Patong Nightspots Under Curfew Scrutiny

[webfact]

Patong nightspots under curfew scrutiny

PATONG, PHUKET: Following many reports that certain nightlife establishments in Patong are not closing by the mandatory 2am curfew, the Phuket's governor and the island's top police officer say the situation is being closely monitored.

This follows a report in a local Thai language newspaper that three unspecified nightclubs were habitually operating until 6am.

At a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday, Governor Wichai Phraisa-ngop and Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pekad Tantipong said they were aware of the report and that an investigation would be launched 'as soon as possible'.

Gov Wichai told the meeting that when he visited Patong's Soi Bangla Tuesday night to take part in Loy Kratong activities, he didn't see any signs of venues staying open past the 2am deadline.

"Maybe they recognized my face and were well-prepared. Anyway, we will continue to monitor the situation," he said.

Patong Deputy Mayor Chairat Sukhabaan downplayed the problem of certain venues staying open late, saying it was less important than illegal drug use or tourist rip-offs.

Mr Chairat said it was time to re-think the 2am closing time that applies to most venues in Patong, as this would be good for tourism.

"It's normal for bars to stay open until late in major cities like New York or London. Tourists are here to travel and enjoy, and some can't adjust to the time difference," said Mr Chairat, himself a former nightclub operator.

"If we could just change the closing time it would be hugely beneficial to the Thai tourism industry. In history, this country earned most of its revenue from rice and rubber, but now we rely on tourism," he said.

Mr Chairat agrees that zoning should be used to keep nightlife venues away from schools and places of worship, but said that those in designated tourist areas should be allowed to remain open later than is now permissible.

This would help generate government revenue though increased tax collection, he said.

As for reports of a mysterious video disc being circulated among some nightlife business operators to show how their rivals are getting away with breaking the curfew, the head of the Patong Entertainment Business Association (PEBA) said he was unaware of any such recording.

-- Phuket Gazette 2009/11/05

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[puyaidon]

I wish someone would grow some brains and realize the early closing is to use a negative word, stupid.

I was here when the prime minister and the interior minister at the time did it to safeguard the youngsters from the evils of the nightlife. All it did was create the underground bars and clubs.

The government seems to want to be the babysitters of the general public. I am older than 50 and think it is stupid that I have to go to bed early just because some character in the past wanted to preserve the norms of fifty years ago.

But as farangs, we can do nothing other than laugh at the nonsense that we have to put up with with bar closing and other things too numerous to put in this forum.

[Lannatyne]

Good for Deputy Mayor Chairat looking at it from what the tourists want. About time 'consumers' were considered.

Why, though, is it that you never see reactions from, or petitions to, TAT about these closing times, or the ridiculous situation for tourists on Election Days etc??

[JetsetBkk]

<snip>

Gov Wichai told the meeting that when he visited Patong's Soi Bangla Tuesday night to take part in Loy Kratong activities, he didn't see any signs of venues staying open past the 2am deadline.

"Maybe they recognized my face and were well-prepared.<snip>

Maybe the posse of bodyguards gave it away.

[Miami Bob]

I love this part:

" Gov Wichai told the meeting that when he visited Patong's Soi Bangla Tuesday night to take part in Loy Kratong activities, he didn't see any signs of venues staying open past the 2am deadline.

"Maybe they recognized my face and were well-prepared. Anyway, we will continue to monitor the situation," he said.

Part of what the bars pay the police for is to tell them when some big wig is coming around so they can close on time.

Edited November 5, 2009 by Miami Bob

[asiawatcher]

Well if you can't buy booze at a supermarket between 2:00pm and 5:00pm (for whatever reason) then tack that on the 2:00am and problem solved. If people wish to spend money drinking themselves into oblivion from 2:00am on so be it. Straight economics - supply and demand. If they don't drink the bars will close anyway.

As already said - people come here for holidays and if that reflects being outrageous or simply going somewhere to pass time with a few drinks - let the demand dictate it. If the country is blind to demand and tourism, then som num na.

[asiawatcher]

... But leave the bar mat on the bar

[thefalang]

I never go to Patong so I couldn't give a "hoot". Too many rip-offs for me!

