Walking Street Beer Bars Crackdown

[bartender100]

Immigration arrest British Go-Go bar owner without work permit

Immigration Police arrest Englishman suspected or managing a go-go bar without a work permit

PATTAYA: -- Police Captain Jackgrit from Pattaya’s Immigration Department assembled a team of officers and went to the Diamond Go-Go Bar in Soi Diamond off of Walking Street after receiving information from an informant that an English Man was managing the bar without a work permit.

Police arrested Mr. Richard Clearland aged 56 who Police suspected was the Manager of the venue.

Joining him at the Immigration Department was Khun Akaradet the license holder. Both fully cooperated with officers who charged Mr. Clearland with working in the Kingdom of Thailand without a Work Permit. It was not made clear to us the penalties the bar and Mr. Clearland will face.

Walking Street Beer Bars closed by Pattaya’s Chief of Police in Late night raid

PATTAYA: -- It is widely known in Pattaya that after the go-go bars and disco’s close Beer Bar’s normally remain open, sometimes all night, should you wish to continue your evening drinking and enjoying the nightlife of Pattaya. Although these beer bars and strictly breaking the law, this practice has been tolerated by Police until now.

Police Colonel Somnook, Pattaya’s Police Chief was on patrol along Walking Street at 4am when he noticed beer bars still serving alcohol. He decided to stop them serving and arrested the offending bar managers.

We understand that three bars along the street received particular attention and the managers of each were taken back to Pattaya Police Station along with one foreign man charged with public order offences after he had said a little too much to one of the officers.

It is unclear if this is a new policy of Pattaya Police to ensure that Beer Bars close at the same time as other venues or whether this was a one off and raids such as these will not happen again.

--PCN 2005-06-10

Edited June 10, 2005 by george

[thaieagle67]

Life in Fun City just got worse. Toxin's croonies are having a field day with people just trying to enjoy life.

[Totster]

Life in Fun City just got worse. Toxin's croonies are having a field day with people just trying to enjoy life.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, stictly speaking, "Toxins croonies" are just applying the law.... !

totster

[roscoe]

Only 3 bars, seems more like someone does know the value off tea money .

[wolf5370]

Mmmm, bars must have been doing well. Wonder who will take them over?

[barryofthailand]

I know we have a new police chief, but i do not believe that after all this time, he didn't know that the beer bars on walking street was serving after the closing time. Money has to do with everything. Maybe he should walk down soi 7 and soi 8 at 2am and see whats happening.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Mmmm, bars must have been doing well. Wonder who will take them over?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The police chief's buddies ?

[terryp]

strange to pick on Diamond ago-go, in a small quiet Soi never any problems or rip-off's to be heard of .............. but wern't they voted best ago-go in Pattaya a couple of weeks ago...go, and they are one of the busiest places around Walking Street, still the law is the law........for some and not for others

Hope Ricky does not get black stamped over this

[SiriusBlack1]

strange to pick on Diamond ago-go, in a small quiet Soi never any problems or rip-off's to be heard of ..............  but wern't they voted best ago-go in Pattaya a couple of weeks ago...go, and they are one of the busiest places around Walking Street, still the law is the law........for some and not for others

Hope Ricky does not get black stamped over this

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This isn't part of any general crackdown. Another bar owner was jealous because Diamond is a successful bar. I believe it's been smoothed over now.

Perhaps Economics 101 should be introduced as a requirement for new bar owners, so they understand having a popular bar next door is a good thing, not a bad thing?

[Bilko]

Hope Ricky does not get black stamped over this

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, poor Ricky, I bet he was unaware that he was thumbing his nose at Thailands Immigration laws by working illegally in Thailand.

[Bonkers]

Follow the law as he would in his own country and he won't have any problems. No work permit, late opening. Is it a wonder?

And.......pay your dues to the gentlemen in brown when here.

Really; it's very simple.

[IMA_FARANG]

Hope Ricky does not get black stamped over this

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, poor Ricky, I bet he was unaware that he was thumbing his nose at Thailands Immigration laws by working illegally in Thailand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't know the people involved......so don't take what I say here in a bad way....however my "Thai Owner Radar" picks up when I read statements like....

"Joining him at the Immigration Department was Khun Akaradet the license holder. Both fully cooperated with officers who charged Mr. Clearland with working in the Kingdom of Thailand without a Work Permit."

Maybe I'm wrong...but I've been around Thailand too long?

