Just now, Kerryd said:

Years ago the bars had a closing time of 2am.

They kept pushing it and many didn't close until 3. Some pushed it to 3:30 because the BiB were turning a blind eye to it.

Many of my friends were bar/restaurant owners on Walking St. We'd close out their places, then sit on the street near a "drink cart" and watch the fun wind down until the sky started getting light and then go home.

But then the military cracked down on things and everyone went back to a 2 am closing.

But it used to be even worse (or better) back in the 90s. At one point, bars had to close between 6am-10am. But in reality all they had to do was turn off the music (and turn on the lights). Customers were allowed to stay to "finish their last drink" which really meant they could just keep on drinking and the staff would simply put their bin-cups below the counter-top.

I remember leaving bars at 11-12pm and then in the morning jogging past them around 7am and the same staff, and often the same customers, were still there.

And like before, it will take (weeks ? days ? hours ?) before some bars start pushing the line and as soon as they do, others will follow for fear of losing business.

It won't take them long until they are serving (discreetly at first) until 4am.

Just depends on how enthusiastic the BiB are on enforcing the rules. (Pretty sure we already know the answer to that. I mean if they can walk down Walking Street and then authoritatively declare that they found no evidence of prostitution then you can be sure they will be able to walk past 40 bars full of customers at 3:30 am and and state that none of them were breaking the rules.

 

I remember leaving the famous bar and Niteclub on WS at 9:00 am with 2 girls on the bike then to breakfast then condo  every night lol

4 hours ago, george said:

How about Hua Hin?

Isn’t bed time 8:00pm 

14 hours ago, ukrules said:

 

Yes, the whole thing is hilarious - it's almost like there's a bunch of inexperienced idiots running the show

 

2pm to 5pm I think. There were similar 'licensing laws' in the UK not that long ago.

14 hours ago, ukrules said:

 

Yes, the whole thing is hilarious - it's almost like there's a bunch of inexperienced idiots running the show

 

I believe you could have left out 'almost'.

Totally agree it should be up to the Provincial Governors to decide the opening and closing hours for alcohol consumption 

Especially if tourist areas involved  🥳

15 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Did I read somewhere that they cannot SELL booze between 2 & 4am?

Yes - they're demanding that too....

3 hours ago, Fancyzancy said:

How about Nong Ki???

Korat?

How about Koh Samui - a predominantly tourist area?

 

It's never been that difficult to find a drink just about anywhere in Thailand, at just about any time of day or night. Those who want to drink at 3am will drink. Because if there is one thing people like to spend money on its booze. I'm not totally convinced that formally allowing venues to stay open until 4am is going to result in some broad economic windfall. But at least some bar owners will be making more money. What's sad is that this is the PMs signature legislative move to date. Nothing else better to do? 

17 hours ago, ukrules said:

 

Yes, the whole thing is hilarious - it's almost like there's a bunch of inexperienced idiots running the show

 

Yes, too many soldiers still involved in the government.

3 hours ago, parallelman said:

Oh, come on chaps...why stop there. Just make it all provinces 24/7...but you have to recruit more police.

More police won't make any difference, the ones there now are useless.

Then why can some clubs & bars stay open & serving alcohol in Koh Samui until 5am if the law is currently 2am??? 

5 minutes ago, paul1804 said:

Then why can some clubs & bars stay open & serving alcohol in Koh Samui until 5am if the law is currently 2am??? 

Probably because they are paying someone off to turn a blind eye

5 minutes ago, Keeps said:

Probably because they are paying someone off to turn a blind eye

There is not too much of "probably" about it, so why all the fuss about 4am closing when many clubs & bars continually & knowingly break the law. 

What about Koh Samui Koh Phangan and Koh Tao these are all tourist hot spots why have they not been included 

3 hours ago, shackleton said:

Totally agree it should be up to the Provincial Governors to decide the opening and closing hours for alcohol consumption 

Especially if tourist areas involved  🥳

That would be too logical !!

19 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Did I read somewhere that they cannot SELL booze between 2 & 4am?

True.

 

This entire alcohol hours scenario in Thailand is a muppet show, and now "Shrek" the laughing donkey wants to extend to 4am when so many establishments open beyond that with no consequenses except a brown envelope!    I can relate to 11am opening but why close between 2 - 5pm, some BS about school kids buying booze, that should be up to the license holder to only sell to people of legal age, if in doubt ask for ID.  Then the non alcohol days, why dont the governor's in tourist areas allow alcohol sales on those days, this is a Buddhist thing and 99% of the tourist's either aren't Buddhist or will drink on those day anyway so why. Allowing sales between 2 - 5pm and the Thai alcohol ban days would  increase revenue, like I said so many places dont close at 2am so making it legal to open until 4am & with the latest suggestion of no alcohol sales between 2 - 4am is just another laughing donkey show. When will Thailand use some common sense??? 

Designed so the BIB can still extort money from bar owners to serve late.

6 hours ago, thesetat said:

More likely it seems a better opportunity to add to whatever brown envelop was given before to turn a cheek. Only now less people will notice outside the bars and clubs if drinks are actually served after 2am or not. 

Actually, no booze sales after two will make the bars more money.

 

The last cal will be at 1 and people will order 2 or 3 beers and lady drinks.

 

Then some of the staff can be sent home.

 

I still do not see a lot of these bars making any more money.  They might until the new year but then wages are going to increase, more staff are going to be needed.  Utilities wil have to be paid and there is only so much money that tourists or Farang have to spend.  

Right now NANA starts to get busy around 9-10 at night.  does anyone see these people staying at a bar for 7 hours?

Nightclubs with dance floors may do OK and bar girls in NANA Plaza might do OK because it is easier to convince a drunk the later the night goes and they should be able to do 3 short times.

The short-time hotels might do okay also again the BG will be doing more short time.

 

As a side question what is the Bangkok transit like at 4 will these girls be able to get home without spending huge amounts for taxis

 

The few bars in our little village stay open way past 2am. The many police as it's patrons helps am sure

 

Alcohol is 5% of the government incomes.

Excellent text on ThaiLawONline (I can't post the link) to show how irrational is the current situation.

 

If they renamed entertainment areas red light districts perhaps it would put some provinces off the idea.