Walking Street Beer Bars Crackdown

[liontamer]

In full swing last night,you can'thardly walk though Lucky Star at 4 am so busy is it.many many Uk people about,if they not their pattaya very quiet.

[eyebee]

Went to see Ricky at Diamond last night. He spent 2 nights in the Monkey House and had to pay a 2,500 baht fine! No adverse stamps in his passport, so he's free to remain in Thailand.

Just to straighten out a few points - Ricky is not the manager of Diamond, but part-owner. And the working he was arrested for was having a drink with some customers in the bar! Thai logic I guess.

[Scott]

Business people need to be careful. I've stayed clear of doing business--did once, but when it caught the attention of the police (no problem with them, but some interest), I sold it and now work for the it--with a work permit. Not a bar or anything like that. Here are some situations I've been aware of (from reasonably reliable sources).

1. A successful restaurant with a foreign chef/part owner. A thai owner who was involved in hiring staff etc. The Thai owner (alledgedly) contacted the police about illegal immigrant employees. The foreigner got deported. Restaurant closed--briefly--then reopened under the full ownership of the former Thai owner. The foreigner, who had put up all the money received nothing.

2. A bar owner who never worked in his bar--just sat around. One day a police officer came to talk to the manager about a possible police raid. A customer ordered a beer, the owner (or financer of the bar) reached across the bar to get a beer for him. He was promply arrested by another policeman lurking around (unseen) and the bar was closed. Don't know what happened to the owner, but again a well-run, respectable establishment. Never saw him again.

The point is yes, you have to follow the law, but the pedantic manner in which they are enforced is scary. In example one, the foreign owner had nothing to do with hiring (he didn't read or write Thai and had no way of checking the papers of employees. In the second, the "owner" didn't take any money, didn't go behind the bar etc. Just handed a beer to a customer.

Some of the things that happen fall into pretty "grey-areas" of the law. In most a warning should be sufficient unless someone is caught truly working.

Investors/financers beware.

[Bilko]

I knew a guy that had a restaurant, his wife asked him to write down some menu and prices on some card, so she could put them on the wall, a kind of decorative display menu, he made the mistake of writing :

Fish and Chips 150Baht

Then he stuck the card on the wall of his restaurant, he was seen by Police and was arrested and deported for working without a work permit.

[DaveYo]

Amazing as I read the lack of being slueths. Why not still manage the frickin place from the duh-----> home??????? They cannot do a darn thing to you if they come over, cause it is your place of residence and what you manage is your own personal home affairs. You don't need a permit for that part, that is for flying sure.

Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzz. And still make your buckeroos!!!!!!!!!!!

You know farangs need to be smart and do it the thai way, be a snake like them and you even the score.

Daveyo

[Boh Bpen Yang]

Amazing as I read the lack of being slueths.  Why not still manage the frickin place from the duh-----> home???????  They cannot do a darn thing to you if they come over, cause it is your place of residence and what you manage is your own personal home affairs.  You don't need a permit for that part, that is for flying sure.

Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzz.  And still make your buckeroos!!!!!!!!!!!

You know farangs need to be smart and do it the thai way, be a snake like them and you even the score.

Daveyo

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Or just get a work permit. It's not rocket science. Work in Thailand doesn't have to be paid work to be considered work. If you are doing work that a Thai could be doing and you don't have a permit you are breaking the law.

I know a dude that has a little shop.. all legal and work permitted, taxes paid etc. and was serving food that he had prepared personally to neihboring Thai shop owners (outide his address and a task not covered by his work permit), as a gesture of good will, no charge, free free free. A Policeman asked to see his work permit for that particular task which of course he couldn't produce. The other local owners quickly intervened and discussed this with the Policeman and all was forgotten. But in reality it was illegal.

[Jack Jones]

I found the general rules in Pattaya to be, go-gos close at 2, regular bar beers open until whenever, depending on tea money.

On another point, strange that this thread was closed by the mods and is now back open. Almost inline with Ricky's incarceration

[ticklemyfancy]

whilst some very valid points are being made it is quite visible to me how many people in pattaya and jomtien are blatantly working without permits?

this particular case was just an act of jealousy by another bar owner round that area.

if the immigration were out to get people for just shaking hands and having a drink with some customers there are loads of foreigners who could be shaken down.

at the same time theres a lot of people who claim openly to have a work permit with the hope that word of mouth will put people off for grassing on them!

absolutely no excuse to be grassing to police....just not right

[Rumpole]

Follow the law as he would in his own country and he won't have any problems. And.......pay your dues to the gentlemen in brown when here.