The law is ridiculous all the same though and it's current (temporary) enforcement merely means that the police need some extra "tea money" to hold them until high season.

[thaikahuna]

I am on the north side of 50 approaching 60 and in my opinion let them be open. There is limited business anyway and I think most of the complaints are from folks with noise issues. They should do as I did and move away from the noise and go to the noise when you want to deal with it.

[DegenFarang]

Same thing happening in Bangkok. Nothing is open past 2am for the last 3-4 weeks now. Used to be at least 4 places that stayed open later. I started a thread about in in the Farang Pub but can't be bothered to find the link now.

I don't understand what this does for the Thai government, its mainly foreigners patronizing the after hours spots. Thats why many of them came to Thailand, to party. Why don't they start having crackdowns enforcing the no-prostitution laws too? Will do great things for tourism.

I hope these stupid crackdowns end soon.

[EyesWideOpen]

I recall a few years ago in Patong there was another silly crackdown on closing hours, part of the government's push to insure tourists will visit temples in the morning. The bar owners had had enough of this nonsense, so they organized a strike by simply closing all the bars during regular hours. The tourists were angry, made it known to local officials, and the following day there was no more talk of early closing. Moral of the story?? Don't kill the golden goose. In fact as a general rule do not even mess with the golden goose.........

Regarding the late closing bars, when I lived there in 2001 the running joke of the town was to watch which bars were open every time there was a religious holiday and the bars were supposed to be closed. ( hint...) There bars that were open raking in money were all either police owned or controlled........

Edited November 5, 2009 by rhiekel

[Igor]

"Gov Wichai told the meeting that when he visited Patong's Soi Bangla Tuesday night to take part in Loy Kratong activities..."

Uhm ... I wasn't there but what activities other than drinking and popping off fireworks was the Gov. doing after two a.m.?

Hey, People! T'ain't necessary to quote the entire newspaper article in your reply! Cut and paste,gang. Cut and paste. Even Mac users can learn to do that.

[madmitch]

Here we go again.

Yawn!

At least the governor is making some positive comments.

[Steele404]

What about Spicy and the place infront of Spicy..... bloody opens till 12 pm the next

[kevinsan]

The dam_n bars need to open and close earlier. I'm too old to party till 6am everyday.

[dude007]

Patong nightspots under curfew scrutiny

Patong Deputy Mayor Chairat Sukhabaan downplayed the problem of certain venues staying open late, saying it was less important than illegal drug use or tourist rip-offs.

Mr Chairat said it was time to re-think the 2am closing time that applies to most venues in Patong, as this would be good for tourism.

"It's normal for bars to stay open until late in major cities like New York or London. Tourists are here to travel and enjoy, and some can't adjust to the time difference," said Mr Chairat, himself a former nightclub operator.

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Finally some people with the eye on the rigth place instead of in their pockets.

Whilst the rip-offs are being legalised and even institutionalised (I mean the maffia of red and yellow tuk-tuk drivers charging rip-of starting prices of 200 THB whilst the same transport is only cosseting 10 THB in Pattaya), the smart authorities from the crackdown department concentrate on the three bars which reportedly stay open until 06:00AM. Why is it that only in Thailand the most stupids talk the loudest? The last thing in Patong which was still attracting some tourism in a "for the crackdown department officials rather satisfactory and decent way", has to go down as well for these three nightbars which dare to stay open nafter 02:00AM (small information: after 02:00AM you can take the bar-napkins away, there will no official complaint). And then they complain that tourism is in decline ... somnamnaa!

Chairat who I know quite well, is a very clever and wise authority who should be listened to more! When will the Governor start doing something for the tourism instead of filling his own pockets from the tuk-tuk registrations going together with their police protection vignet? When will there be a crackdown on the real culprits, the real rip-offers, the real corrupt authorities, the jet-ski scams, the motorbike renters, the beach-chair owners, the hundreds of katoeys looking out for stealing your wallet, the airport vultures, the friendly illegal fake taxi-drivers who all can speak English (&lt;deleted&gt;@#$ you), the middle finger pointers welcoming the farang tourists who have a complaint, etc.

