whenever they want. 

 

[khunPer]

No matter how we view it, and feel that it doesn't make sense to prohibit alcohol serving and playing pool in a pub, it's the law. It should be possible for us foreigners to survive some months without pubs and nightlife.

 

It's understandable that the authorities hits hard on illegal pubs and alcohol, the last few times such incidents were discovered, they caused clusters of Covid-19; for example the so-called "Black Club cluster".

 

On the other hand, the alcohol restrictions doesn't make sense if you wish more foreign tourists to visit the nation, or "wealthy expats" to settle, which also seems to be the understanding on higher level...????

 

[AMFWolfie]

7 hours ago, smedly said:

define open ?  what exactly is open when pretty much everything is shut 

 

I wasn't being serious, in saying that - fully vaccinated foreign tourists are not the threat, the threat is within Thailand - their vaccine rollout and the vaccines used - plus the level of testing 

 

Why would western foreign tourists come here when basically everything is shut and they run the risk of getting a local infection - Chinese tourists are different, they get bused around to specific spots from specific hotels they don't get or seem to want a western type holiday experience - sandbox 101 ....................it fits like a glove 

 

I have had 3 friends message me recently about coming here because they heard Thailand was "open" 1st Oct - I told them nothing is open 1st Oct you are better off where you are for now

Agreed. Keep hearing everything is going to open, the sandbox success etc but still no proper International flights and still very little open. Was hoping to fly back to my house in Thailand in November but just cant see it happening no matter how much would like to..

[tgw]

6 hours ago, mjakob007 said:

When the decisions makers are naive (or pretend to be), about what tourists go to Thailand for.....

 

Most tourist attractions - closed

Bars - closed

Nightlife - closed

majority of restaurants closed due to lack of patronage

domestic tour operators - closed

Most of these closed venues wont start functioning at the flick of a switch!

 

Sandbox & quarantine, Open.

Welcome international tourists..

the easiest to get up and running quickly are bars, hotels and restaurants at tourist hotspots. these would be operational within a couple of days.

a large part of Thailand's loyal clientele doesn't need more to enjoy their visit.

[smedly]

6 hours ago, IamNoone88 said:

Might as well book a holiday to Saudi Arabia than Thailand. The country has been ruined by these draconian prohibition measures and devastated local economy.

not only that - we have been living under a sustained curfew now for a long time - people are getting sick of it - the little power mongers in Bangkok are getting a rise over it - the people are getting sick to the back teeth of it.

[tomacht8]

Alcohol disinfects and makes it harder for the virus to lodge in the throat. The whole alcohol ban can be most likely counterproductive.

 

For example, the immunologist Beda Stadler said: It is correct that alcohol breaks viruses. After all, alcohol has been known for many years as a recipe for a natural disinfectant. Another advantage: "If you have a cough and the viruses in the mucus wash down the esophagus, fewer viruses can get into the lungs." But even if, according to Beda Stadler, one effect cannot be dismissed out of hand: So far, there have been no scientifically sound studies on the connection between alcohol and viruses.

 

Conclusion: The alcohol ban is not scientifically justified.

[BadSpottedDog]

10 hours ago, Gold Star said:

Lucky they were indoors.

Would add another 100,000 baht fine if they were wearing sunscreen.

Sunscreen is illegal, but throwing trash on the beach is perfectly fine. ????

[ukrules]

8 hours ago, smedly said:

define open ?  what exactly is open when pretty much everything is shut 

 

I wasn't being serious, in saying that - fully vaccinated foreign tourists are not the threat, the threat is within Thailand - their vaccine rollout and the vaccines used - plus the level of testing 

 

Why would western foreign tourists come here when basically everything is shut and they run the risk of getting a local infection - Chinese tourists are different, they get bused around to specific spots from specific hotels they don't get or seem to want a western type holiday experience - sandbox 101 ....................it fits like a glove 

 

I have had 3 friends message me recently about coming here because they heard Thailand was "open" 1st Oct - I told them nothing is open 1st Oct you are better off where you are for now

What I mean is, they're going to panic when COVID spreads out of control in Europe and the rest of the world.

 

Opening by which I mean loosening the restrictions in various places around the country, reduced quarantines, etc - in my opinion, it's not going to happen or if it does it will be reversed pretty quickly. Maybe I'm wrong, I guess we'll see in a month or two.

[sawadee1947]

What a crime!

Should be beheaded in public.????

[ikke1959]

2 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Nothing illegal about paying darts or bridge. 

 

Here from a Bangkok Sports club

 

Some time ago I can remember that there were in Pattaya people arrested for playing darts and bridge

[Moo 2]

In Thailand you can wash you hands with alcohol but you cannot drink it!! No comment.

[Moo 2]

In Thailand you can wash you hands with alcohol but you cannot drink it!! No comment.