Really; it's very simple.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Follow the law ............ and pay your dues to the gentleman in brown? Err...........

O.K. this is Thailand.

Edited June 13, 2005 by Rumpole

[Rumpole]

[

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.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Or Kuala Lumpur, or Phnom Pehn or Saigon, or Shanghai or Seoul or Maccau. And they all charge a lot less than 300 baht for a beer. Lots of ladies of the night available too, if that's your thing.

From what I hear, a lot of Western tourists ARE voting with their feet.

Edited June 13, 2005 by Rumpole

[mnoorsapl]

Business rivalary, jealousy and scum bags. May be not enough tea money.

[ray23]

Business rivalary, jealousy and scum bags. May be not enough tea money. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You know sometimes this place reminds me of other times from home. Prohibition, but everyone could get a drink, cops on the take ( tea money ) Mafia involved, some very wealthy survivors who kept thier heads down through the times. Rumor is Old Joe Kennedy made a lot of money in those times.

They didn't stop people from drinking in those days and they won't stop people partying in Pattaya. Lets face it Thailand has it's Joe Kennedy's too, the cops couldn't play this game if the powerful were not in place and earning ,money, power from it.

So we will see these little games to save face but thats all they really are and not worth worrying about. These things happen down country to, cops raiding Thia Brothels in Udon happens from time to time, it's just a show usually when the Prime Minister visits the moment he is out of town business as usual.

The day Pattaya stops earning money for the powerful is the day you would have to worry, because that is a diferent ball game.

[freedom-belg]

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

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

HI,

i think it's normal they arrest people who doesn't have a work permit for thailand and they have to act like the same way they do in europe with forreign people.

For the closing time matter i dis agree and think if they keep doing this,they will lose a lot off tourist in thailand and that meens the local economie will go down.

2 o'clock is a too early time to stop the nightlife.

Let's face it,the hole world know thailand to be the place for a good time,relaxing and parties.

If they have to sleep at 2 o'clock in the night,they will not come to thailand longer and i am not only talking about the sex tourist but young people,koppels,party people and many others..

I wish they think about this matter again and understand that it is a part off thailand's culture.

[Darknight]

I wish they think about this matter again and understand that it is a part off thailand's culture

How you can link partying to culture is beyond me

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I wish they think about this matter again and understand that it is a part off thailand's culture

How you can link partying to culture is beyond me

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Me too

[Kerryd]

I wish they think about this matter again and understand that it is a part off thailand's culture

How you can link partying to culture is beyond me

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Me too

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree it's stretching it ( alot), but think about the Hippy Generation, smoking dope and "free love" was considered a part of the "Hippy Culture" (along with long hair, tie-dyed clothing and a general disregard for bathing)

To say that partying until the wee hours is a part of Thai culture ? Nah. It may have been considered "traditional" in some areas to keep the bars open 24/7, but it certainly isn't something that is done nationally.

I think the Thai culture has more to do with Buddhist values and respect for family than it does for partying.

[Jai Dee]

I wish they think about this matter again and understand that it is a part off thailand's culture

How you can link partying to culture is beyond me

Me too

I agree it's stretching it ( alot), but think about the Hippy Generation, smoking dope and "free love" was considered a part of the "Hippy Culture" (along with long hair, tie-dyed clothing and a general disregard for bathing)

To say that partying until the wee hours is a part of Thai culture ? Nah. It may have been considered "traditional" in some areas to keep the bars open 24/7, but it certainly isn't something that is done nationally.

I think the Thai culture has more to do with Buddhist values and respect for family than it does for partying.

The only "culture" about partying untill the wee hours is the "culture" associated with extracting as many baht as possible out of the party goers.

[DaveYo]

You knowI am suspicious of about this thread. Its making no sense here. Several points where brought up and it blows my mind that the police would even bother someone doing something very simple and not create a drop of sweat.

Only time the police would even look at you is if you are doing something BAD or did something BAD in Thailand.

I will give you something to think about here.

