Closure Order Issued for "Happy Club" - Khon Kaen Entertainment Venue Shut Down for 5 Years

[webfact]

 

The provincial authorities in Khon Kaen have ordered the closure of the entertainment venue, "Happy Club," for a period of 5 years.

 

This decision follows widespread rumors linking the establishment to a controversial relationship involving "Somrak," an individual, and a 17-year-old girl. However, the venue has the option to file a legal challenge within the next 90 days reported Daily News.

 

On January 4th, Mr. Kraison Kongsilad, the Chief of Khon Kaen Provincial Administration, signed Order No. 66/2567 directing the shutdown of "Happy Club," located at 212 Prachasamran Road, Tambon Nai Muang, Muang District, Khon Kaen. The closure is effective from January 8th, 2567, for a period of 5 years.

 

Picture: Daily News

 

The decision comes after a thorough examination of evidence, witness testimonies, and conflicting statements from both parties. It was revealed that on December 9th, 2566, around 9:30 PM, an individual under 20 years old entered the establishment and provided a mobile phone displaying a photo of their ID card to gain access.

 

Picture: Daily News

 

The venue's card, used for verification, was found to lack proper age verification procedures, allowing underage individuals to access the services. This oversight raised concerns about the establishment's intentions, indicating a willingness to serve minors until the incident occurred. The authorities acted following a complaint by the victim, alleging misconduct and harm to her physical and mental well-being during an incident at a hotel.

 

Consequently, the order mandates the immediate closure of "Happy Club" and prohibits the operation of similar establishments in the region for a period of 5 years, starting from January 8th, 2567. The venue has the right to challenge this order within 90 days by submitting a petition to the Khon Kaen Provincial Court.

 

Top Picture: Daily News

 

-- ASEAN NOW 2024-01-05

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

[retarius]

Seems a very stiff penalty for a very minor (sic) offence. 

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, retarius said:

Seems a very stiff penalty for a very minor (sic) offence. 

Allowing underage girls into an adult establishment such as this is not just about drinking.

It goes beyond that, mixing with adults could lead to exactly what happened at the hotel.

Allowing a dubious phone photo of an ID to gain access was not a good idea.

[retarius]

1 minute ago, hotchilli said:

Allowing underage girls into an adult establishment such as this is not just about drinking.

It goes beyond that, mixing with adults could lead to exactly what happened at the hotel.

Allowing a dubious phone photo of an ID to gain access was not a good idea.

But every bar in Thailand allows minors in.....go on Soi 6 in Pattaya and there are a lot of girls who look very young (let's say) and they engage in sexual activity. Of course police get a handsome payout, I don't doubt to turn a blind eye. I'm just shocked at 5 years closure for a single example of underage drinking which is what the article implies. In Pattaya when they raid any bar the police turn up dozens of teen drinkers, not one. 

Perhaps if there was sexual activity involving a minor, the sentence should have been a lot stiffer. But then again you can but fake proper IDs in Khaosan Road and I imagine every big town in Thailand. Come to think of it, I've never been in any bar here in 15 years that has asked anyone coming in for ID. I suppose I think that selectively applied  justice isn't really justice at all. 

[Nick Carter icp]

1 minute ago, retarius said:

But every bar in Thailand allows minors in.....go on Soi 6 in Pattaya and there are a lot of girls who look very young (let's say) and they engage in sexual activity. Of course police get a handsome payout, I don't doubt to turn a blind eye. I'm just shocked at 5 years closure for a single example of underage drinking which is what the article implies. In Pattaya when they raid any bar the police turn up dozens of teen drinkers, not one. 

Perhaps if there was sexual activity involving a minor, the sentence should have been a lot stiffer. But then again you can but fake proper IDs in Khaosan Road and I imagine every big town in Thailand. Come to think of it, I've never been in any bar here in 15 years that has asked anyone coming in for ID. I suppose I think that selectively applied  justice isn't really justice at all. 

 

   There are underaged prostitutes working in Pattaya Soi 6 ?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

3 minutes ago, retarius said:

Perhaps if there was sexual activity involving a minor, the sentence should have been a lot stiffer.

 

Did you miss the fact / background that it was the girl's allowed entry into this club that ultimately led to her meeting a Thai celebrity there who then took her to a nearby hotel and allegedly raped her?