[Moo 2]

Do Thai Authorities realize  the speed of the Internet and how many people, world wide, can have access to it. When you tell farangs they cannot drink alcohol or play the pool, or pay a big fine and even risk jail, in my humble opinion this is not a good way to attract tourists!  

[Neeranam]

2 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Some time ago I can remember that there were in Pattaya people arrested for playing darts and bridge

Maybe, but there is no law agaust it, so can't be prosecuted, unless they were gambling. 

[joecoolfrog]

7 hours ago, shackleton said:

Seems we are reading about people regularly breaking the rules on drinking alcohol 

Most of us are aware of the rules but some  people still don't obey them 

Why I don't know must have plenty of money to pay the fines 

No doubt will be reading about others in the future doing the same 

Leaving aside the fact that the alcohol restrictions are utterly illogical.

What sort of disjointed lunacy is it to expect any tourists at all whilst such petty restrictions are in place ?

[chalawaan]

People come to this country, and with no regard for the law, they play pool, sometimes, for a beer, which is gambling!

 

They drag down the name of Thailand, and threaten national security.

 

Illegal Pool players should be strung up!

 

Life in the Bkk hilton is too good for them, a slap on the wrist!

 

Confiscate and auction their cues, Pol Col Somchai Bribeasy will send his constables around to remove the table -to his mansion playroom.

[joecoolfrog]

14 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Maybe, but there is no law agaust it, so can't be prosecuted, unless they were gambling. 

Perhaps no prosecutions but there will still be shakedowns , not very welcoming for potential tourists.

[chalawaan]

6 minutes ago, joecoolfrog said:

Leaving aside the fact that the alcohol restrictions are utterly illogical.

What sort of disjointed lunacy is it to expect any tourists at all whilst such petty restrictions are in place ?

Global masochist groups everywhere have fully booked out the most expensive ASQ hotels in BKK sparing no expense to come and be locked up, denied alcohol, and girls -or boys, and eat cold third rate Thai food from styrofoam boxes with bendy forks, and nothing but Thai soaps on the box. Heaven!

[chalawaan]

1 hour ago, Moo 2 said:

Do Thai Authorities realize  the speed of the Internet and how many people, world wide, can have access to it. When you tell farangs they cannot drink alcohol or play the pool, or pay a big fine and even risk jail, in my humble opinion this is not a good way to attract tourists!  

Welcome to Saudi Thailandia, please make sure your bargirl wears her covid mask over her burqa. no cheating now!

[Rampant Rabbit]

Jesus  Christ she  needs  better knickers

[Elkski]

5 hours ago, Burma Bill said:

Yes indeed, in Chinese owned buses from Chinese owned hotels to visit Chinese owned buffet restaurants and Chinese souvenir shops, also Chinese temples and Chinese operated boat tours!! 

The places they will be taken to will expand after many businesses are bought out?  If land can be purchased by foreigners, China will benefit the most because of the endless population and it's proximity.   They don't get it.  Westerners just want a small piece of land and booty.  Chinese want the whole enchilada!

[natway09]

These Police on Koh Samui must be very diligent, stupid very rich or need some training in Bangkok

The format is arrive at the bar between 8 & 9pm. Slip the envelope for that night into your pocket,

then make sure you are busy elsewhere for the rest of the night

[Walker88]

9 hours ago, kennw said:

Time to reform and restructure the economy, make it much less dependent on tourism, focus on real education, value added industries. 

What value added industries would those be? That phrase sounds good, but the reality leaves much to be desired.

 

Thailand has exploited about every niche it is capable of exploiting, such as ag or being a cheap labor assembly location for Japanese and other multinational firms. Even the textile industry is being increasingly obviated by China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Morocco and a few other places. The brain trust in the govt seems to realize the people have limits, with or without education, and all that is left would be industries or fields in which Thailand could compete on price alone, as in 'beggar thy neighbor'. The world is saturated with capacity, and unless a country can offer something cutting edge, it isn't necessary..

 

Thailand has absolutely zero history of discovery or invention, despite having a quite sizable population. It's a bit too late to think Thailand can compete in high tech, as the US, EU, China, Japan, India, etc. have quite a head start and critical mass of expertise and experience.

 

If Thailand has any competitive advantage outside of being a locale for multinational assembly lines or ag production, it might be that it has sold itself as 'exotic'. Exotic is an all-encompassing term which includes everything from temples and tropical beaches to bargirls and nightlife. There's a reason 'tourism' accounted for 18.8% of DP in 2019, with a good bit of that foreign tourists. It's rather difficult to replace nearly 20% of an economy.

 

Perhaps Thailand could get a short term bounce, in terms of attracting capital, by changing its property ownership laws. Lots of Chinese want to get money out of China (the Party tries to discourage capital outflow) and would likely be happy to buy up something in Thailand. Let foreigners own even 100% of the units in a condo, and it's possible Chinese will buy the entire structure.

 

Still, options are quite limited. Tourism will continue to be a major portion of the economy, despite the wishes or bureaucrats.