[Bilko]

I don't know the people involved......so don't take what I say here in a bad way....however my "Thai Owner Radar" picks up when I read statements like....

"Joining him at the Immigration Department was Khun Akaradet the license holder. Both fully cooperated with officers who charged Mr. Clearland with working in the Kingdom of Thailand without a Work Permit."

Maybe I'm wrong...but I've been around Thailand too long?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You've lost me.............................

[h90]

envy in thailand....

I have the strong feeling that someone told the revenue department that something is wrong in my company (but luckily there is nothing wrong).

Mmmm, bars must have been doing well. Wonder who will take them over?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The police chief's buddies ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[kenjin]

Its quite amazing. I live in Jomtien, and was playing pool with 2 police officers untill 3am this morning.They didn`t seem to mind that we were still been served booze.

Ahh Pattaya police 'The Best Money Can Buy'

[kkcheo]

Wow...there goes all the fun! The question is WHY? As long as there is order and not trouble, I don't see any reason why not to keep the bars open.

Whatever happened to freedom of choice of the consumers....now there is no choice but to sleep

[Bilko]

Wow...there goes all the fun!  The question is WHY? As long as there is order and not trouble, I don't see any reason why not to keep the bars open. 

Whatever happened to freedom of choice of the consumers....now there is no choice but to sleep 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The reason as to why is simple, it's the law of Thailand.

You do have a choice as a consumer, vote with your feet and go to Tokyo where you can drink all night till dawn, it's only 300+ baht for a beer. The nightlife is much better in Tokyo, but Pattaya is an economy resort for people on an economy holiday. If they closed the bars at 11 pm, Pattaya would still attract the punters, ridding the bars of women is a different matter, no women would mean no punters, even if the bars were open 24 hours a day.

Pattaya ain't so bad, you could always try Skegness.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I don't know the people involved......so don't take what I say here in a bad way....however my "Thai Owner Radar" picks up when I read statements like....

"Joining him at the Immigration Department was Khun Akaradet the license holder. Both fully cooperated with officers who charged Mr. Clearland with working in the Kingdom of Thailand without a Work Permit."

Maybe I'm wrong...but I've been around Thailand too long?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You've lost me.............................

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

and me ................

[keda]

My be wrong but I thought farang cannot work in bars or agogos, and certainly not allowed to manage them, which makes the work permit angle pointless.

[hilly]

Not so and I know many farangs who do have work permits, I am also told that the problem is now sorted.

Last night things were as normal and we got home at 4am. Amazing Thailand.

[Dragonman]

Wow...there goes all the fun!  The question is WHY? As long as there is order and not trouble, I don't see any reason why not to keep the bars open. 

Whatever happened to freedom of choice of the consumers....now there is no choice but to sleep 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't understand why there's no choice but to sleep after the bars close. That's when the party begins at my bungalow

[Jai Dee]

Wow...there goes all the fun!  The question is WHY? As long as there is order and not trouble, I don't see any reason why not to keep the bars open. 

Whatever happened to freedom of choice of the consumers....now there is no choice but to sleep 

Don't understand why there's no choice but to sleep after the bars close. That's when the party begins at my bungalow

If you really want to continue partying after the bars officially close, there are plenty of options for those in the know...

Not that I'm one of them but I used to be.

[sriracha john]

My be wrong but I thought farang cannot work in bars or agogos, and certainly not allowed to manage them, which makes the work permit angle pointless.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think it's definitely illegal for 56 year old Englishmen to work on the go-go stage...

If this is a crackdown and assuming it happened Thursday night, it's a short-lived crackdown as we were having beers at a Walking Street beer bar at 2:30am the following night (last night)... err... actually I guess it was today... a bit foggy still.

[Jimmy in Bangkok]

I don't know the people involved......so don't take what I say here in a bad way....however my "Thai Owner Radar" picks up when I read statements like....

"Joining him at the Immigration Department was Khun Akaradet the license holder. Both fully cooperated with officers who charged Mr. Clearland with working in the Kingdom of Thailand without a Work Permit."

Maybe I'm wrong...but I've been around Thailand too long?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You've lost me.............................

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

and me ................

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And one more makes 3

Ima, could you please try that one again as a few of us are not sure what you mean with that post. Cheers

[Kerryd]

As far as I know, a foreigner can work as a manager. I've met 3 guys in Pattaya that were managing different establishments, including a beer bar and a go-go bar. One for sure had a legal work permit (never asked the other 2).

In the OP, the guy was being charged for working without a permit.