Phuket, Patong, let me think twice... I have my idea! It's a real "somnamnaa" and the authorities are doing NOTHING!!! They all eat from the same dish!

[Basil B]

Patong Deputy Mayor Chairat Sukhabaan downplayed the problem of certain venues staying open late, saying it was less important than illegal drug use or tourist rip-offs.

Mr Chairat said it was time to re-think the 2am closing time that applies to most venues in Patong, as this would be good for tourism.

Too right, how about less talk more action.

How about tourist zones 24/7 and no closing on election days as well.

[MaiChai]

Patong is what it is. If you want to lead a good life you don't live there. Thus let the bars open all hours and just let Patong be what it really is. I can understand people come on holiday to let their hair down and I understand its good for tourism and thats what people come to Patong for. Calming it down is going to destroy what it is and there are lots of boring sedate places. Not my cup of tea but it can be enjoyed if you fancy that.

[IMA_FARANG]

------------------------- Quote------------------------------------

Patong Deputy Mayor Chairat Sukhabaan downplayed the problem of certain venues staying open late, saying it was less important than illegal drug use or tourist rip-offs.

Mr Chairat said it was time to re-think the 2am closing time that applies to most venues in Patong, as this would be good for tourism.

"It's normal for bars to stay open until late in major cities like New York or London. Tourists are here to travel and enjoy, and some can't adjust to the time difference," said Mr Chairat, himself a former nightclub operator.

"If we could just change the closing time it would be hugely beneficial to the Thai tourism industry. In history, this country earned most of its revenue from rice and rubber, but now we rely on tourism," he said.

Mr Chairat agrees that zoning should be used to keep nightlife venues away from schools and places of worship, but said that those in designated tourist areas should be allowed to remain open later than is now permissible.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

So if that's the case, here's an idea.

Let the bars stay open until 6 a.m.

Add a 50% surcharge to each drink from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.

Make the bar show that they charged the customers that surcharge.

25% of that revenue must go to the government in tax to cover the cost of extra police required.

That way the boozer-looser pays for his/her fun, and the governembt also gets a cut.

[Arkady]

The real purpose of the closing times is to give the police leverage to collect more squeeze from bar owners for real or imagined infringements. It masquerades as some sort of morality thing which the Chinese middle classes, who can't control their kids, like but this doesn't cut much ice in tourist areas. The more ridiculous the regulations, the more people want to break them and the more money the police make.

[Acharn]

I wish someone would grow some brains and realize the early closing is to use a negative word, stupid.

I was here when the prime minister and the interior minister at the time did it to safeguard the youngsters from the evils of the nightlife. All it did was create the underground bars and clubs.

The government seems to want to be the babysitters of the general public. I am older than 50 and think it is stupid that I have to go to bed early just because some character in the past wanted to preserve the norms of fifty years ago.

But as farangs, we can do nothing other than laugh at the nonsense that we have to put up with with bar closing and other things too numerous to put in this forum.

2:00AM early closing? Heck, I decided long ago that if I'm not in bed by 10:00PM I might as well go home.

[schvonsky1]

Same thing happening in Bangkok. Nothing is open past 2am for the last 3-4 weeks now. Used to be at least 4 places that stayed open later. I started a thread about in in the Farang Pub but can't be bothered to find the link now.

I don't understand what this does for the Thai government, its mainly foreigners patronizing the after hours spots. Thats why many of them came to Thailand, to party. Why don't they start having crackdowns enforcing the no-prostitution laws too? Will do great things for tourism.

I hope these stupid crackdowns end soon.

SPOT ON MATEY when are the &lt;deleted&gt;** are these plums gonna wake up and smell them coffee if it wasn't for us falangs thailand will sink big time !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i was gonna visit patong but sod that will stay in pattaya were u can party all night they think this will solve drug issues no &lt;deleted&gt; way they will always be there guess its time for the thai's to underground

[keyjor]

Good idea from BasilB. Tourist zones.

As for booze on election day or public holidays. There is always someone willing to sell. I live in the sticks and know where to buy. I have bought booze in Bangkok and Pattaya during these times.

Oh, madmitch I love the Blakey, superb.

