1am Closing - Update

[TravelFrog]

Does anyone have any up to date news on this? Is the law still being enforced strictly? Any posibility of change in the near future? Is late nightlife doomed?

Thanks.

T

[davethailand]

still 2am in pattaya (and alot of other places)

[Wolfie]

In phuket, yes, all the main stream bars are being closed at 1am.

I was kicked out of a bar by the boys in brown on saturday night, 1:15am

Of course, as with everywhere in the world, there are places to go, if you know where

[TravelFrog]

Some Phuket news: http://www.phuketgazette.net/news/index.asp?id=3736

Looks as though Bangkok is doomed in the short-term... Though there is still hope for Pattaya/Phuket.

Keep the updates coming.

Cheers.

T

[IamMaiC]

Though there is still hope for Pattaya/Phuket.

For Now

[TravelFrog]

I still can't get over how much 'crazy' Bangkok is changing.

I was in Singapore a few days ago and was surprised to find loads of really cool bars open until 6am and one bar advertising a 7am closing time..! Bar top dancing has just been legalised too..!

Never thought I would see the day when Singapores nightlife would become more lively than BKK's.

Maybe things will change in Thailand next year atfer elections? What do you think?

Cheers.

T.

[davethailand]

Pattaya is changing, 1am maybe tonight or tomorrow, maybe next week.

Watch this space.

[p_brownstone]

Watch this space.

As the girl doing the Ping Pong Ball shows used to say!?

[davethailand]

Watch this space.

As the girl doing the Ping Pong Ball shows used to say!?

For those who are pissed off about it you can all thank JP beer bar.

[markt]

Does the early closing apply to restaurants too?

[britmaveric]

Good question restaurants and hotel bars might be new source for nightlife as well as 711.

[bograt]

Isn't this a good thing for the sex-pats of Thailand? After all it just means that there will be lots more bar girls touting for business outside the Nana & along Sukhumvit an hour earlier than usual. An extra hour of shagging can be had by all.

[britmaveric]

Uh more than SexPats about- bad news for anyone who wants to have a late nite out, however there always seem to be spots. However average tourists will need help finding them.

[Tornado]

Phuket Bars will be closed today and a major (10,000 plus people I am told) rally will be held outside the governors office. The Phuketians are starting to "strike" and close down Patong and other areas. Will this help?, we will see.

[TravelFrog]

http://www.phuketgazette.net/news/index.asp?id=3750

It worked last time (2001) - Hopefully it will make a difference this time too.

[LivinLOS]

So far it seems like a pretty disinterested rally down there so far.. Perhaps its the heat of the day etc but beach Rd bars all seemed open and the grumbles of dissent are already coming from many owners.

Time will tell

[IamMaiC]

For those who are pissed off about it you can all thank JP beer bar.

Are they the cause to the 1am closing times now??

[grimreaper]

The writing is on the wall and has been for some time. This government does not want the sex tourist here anymore and the early closing (now 1-00am in Pattaya) is designed to cut the profits of the bars and eventually drive them out of business.

The closing times will eventually get earlier and earlier and be more and more rigidly enforced. My advice (for what it's worth) is, get all the fun you can whilst it's still around. It ain't gonna last much longer.

[davethailand]

For those who are pissed off about it you can all thank JP beer bar.

Are they the cause to the 1am closing times now??

No, but they are the cause of the only 24hr soi in walking st getting stuffed, (nealy back to normal though, i think)

[Totster]

IMHO - for now the closing times will be enforced... but only until the money gets into the right hands... chanelled to the right place... maybe I'm wrong..

davethailand - Would you consider doing the same as they are in Phuket, close down in protest.... especially if it gets results in Phuket...?

totster

[davethailand]

IMHO - for now the closing times will be enforced... but only until the money gets into the right hands... chanelled to the right place... maybe I'm wrong..

davethailand - Would you consider doing the same as they are in Phuket, close down in protest.... especially if it gets results in Phuket...?

totster

Only if the majority did so also, I would'nt follow a just a group of expat owned bars.

nothing personal meant by that but i have to protest my future interests, my place has a chance of surviving even if all the sexy stuff disappears.

[Totster]

Only if the majority did so also, I would'nt follow a just a group of expat owned bars.

nothing personal meant by that but i have to protest my future interests, my place has a chance of surviving even if all the sexy stuff disappears.

I understand what you mean fully.... it's gotta be all or 90% of owners that do it for it to work anyway...

Regarding surviving... your bar in it's present location must get a lot of "walk in" customers from the surrounding bars, must account for large percentage of people who come in for the first time... without these bars you wouldn't get that .

BTW - I know your place has a good reputation but first time customers have gotta come from somewhere.

totster

[britmaveric]

Dave- I think reversal is in the cards - fearless leader would have ignored requests in Phuket if he wasnt serious about backpeddling.

[davethailand]

Agreed. it was enforced over the weekend because bkk folk were here, sunday night proves that as the police were in walking st at 145am, so was all the outside music.

alot of my customers are from word of mouth and friends recommendations , the bars outside my place are empty up until 1am ish, and after 2am the customers from us normally fill the bar outside.

Its true though totster, the punters get their girls and then come to my place.

[appleman_thai]

Last week I had friends over from Ireland and they stayed late in my restaurant on Suk 23. It was 5am and we were still talking about old times when the boys in brown dropped in to see what was going on. All very polite and I explained that they were friends from Ireland and it was my restaurant, no money changing hands etc and they were completely cool about it. Just asked us to wind things up before the sun came up!

Then after the United game on Sunday (2:0) we were in the Irish bar on Convent..... then went to Soi 4 which closed promptly at 1am. Then we just found a pool bar that doesnt close and partied on until 6am......

As someone said before..... its all possible if you know who and where!

But on Monday I was wishing that I had followed Toxins advice and gone home at 1am..... whata hangover!

[TravelFrog]

Possibly some good news for Pattaya, Phuket and Samui… though will have to wait until next Tuesday to find out:

http://www.phuketgazette.net/news/index.asp?id=3752

Cheers.

T.

[hilly]

I would like to give my thanks and the thanks of others here in Pty to the guys and gals who are sacrificing their time and money on behalf of the industry to get this mess sorted out. May all your efforts not go in vain. Great start.

[davethailand]

just had a call from a club and bar owner in patong, they are back to 2am as from now.

[IamMaiC]

What time do bars open?? Is it the same Kingdom wide?