Anger expected as Bangkok's governor tells pubs and bars: If you want to open then serve food

[webfact]

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Bangkok's governor - General Aswin Kwanmuang told his city's desperate nightlife entertainment industry - closed for most of 2021 - to open as restaurants if they want to make money.

 

The remark smacked of the famous phrase from French history "Let them eat cake!" or perhaps "let them serve it".

 

He told the Thai media in statements made at a mill in Yannawa in the Thai capital that the police, military and tessakit were making sure that restaurants were complying with 11 pm alcohol restrictions after this was eased from 9 pm.

 

But his words to pubs, bars, karaoke and nightclubs are bound to create even more angry backlash.

 

"If they want to make money then they should apply for SHA accreditation and open as restaurants," he said blithly.

 

"But only food and drink - absolutely no dancing", he added.

 

He said that nightclubs should get ready and that if nothing came in the way then PM Prayuth Chan-ocha's plan to reopen pubs in January was on the cards.

 

ASEAN NOW notes that getting ready is something that the sector has been doing endlessly while having little or no income throughout the pandemic. 

 

And that something that might come in the way could be the new omicron variant.

 

The phrase "Let them Eat Cake!" was a translation of "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche" and was attributed to Marie Antoinette who within years lost her head in the French revolution. 

 

It became a phrase of warning after a princess said that is what the peasants should eat if they have no bread. Brioche is considered a luxury food.

 

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[RandolphGB]

Bars and clubs have spent years making fortunes by paying bribes and operating illegally. 
 

No sympathy for them - and especially not the western owners that spent years believing they were invincible and have suddenly been brought back down to earth. 

[Skallywag]

3 minutes ago, RandolphGB said:

No sympathy for them - and especially not the western owners that spent years believing they were invincible and have suddenly been brought back down to earth. 

Been in Pattaya for years, do not know any western owners of bars or pubs.  They all lease the bars from the owners who are Thai.  Yes many made good money up until March, 2020, but their staff of Thai hostesses and bartenders made good money as well.

[fangless]

12 minutes ago, RandolphGB said:

especially not the western owners

Even if the "owners" are foreign they were employing locals who are the ones who are suffering now.

Please show some sympathy for them at least!

Edited December 3, 2021 by fangless
not telling

[pattjock]

So if you eat food when drinking alcohol you can not get or spread covid19 ?

 

Do they have the science to back this up or is this from the fortune teller advising the government.

[RandolphGB]

20 minutes ago, Skallywag said:

Been in Pattaya for years, do not know any western owners of bars or pubs.  They all lease the bars from the owners who are Thai.  Yes many made good money up until March, 2020, but their staff of Thai hostesses and bartenders made good money as well.

Couldn't care less. The Thais find different jobs.

 

[RandolphGB]

16 minutes ago, fangless said:

Even if the "owners" are foreign they were employing locals who are the ones who are suffering now.

Please show some sympathy for them at least!

Thais find different jobs or often go back to their home towns and help families.

[elabuelo]

53 minutes ago, RandolphGB said:

Couldn't care less. The Thais find different jobs.

 

Couldn't care less about others' misfortunes .... so your're a sociopath.  These must be really lovely times for you.  Enjoy!

[Tropicalevo]

3 hours ago, RandolphGB said:

Thais find different jobs or often go back to their home towns and help families.

Sadly, you are ignorant to the fact that most of these 'Thais' were the breadwinners for their families back home.

Now just another hungry mouth to feed on less income than before.

 

[Skeptic7]

Just another ignorant Typically Thailand answer from a moron in a position of power. 

[Trip Hop]

4 hours ago, RandolphGB said:

Bars and clubs have spent years making fortunes by paying bribes and operating illegally. 
 

No sympathy for them - and especially not the western owners that spent years believing they were invincible and have suddenly been brought back down to earth. 

In the last 10 and possibly 15 years I have yet to meet a farang bar owner that is making a fortune?  Some maybe have been making a living but the majority have been propping up their bars with their previously earned wealth or pensions?  Either that or they are fronts for other activities?

 

With an attitude like that, if you do actually live in Thailand I am extremely curious as to why?  Or is your life that sad that you have nothing to do except troll forums and bait people with comments as yours?  