[nosatisfaction]

Patong nightspots under curfew scrutiny

PATONG, PHUKET: Following many reports that certain nightlife establishments in Patong are not closing by the mandatory 2am curfew, the Phuket's governor and the island's top police officer say the situation is being closely monitored.

This follows a report in a local Thai language newspaper that three unspecified nightclubs were habitually operating until 6am.

At a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday, Governor Wichai Phraisa-ngop and Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pekad Tantipong said they were aware of the report and that an investigation would be launched 'as soon as possible'.

Gov Wichai told the meeting that when he visited Patong's Soi Bangla Tuesday night to take part in Loy Kratong activities, he didn't see any signs of venues staying open past the 2am deadline.

"Maybe they recognized my face and were well-prepared. Anyway, we will continue to monitor the situation," he said.

Patong Deputy Mayor Chairat Sukhabaan downplayed the problem of certain venues staying open late, saying it was less important than illegal drug use or tourist rip-offs.

Mr Chairat said it was time to re-think the 2am closing time that applies to most venues in Patong, as this would be good for tourism.

"It's normal for bars to stay open until late in major cities like New York or London. Tourists are here to travel and enjoy, and some can't adjust to the time difference," said Mr Chairat, himself a former nightclub operator.

"If we could just change the closing time it would be hugely beneficial to the Thai tourism industry. In history, this country earned most of its revenue from rice and rubber, but now we rely on tourism," he said.

Mr Chairat agrees that zoning should be used to keep nightlife venues away from schools and places of worship, but said that those in designated tourist areas should be allowed to remain open later than is now permissible.

This would help generate government revenue though increased tax collection, he said.

As for reports of a mysterious video disc being circulated among some nightlife business operators to show how their rivals are getting away with breaking the curfew, the head of the Patong Entertainment Business Association (PEBA) said he was unaware of any such recording.

-- Phuket Gazette 2009/11/05

_______________________________________________________

-->> Get the Nation/Thaivisa news faster via SMS:

-->> 14 days free trial, dial *424010011 on your mobile

I have a problem understanding this, as the official figures say Tourism represents +/- 7% of the GBP

[MUYTHAI]

Bars should be open 24/7.

Party on Wayne...party on Garth!

[Brewsta]

Beer & Birds available 24/7 as elsewhere......

Waste of newsprint and resources, IMHO.....

Elections soon down South, Yes?

Rgdz from a kickin' ChiangMai,

Brewsta

[charmonman]

I must say the deputy mayor sounds like one of the most intelligent politicians Thailand has seen in recent years.

[henryalleman]

Foodland and other supermarkets can be open 24/7 so? why bars not?

[xylophone]

At last some sense from the deputy mayor......spot on with his comments, although it is in his best interests cos he still has a stake in at least one venue I know.

And I was sitting in a bar at 3.30 am two days ago in Patong when 2 MIB came along, sat down, lit up a ciggie and listened to the music!!

So much for the rhetoric..............

[fiercesnake]

I was here when the prime minister and the interior minister at the time did it to safeguard the youngsters from the evils of the nightlife. All it did was create the underground bars and clubs.

The government seems to want to be the babysitters of the general public. I am older than 50 and think it is stupid that I have to go to bed early just because some character in the past wanted to preserve the norms of fifty years ago.

But as farangs, we can do nothing other than laugh at the nonsense that we have to put up with with bar closing and other things too numerous to put in this forum.

It is nonsense. Though I don't go out to pubs and bars much at all, seems pretty ridiculous that if I did want a night out that I couldn't stay out after my bedtime because big brother says so. Exactly right what you say, that big brother wants to preserve cultural norms of fifty years ago, yet they obviously turn a blind eye to other extreme anomalies such as in your face prostitution (ahh but that's OK coz that's tourism, i.e. money).

Yes go to bed everyone it's past your bedtime. Or maybe they are suggesting, "Haven't you made your mind up YET so you CAN go to bed with the right girl by 2am???" Seriously, pretty backward conservative values that don't fit with modern ideals. But TIT; a place still grappling with its tug between traditional entrenched cultural values and materialism gone to an extreme!