4 am Nightlife closing time pushed again by minister as TAT unveils deal to boost US tourists

[webfact]

Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn outlining the results of a Phuket pilot study on 4 am opening hours as his ministry finalises a brief for cabinet to get approval in principle for the later closing time in popular nightlife strips across Thailand with foreign tourists.

 

by Joseph O' Connor

Pilot study on the Bangla Road in Phuket carried out by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports shows that 2 am to 3 am is the most profitable period for nightlife venues with foreign tourists only leaving their hotels at 11 pm. Minister Phiphat said it is important to bring all nightlife venues under the supervision of authorities as illegal establishments pose a risk. 

Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn is still pushing his plan for 4 am closing hours for the country’s top nightlife strips which is to come before the cabinet on November 15th next. Even if approved in principle there will still have to be public hearings and consultations. On Thursday, the minister said the plan was about making sure nightlife venues were supervised and regulated while conforming to the behavioural patterns of foreign tourists in Thailand’s popular nightlife hotspots. It comes as Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) boss Yuthasak Supasorn has unveiled a partnership deal with Korean Air and Delta Airlines along with 50 US travel agents aimed at bringing up to 1 million American and Canadian tourists to Thailand in the coming year. The development comes as it is increasingly clear that the recovery of Thailand’s foreign tourism industry is being impaired by reduced flight connectivity, especially with North America.

 

Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said on Thursday that he will present a proposal to the cabinet on November 15th next to agree to extend opening hours for night clubs in key tourist hotspots around the country notably in Bangkok, Pattaya, Bangla Road in Phuket, Phang-nga and Krabi until 4 am as well as Ko Samui in Surat Thani.

 

Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/11/04/4-am-nightlife-closing-time-pushed-again/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Examiner 2022-11-05

 

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[ezzra]

For once the tourism minister doing something positive for the benefit  of the tourists who come to thailand to have fun...

[Onerak]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

reduced flight connectivity, especially with North America.

Flight prices are sky high right now. A one ticket from Ord to BKK in March/April showing $750 compared to $550 before the pandemic and sometimes even as cheap as $300. May be it is the new normal. Round trip prices are still reasonable. May be I book a round trip to make a trip for three months. 

[smedly]

Pre covid we did not have this nonsense - what are they thinking 

 

 

we have tourists being harrassed after 2am, time to end this stupidity 

[ikke1959]

Yes all tourists and especially US tourists in this case come to Thailand to stay up late to go to the bar and than go to bed... Only the bars and benefitting from the tourists, ut the day trips organaizers not, as the people who went to the bar will not get up early to do a trip. Besides not enough dead yet because of alcohol and driving and bad enlighted roads... 

[Expat68]

It certainly will be when the world cup is on

[Bangkok Barry]

The hours that businesses operate has nothing at all to do with government, but with market forces. Or it should be.

[wombat]

In the land of "up to you" wouldn't it be better if it was "up to me" what hours I wanted to open my business?

[shackleton]

Not many families with kids  will be going out at 2300hrs 

So you are looking at probably the single types drinking in the bars and clubs so the bars clubs make their money after 2300hrs ????

What about the beaches  sight seeing  temples  ect which are  more popular with the normal family  tourist  they are the money makers  plus the restaurants ???? 

 

[Sydebolle]

"Pilot study on the Bangla Road in Phuket carried out by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports shows that 2 am to 3 am is the most profitable period for nightlife venues with foreign tourists only leaving their hotels at 11 pm."

Interesting news indeed; Pattaya - as per the same source - is being visited for its temples, clean beaches and nature. Possibly though not at 11 pm ............ your call! 

[mran66]

For RGP at least in Pattaya best to keep closing time jusft before the business peaks hours start. That way police can extort more to keep the clubs open. If official closing is 4am, less gratuity needed. 

[mran66]

2 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

"... is being visited for its temples, clean beaches and nature."

Interested to see pictures of those temples, clean beaches and nature of pattaya....? Plentyful here though nature is fairly rare. 

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Pilot study on the Bangla Road in Phuket carried out by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports shows that 2 am to 3 am is the most profitable period for nightlife venues with foreign tourists only leaving their hotels at 11 pm.

And less revenue before 11pm...

If bars close at 2am people will go out earlier.

[Laphroaig27]

Guess he didn't here the US is in recession. Canada lol. Russia probably has higher numbers.

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

And less revenue before 11pm...