[Trip Hop]

4 hours ago, RandolphGB said:

Thais find different jobs or often go back to their home towns and help families.

Have you ever considered that the reason they leave their home towns is because there is not enough work paying decent money or is that beyond your intellect?  Have you never travelled to such towns and experienced how a lot of these families actually live and survive?  I guess not observing your apparent superiority complex?  Jeez, I'd love to meet you in a bar and adjust your attitude?

[RichardColeman]

Hard to see why eating food without your mask is safer and less spreading. 

 

[marcho]

I will have a small French fries with my beer, thankyou so much.

[A1Str8]

I am a fan. Serve food. That's it. 

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

He said that nightclubs should get ready and that if nothing came in the way then PM Prayuth Chan-ocha's plan to reopen pubs in January was on the cards.

I guess they can sit tight for a few more weeks, Mid-January isn't far away for the "club set-up's" to hold -out.

I would guess those that could diversify into food already have.

[Jumbo1968]

6 hours ago, pattjock said:

So if you eat food when drinking alcohol you can not get or spread covid19 ?

 

Do they have the science to back this up or is this from the fortune teller advising the government.

Covid apparently doesn’t spread at Music or Fireworks events with people eating drinking alcohol on the beach.

[PB172111]

7 hours ago, RandolphGB said:

Bars and clubs have spent years making fortunes by paying bribes and operating illegally. 
 

No sympathy for them - and especially not the western owners that spent years believing they were invincible and have suddenly been brought back down to earth. 

I was anout to dismiss your comment until I see GB at the end of the name…lol So, old, grumpy, Thai basher from the UK.
Note to self……To be ignored….

[shackleton]

Had to smile one of the bars I pass regularly here in Bangkok 

Which was a Bar only before

Now has a new sign Bar and Cafe 

[Burma Bill]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

"But only food and drink

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Bangkok's governor - General Aswin Kwanmuang told his city's desperate nightlife entertainment industry - closed for most of 2021 - to open as restaurants if they want to make money.

 

Got news for the "news".

 

Many of the low-key streetfront bars around my central BKK neighborhood have been open and serving alcohol drinks since the beginning of December -- and they're NOT restaurants and for the most part aren't serving any meaningful amounts of food or meals.

 

[DaLa]

2 hours ago, marcho said:

I will have a small French fries with my beer, thankyou so much.

Is there a definition of 'portion' when it comes to French Fries?  Possibly 'Deux Frites and Beer Leo Hai Kun Krup' 

[HappyExpat57]

I mentioned a while back I'm supporting a local watering hole at 10k baht/month (still am) to get the owner through these trying times. I discussed the option of turning her place into a restaurant.  The physical requirements (kitchen setup) and cost of permits isn't within her reach. Goddamit, these fools in positions of power need to get a clue!

[bbko]

Easy fix, have bar snacks on the menu board and call it food; peanuts, crackers, crisps/chips.

[BangkokReady]

7 hours ago, pattjock said:

So if you eat food when drinking alcohol you can not get or spread covid19 ?

I assume they mean that if people drink beer in the same way as they would at a restaurant, rather than at a bar or a nightclub, they pose less risk of spreading covid as they will not be quite as close and will not be mingling between friend groups.

 

Imagine the difference you would see between groups of friends sitting at separate tables and a whole room full of people lumped together dancing on a dance floor.  While it will still be more high risk than everyone staying at home, it is clearly still less of a risk than a full on bar or night club experience.

 

So it's really about compromise.

[Jumbo1968]

There is going to be an announcement later today, alcohol is going to be allowed to be sold in restaurants in Pattaya.

[Golden Triangle]

31 minutes ago, Jumbo1968 said:

There is going to be an announcement later today, alcohol is going to be allowed to be sold in restaurants in Pattaya.

Where did you hear this Jumbo ?

[Jumbo1968]

33 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

Where did you hear this Jumbo ?

Check out Adam Judd on Pattaya News.

[Gottfrid]

Not strange at all. Most countries in the world have laws that state you have to serve food to have a license to sell alcohol.

[mancub]

Pretty soon all bona fide restaurants will need to "evolve"  into bars and clubs then !