District Officials Begin Mini-crackdown As Bars Are Ordered To Close By 3am.

[Rimmer]

Pattaya, August 15 [PATTAYA ONE NEWS] : Just before 3am on Saturday, a team of Banglamung Licensing Officials assisted by the “O-Po-Po-Lor” Civil Defense Force conducted an operation on Walking Street, South Pattaya to ensure that all bars were closed. They found that the majority were open and used a soft approach and ordered all venues to shut. They were warned that should they be found open late again sterner action would be taken. At one late night discotheque which is well known to the authorities, they have recently installed a shutter and as soon as they saw officials coming down the street, the shutter came down and security guards claimed the venue was already closed. The officials knew this was not the case and ordered the shutter to be opened and over 500 people were found inside. Over the years crackdowns on opening times have taken place on a regular basis and normally do not last long, this enforced closing exercise is expected to fall into that category. Late night revelers expecting to party until sunrise, should expect an early night for the foreseeable future.

Source:

http://www.pattayaone.net/news/2009/august...5_08_52_4.shtml

[lor]

Yep, was in Jomtien having a meal when I met a friend who works at Peppermint. I asked her what she was doing there so early and she said that the police had made them close early. It was only 3am!

Chris

[britmaveric]

Temporary as usual. I'm quite sure things will be back in order sooner rather than later. I suppose the disco was Insomnia.

[Harley62]

Yes, it WAS Insomnia, as I was there that night, and was quite shocked to find all the lights going ON around 3AM.

However, I saw NO Police actually inside the place but rather downstairs at the exit (perhaps so they might single out "suspects" for drug testing?), along with several vehicles with red lights flashing.

In my case, I left without incident, as did most people I saw, so maybe this is indeed a temporary "show of force"- and being on a weekend when business is normally better I'm sure certain Owners will want to prevent this by making the appropriate "contributions", etc..

Having said that, we immediately went to an alternative late-night venue 200 meters away (whose Owner HAD taken "preventive measures") and it was totally packed, and open until well into the early morning hours.

So much for the concept of equal enforcement.....

[prinzregent]

Insomnia is open until 7 or 8 every day.

[Lancashirelad]

I bet they never thought it would be when they named it

[Rimmer]

Pattaya, August 17 [PATTAYA ONE NEWS] : The current bar crackdown which is forcing venues to close at 3am is continuing here in Pattaya. Some welcome the move where others including bar owners and Tourists are puzzled as to why they are conducting the closures at a time when local businesses struggle through the low season months. We were out and about at 3am on Monday Morning and saw the bar closures continuing. Local Authorities were deployed throughout the city to ensure that all venues including beer bars were closed at 3am. We understand the order for this closure has come directly from the Governor of Chonburi Province, Khun Saenee, however we are not clear as to why the order has been given. For now, the authorities are only warning venues that open after 3am, however we understand that action will be taken against venues if they continue to ignore the closure order.

Source:

http://www.pattayaone.net/news/2009/august...7_08_52_2.shtml

[bartender100]

Your really helping tourism guys, keep it up. Low season, piss off the few tourists that are there so you can shake a few Baht more from the bar owners

[wpcoe]

I thought the nationwide law was bars closed at 1:00am?

[cali4995]

these people are insane. i was out at 3am just taking in the sights (read sober) and observed the new ah...

"division"of enforcers who are wearing tan camo with black webbing gear, are they volunteers? are they

actual police? nobody knows of course on walking st they completely ignore the REAL PROBLEMS the

hundreds of ladymen everywhere, the overly aggressive touts who i believe actually REPEL customers

from different establishments, the snake handlers, the child beggars and instead focus on trying to run

off the few tourists that are here. MEANWHILE, all the THAI bars on soi chaiyapoon and 3rd road remain

open until dawn even the ones that supposedly were not up to code. businesses all over town are shuttering

up for lack of customers (thats no exaggeration) and still they PERSIST with these obtuse strategies.

[Rimmer]

300 angry Pattaya bar owners plead for longer opening hours.

Pattaya, August 22 [PATTAYA ONE NEWS] : Recently we reported on a bar crackdown which is underway here in Pattaya which is forcing all bars to close at 3am. 300 Local Bar Owners led by Khun Chanyut, a former Member of Parliament attended an emergency meeting at Pattaya City Hall on Friday Evening chaired by Khun Ronagit, Deputy Mayor of Pattaya to discuss the enforced closing time which is affecting trade at a time when the bar owners need to stay open as long as possible to recoup losses sustained due to a drop in Tourism. A letter was presented to the Deputy Mayor which will be presented to the Governor of Chonburi Province, Khun Saenee, at a meeting to be held at City Hall on Monday. The Bar Owners are requesting extensions to their permitted licensed opening hours and hope that with the support of former and current politicians, the Governor may grant their wishes.

Source:

http://www.pattayaone.net/news/2009/august...2_08_52_4.shtml

[britmaveric]

^Guess the BIB is looking for more dosh since times are tough.

[doggie888888]

Personally I don't see anything wrong in enforcing some closure time for bars. What's the problem? Most tourists will cope with a 3am closure.

Besides, if everyone is so worried about pissing off the tourists then allow me to suggest a total repeal of any enforcement in relation to say drugs and child prostitution on the premise that some tourists may actually get pissed off that they can't score some weed or a 10yo kid when holidaying here.

I am sure it's all about balance. There are tourists staying in downtown hotels actually complaining about noise from the venues; or are they to be sacrificed so that other tourists can party 24 hours a day? No easy solution, I must admit.

[britmaveric]

^well most venues go quiet after 2AM so don't think noise is the issue. This is more about BIB making extra dosh for bribes.

[Rimmer]

Interior Ministry to decide on a review of Bar Opening Hours here in Pattaya.

Pattaya, August 24 [PATTAYA ONE NEWS] : On Monday Morning, a further meeting of Bar Owners took place at Pattaya City Hall who were hoping to present their concerns over the current restrictions on the opening hours of late night venues. The Governor of Chonburi was due to attend, however he sent the Banglamung District Chief instead who received documents requesting a review of the current restrictions. Deputy Governor of Chonburi Province, Khun Suntorn was also in attendance to listen to the concerns of the 300 bar owners who attended the meeting. It was mentioned that a decision on the matter would have to be made by the Interior Ministry as the local government had no authority to change the current permitted opening hours of entertainment venues.

Source:

http://www.pattayaone.net/news/2009/august...4_08_52_3.shtml