If bars close at 2am people will go out earlier.

That works for me,,,, I like to visit a gentleman's club earlier on, and  they are operating on differing hours...... I wouldn't have the stamina to go to 4am! 

But I am not a young guy, nor a tourist. 

I also think 4am closing will take custom from 8pm to midnight....

[Laphroaig27]

48 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

The hours that businesses operate has nothing at all to do with government, but with market forces. Or it should be.

Most countries regulate hours of when, where and under what terms alcohol is sold as well as closing hours of niteclubs.

[Adumbration]

I was at immigration the other day and the head IO told me that although there are some farangs arriving she told me their current workload is less than 20 percent what it was before covid.

 

[jacko45k]

Just now, Adumbration said:

I was at immigration the other day and the head IO told me that although there are some farangs arriving she told me their current workload is less than 20 percent what it was before covid.

 

Which one? 

Could be the 45 day Visa Exempt has reduced demand for extensions?

[LALes]

Can we just stop this nonsense once and for all?  If you can't get in your boozing before 2 am, move to Cambodia or some other s#$thole that allows alcs to run the country.

[Adumbration]

They were all anti America...but now the China tap is shut off...they are back courting Americans.  What a shameless and pathetically transparent bunch they are.  Sickening.

[sambum]

7 hours ago, ezzra said:

For once the tourism minister doing something positive for the benefit  of the tourists who come to thailand to have fun...

And for the benefit of small business owners! Elections coming up?

[sambum]

1 hour ago, Laphroaig27 said:

Guess he didn't here the US is in recession. Canada lol. Russia probably has higher numbers.

Of course not - he thought that once restrictions were dropped, tourists would flood back in their millions with not a thought about whether people could afford it!

[Jackbenimble]

The Tourism Minister would appear to have some skin in this game (no pun intended) - he's right though. The holidaymaker crowd can be enticed to drink all night if permitted to do so and they have wallets that need to be emptied. So another hours drinking time on the licensing hours can only be good for the coffers.

[Burma Bill]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

leaving their hotels at 11 pm.

OMG - bedtime for this "country bumpkin"!

[Jackbenimble]

2 hours ago, Adumbration said:

I was at immigration the other day and the head IO told me that although there are some farangs arriving she told me their current workload is less than 20 percent what it was before covid.

 

last time I looked the head IO wasn't a she. 

[Adumbration]

51 minutes ago, Jackbenimble said:

last time I looked the head IO wasn't a she. 

Where were you looking.  The head IO in my office is a woman.  I can't comment on who is the boss in your local immigration.

[Adumbration]

53 minutes ago, Jackbenimble said:

last time I looked the head IO wasn't a she. 

Sigh.....another paid poster has arrived on the forum.....

[Laphroaig27]

1 hour ago, Burma Bill said:

OMG - bedtime for this "country bumpkin"!

Much of it is jetlag I'm guessing. Probably the other part is avoiding the heat. It's not as though 90% of the men over 35yo entering the country are visiting national parks, beaches and temples ????

[Burma Bill]

3 hours ago, LALes said:

move to Cambodia or some other s#$thole that allows alcs to run the country.

I now live in Siem Reap (Cambodia) and, with respect, I find your comment rather offensive. I cannot speak for Phnom Penh, but I can assure you that many of Siem Reap's bars/licensed restaurants are closed by midnight and most (including nightclubs) by 2am, even in Pub Street. I do not know, but no doubt there will be a bar tucked away for "alcofrolics" to pass the night away!

 

Referring to your "s..thole" comment, for reference 14 October 2022:-

 

"Time Out magazine, a prominent publication based in London, UK, has named Wat Bo, in Siem Reap town, as one of the “world’s coolest neighbourhoods in 2022”................. which came third in the overall world ranking and took the crown of being the coolest neighbourhood in Asia,” it said"......... Wat Bo located in Sala Kamroeuk commune, on the eastern side of the river, opposite the well-known tourist destinations of Pub Street and the night market"

https://www.cambodianewswatch.org/siem-reaps-wat-bo-crowned-coolest-neighbourhood-in-asia/

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-11302531/The-51-coolest-neighbourhoods-world-2022-named-

Time-Mexico-Margate.html

 

Bangkok's Thonglor District was ranked 46 in the World. 

 

 

[Jiggo]

Thought Thailand is the Spliff capital the world now....not Alcohol so no problem closing at 02.00