 

Olympian Somrak faces allegations of sexual misconduct; claims it is blackmail

 

"Somrak, who reportedly met the girl at a pub in Khon Kaen, claimed he did not know she was a minor when he took her to the hotel. He said he stopped all sexual activity upon learning she was underage. However, he did acknowledge undressing and caressing the girl before falling asleep."

...

"Police have said the operators of the pub, where the incident unfolded, will also face charges of allowing a person under 20 years old to consume alcohol and for selling alcoholic drinks after hours."

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40033699

 

 

 

[retarius]

I'm not missing that point at all. I read about it, it was extensively covered in the media, with a picture of him holding her hand. Again this sort of thing happens with 17 year old girls all over Thailand every single night of the year. It is BS to use the justice system to make examples of people. 

[BritScot]

Reading some of the comments on here look a lot like virtue signalling, what nonsense! This shake down of a celebrity who in my mind as a moral compass more accurate than most on here. The girl was 17 (in uk 16 is the legal age to have sex and in Thailand it can be as low as 15 in certain situations). At the start of this whole episode it was the girl who commented the first crime "forgery" then proceed to commit crime after crime unless she was just drinking soft drinks. She was not forced to the hotel. She kept her true age secret, only identifying herself as 17 years old at the point of which most men would not have stopped sex but this guy did. He should be commended not persecuted.  He is the victim of a shakedown/blackmail attempt (another criminal offence). There are going to be a lot of angry people pointing fingers at this girl: jobs lost, business of millions lost yep. Never mind I'm sure she will try again and I hope none on here fall victim. 

[arick]

Totally legal though to sell your daughter at the age of 15 and have her impregnated by the age of 16 they it's just the South hating the northern boxers

[KhunBENQ]

Hypocrisy to the max. One 17 year old cheating her way into that club.

Thousands of under 20 in clubs and brothels every night. They know very well.

I bet this was a staged event by a competitor or old enemy.

Edited January 5 by KhunBENQ
under >20<

[Liverpool Lou]

5 hours ago, retarius said:

But then again you can but fake proper IDs in Khaosan Road and I imagine every big town in Thailand.

Fake Thai IDs are not available in KSR, foreign IDs, yes.  

[Liverpool Lou]

34 minutes ago, arick said:

Totally legal though to sell your daughter at the age of 15

You sure about that?

[Dan O]

5 hours ago, retarius said:

I'm not missing that point at all. I read about it, it was extensively covered in the media, with a picture of him holding her hand. Again this sort of thing happens with 17 year old girls all over Thailand every single night of the year. It is BS to use the justice system to make examples of people. 

Enforcing the law for once is not "making an example" of someone and perhaps there will be more crackdowns as they are needed. Seems you more pro to allowing this to continue than against it

[Dan O]

28 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Hypocrisy to the max. One 17 year old cheating her way into that club.

Thousands of under 20 in clubs and brothels every night. They know very well.

I bet this was a staged event by a competitor or old enemy.

If they accept photo copies from a phone as a valid age check i can guarantee it wasn't just 1 girl. 

[cardinalblue]

6 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Allowing underage girls into an adult establishment such as this is not just about drinking.

It goes beyond that, mixing with adults could lead to exactly what happened at the hotel.

Allowing a dubious phone photo of an ID to gain access was not a good idea.

Looks like stiffness all around 

[Bday Prang]

5 hours ago, BritScot said:

Reading some of the comments on here look a lot like virtue signalling, what nonsense! This shake down of a celebrity who in my mind as a moral compass more accurate than most on here. The girl was 17 (in uk 16 is the legal age to have sex and in Thailand it can be as low as 15 in certain situations). At the start of this whole episode it was the girl who commented the first crime "forgery" then proceed to commit crime after crime unless she was just drinking soft drinks. She was not forced to the hotel. She kept her true age secret, only identifying herself as 17 years old at the point of which most men would not have stopped sex but this guy did. He should be commended not persecuted.  He is the victim of a shakedown/blackmail attempt (another criminal offence). There are going to be a lot of angry people pointing fingers at this girl: jobs lost, business of millions lost yep. Never mind I'm sure she will try again and I hope none on here fall victim. 

She will be at it again tonight, without doubt.   

[Bday Prang]

3 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

I bet this was a staged event by a competitor or old enemy

I doubt if the original incident was staged by a competitor, i might be wrong, But for sure there is more to that than meets the eye

However imposing  a 5 year closure order which is effectively a death sentence for the venue, will make some competitors very happy indeed.