As most of us have probably heard at one time or another, all it takes is for a disgruntled employee or rival manager/owner to drop a word to the police, and they act on it.

I've read probably a dozen stories of farang bar-owners getting busted because they got caught working in their own bar. Simply cleaning empty glasses/bottles of a table got one guy busted (according to the story).

There are a few members here that should know the scoop on farangs working in bars in LOS, right guys ? You all have the proper permits, right ?

[mrbojangles]

strange to pick on Diamond ago-go, in a small quiet Soi never any problems or rip-off's to be heard of ..............  but wern't they voted best ago-go in Pattaya a couple of weeks ago...go, and they are one of the busiest places around Walking Street, still the law is the law........for some and not for others

Hope Ricky does not get black stamped over this

yeah i agree, tis a bit strange. Wonder if it's got to do with the fact that to get to Diamond you have to go past quite a lot of shitty Go-Go's that aren't doing so well and all they see are lot's of people passing them by?

[joker]

I know we have a new police chief, but i do not believe that after all this time, he didn't know that the beer bars on walking street was serving after the closing time. Money has to do with everything. Maybe he should walk down soi 7 and soi 8 at 2am and see whats happening.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not just soi 7 or 8. What about down by soi day and night?

Karaoke bars down there are open until 4 - 5am, easy to find.

All this 'turn off the lights' business is a joke, even Hollywood and

Xyte are open to 2am, Some bars at the top end of saai 3, still

have people drinking away at 01.45. Law enforcement? Do me a favor!

Yes, it seems only as falang step over the line with visa overstay

and WP problems, falang drinkers, accidents etc. then we get to hear

all.

But thai co-owners always seem to get off scot free and all those

drunk teens leaving the discos and getting in their cars/on motorbikes

- a danger to everyone.

A recent visit by a BKK official confirmed that Pattaya had to follow

the line, which is 01.00am closing time. So WHY NOT??

And instead of checking about motorbike helmets on pattaya north road

and 3rd road, how about doing the major discos and soi baukao???? for

a change? You catch both the over the limit people as the no helmet ones.

Since I am on it, why is we only always here about falang pedo's but never

the asian??? Rampant, also under the thais.

Sorry but these 'double standards' etc really should stop, money or not!

[Pattaya_Fox]

I know we have a new police chief, but i do not believe that after all this time, he didn't know that the beer bars on walking street was serving after the closing time. Money has to do with everything. Maybe he should walk down soi 7 and soi 8 at 2am and see whats happening.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not just soi 7 or 8. What about down by soi day and night?

Karaoke bars down there are open until 4 - 5am, easy to find.

All this 'turn off the lights' business is a joke, even Hollywood and

Xyte are open to 2am, Some bars at the top end of saai 3, still

have people drinking away at 01.45. Law enforcement? Do me a favor!

Yes, it seems only as falang step over the line with visa overstay

and WP problems, falang drinkers, accidents etc. then we get to hear

all.

But thai co-owners always seem to get off scot free and all those

drunk teens leaving the discos and getting in their cars/on motorbikes

- a danger to everyone.

A recent visit by a BKK official confirmed that Pattaya had to follow

the line, which is 01.00am closing time. So WHY NOT??

And instead of checking about motorbike helmets on pattaya north road

and 3rd road, how about doing the major discos and soi baukao???? for

a change? You catch both the over the limit people as the no helmet ones.

Since I am on it, why is we only always here about falang pedo's but never

the asian??? Rampant, also under the thais.

Sorry but these 'double standards' etc really should stop, money or not!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don`t let it get to you...all Thai laws seem to be made only to be broken.

Some would see this relaxed and incomprehensible approach as part of the Thai way of life and far away from the rigid oppressive laws of other countries...Sabai sabai..

[jrincon17]

Life in Fun City just got worse. Toxin's croonies are having a field day with people just trying to enjoy life.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, stictly speaking, "Toxins croonies" are just applying the law.... !

totster

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah some officers must have not got paid this month . This is why the is being enforced .

[Cpt_M0ney_Sh0t]

In my experiences with doing business in Pattaya, no matter how innocuous or legit you may be, it's never a bad idea to toss a lil dough at the cops. Speak to them with respect and dignity and offer your best hospitality. I have found that even on walking street I paid less and when I opened up in near by areas (Soi Bukow, Soi Yensabi) I paid nothing. And to top it off they kept some scum bag dealers away that where lounging around in front of my establishment.