Apparently it applies to other establishments "in the region" whatever that means, I can't believe the whole of Khon kaen will be shut down, but revealing the extent of the region concerned, may well give a clue as to who is really behind the closure order.

If this had happened in "Tawan Daeng" I doubt the outcome would have been the same,   and last time I went to one of those I can't say I noticed anybody checking ID's at all   Although I hasten to add that  don't suspect that organisation was involved in the shutdown decision

Edited January 5 by Bday Prang

[Bday Prang]

18 hours ago, Dan O said:

Enforcing the law for once is not "making an example" of someone and perhaps there will be more crackdowns as they are needed. Seems you more pro to allowing this to continue than against it

where will you go if your "local" suffers the same fate ?

[Lemsta69]

8 minutes ago, Bday Prang said:

where will you go if your "local" suffers the same fate ?

 

he's probably a teetotaler.

[Bday Prang]

4 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

 

he's probably a teetotaler.

There may be a few more of those in khonkaen depending on the extent of the intended restrictions.  what a bizarre state of affairs

[Dan O]

1 hour ago, Bday Prang said:

where will you go if your "local" suffers the same fate ?

I don't go to those kinds of bars and prey on teens 

[Bday Prang]

29 minutes ago, Dan O said:

I don't go to those kinds of bars and prey on teens 

I didn't suggest that you did,  and you have now appeared to be suspiciously overly sensitive about it. 

[The Fugitive]

17 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

If this had happened in "Tawan Daeng"

Agreed. Coincidentally, Thai family plus Thai friends (and myself) went to Tawandaeng Mahason, Khon Kaen. My Thai neice, aged 25, was asked to produce her ID card upon entering. The door supervision seemed very good to me.  

[BritScot]

27 minutes ago, Bday Prang said:

I didn't suggest that you did,  and you have now appeared to be suspiciously overly sensitive about it. 

Nicely played.  ✔️. 

[Dan O]

1 hour ago, Bday Prang said:

I didn't suggest that you did,  and you have now appeared to be suspiciously overly sensitive about it. 

nope just answering your question. In reality you are trying to deflect attention from your moral position stated earlier. I was clear with mine. They should crackdown legally," as they did in this instance" on all bars using automated software that accepts scanned images rather than a hard copy id for proof of age. The should crack down also on establishments that allow enter by using faked or altered id. Im sure the underaged that want to drink know the places they can get in illegally and Im also sure that there are a number of morally absent men that prey on those locations as well.  Im not the one in favor of allowing or condoning it nor claiming thet are overreacting with the penalty. Are you? 

[Dan O]

1 hour ago, BritScot said:

Nicely played.  ✔️. 

actually read what he wrote and he did imply I go to those places and if my "local" is closed where will I go? Dont be a tool

[Dan O]

1 hour ago, Bday Prang said:

I didn't suggest that you did,  and you have now appeared to be suspiciously overly sensitive about it. 

you actually did, read what you wrote. "actually read what your wrote, " if my "local" is closed where will I go?

[Bday Prang]

4 hours ago, Dan O said:

actually read what he wrote and he did imply I go to those places and if my "local" is closed where will I go? Dont be a tool

where i come from we have a saying, ..." if you find yourself in a hole, best to stop digging", a dignified silence would have been the best response

[Bday Prang]

4 hours ago, Dan O said:

nope just answering your question. In reality you are trying to deflect attention from your moral position stated earlier. I was clear with mine. They should crackdown legally," as they did in this instance" on all bars using automated software that accepts scanned images rather than a hard copy id for proof of age. The should crack down also on establishments that allow enter by using faked or altered id. Im sure the underaged that want to drink know the places they can get in illegally and Im also sure that there are a number of morally absent men that prey on those locations as well.  Im not the one in favor of allowing or condoning it nor claiming thet are overreacting with the penalty. Are you? 

i am not deflecting from anything and my moral position is irrelevant, I asked a simple question, that is all. If you choose to read more into it , that is up to you,  by all means carry on. 

[Bday Prang]

4 hours ago, Dan O said:

actually read what he wrote and he did imply I go to those places and if my "local" is closed where will I go? Dont be a tool

maybe you should read what I actually wrote again