Why would the Police want to bust a foreigner for just hanging something up on the wall of some establishment or hand over a beer bottle to a stranger without going to the register or asking for money for the beer???? Thailand cops have better things to do than put up with that kind of BS unless they (the busted) did something to aggravate others etc. Thai people are well known to put up with a lot of BS from the foreigners until it goes over the top.

Get the drift????

Daveyo

[toklong]

You knowI am suspicious of about this thread.  Its making no sense here.  Several points where brought up and it blows my mind that the police would even bother someone doing something very simple and not create a drop of sweat. 

Only time the police would even look at you is if you are doing something BAD or did something BAD in Thailand.

I will give you something to think about here.

Why would the Police want to bust a foreigner for just hanging something up on the wall of some establishment or hand over a beer bottle to a stranger without going to the register or asking for money for the beer????  Thailand cops have better things to do than put up with that kind of BS unless they (the busted) did something to aggravate others etc.  Thai people are well known to put up with a lot of BS from the foreigners until it goes over the top.

Get the drift????

Agreed. The police in this situation were prompted buy..............(fill in the blank)

Get my drift????

Daveyo

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[DaveYo]

You knowI am suspicious of about this thread.  Its making no sense here.  Several points where brought up and it blows my mind that the police would even bother someone doing something very simple and not create a drop of sweat. 

Only time the police would even look at you is if you are doing something BAD or did something BAD in Thailand.

I will give you something to think about here.

Why would the Police want to bust a foreigner for just hanging something up on the wall of some establishment or hand over a beer bottle to a stranger without going to the register or asking for money for the beer????  Thailand cops have better things to do than put up with that kind of BS unless they (the busted) did something to aggravate others etc.  Thai people are well known to put up with a lot of BS from the foreigners until it goes over the top.

Get the drift????

Agreed. The police in this situation were prompted buy..............(fill in the blank)

Get my drift????

Daveyo

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yea I checked the blanks here man, and it looks like the drift kinda floated and sounded like a dud. Hmmmm, as you say The police in this situation were prompted buy............

Look one way and then look the other, and especially down straight cause it might pop up in front of you

Daveyo

[sriracha john]

Look one way and then look the other, and especially down straight cause it might pop up in front of you

sorry, Dave, you lost me...

[Humphrey Bear]

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.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Aaaaahhhh Skeggy! The Durham Miners Welfare Holiday Camp - did a couple of summer seasons there, in my better days. great place - more (free) poonying there than I found in Pattaya

[Humphrey Bear]

[

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.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Or Kuala Lumpur, or Phnom Pehn or Saigon, or Shanghai or Seoul or Maccau. And they all charge a lot less than 300 baht for a beer. Lots of ladies of the night available too, if that's your thing.

From what I hear, a lot of Western tourists ARE voting with their feet.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Singapore is quite busy now, although it is somewhat rainy.

Down around Clarke Quay places like Hooters are open 'til 3 or 4 in the morning, 1nitestand is advertising open until 5 in the morning. Orchard Towers is where the ladies of dubious virtue are to be found in all-night bars, (Thais, Filipinas, Chinese, all sorts) and a beer is anything from S$ 6 (150 baht) upwards. Beware of lady-drinks in Orchard Towers, I got caught for 4 drinks for 4 girls - S$ 80 or 2,000 baht.

Food is good, transport good and fairly cheap, hotels, if booked from Thailand can be as low as 1,500 baht, but more normally 2,500 baht.

Kuala Lumpur is also busy. Haven't had to go to HK or Manila / AC recently, nor Jakarta. But tourism is increasing throughout SE Asia. Thailand is just slipping down the league table.

[chuchok]

You knowI am suspicious of about this thread.  Its making no sense here.  Several points where brought up and it blows my mind that the police would even bother someone doing something very simple and not create a drop of sweat. 

Only time the police would even look at you is if you are doing something BAD or did something BAD in Thailand.

I will give you something to think about here.

Why would the Police want to bust a foreigner for just hanging something up on the wall of some establishment or hand over a beer bottle to a stranger without going to the register or asking for money for the beer????  Thailand cops have better things to do than put up with that kind of BS unless they (the busted) did something to aggravate others etc.  Thai people are well known to put up with a lot of BS from the foreigners until it goes over the top.

Get the drift????

Daveyo

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

He was dobbed in..reason jealousy.If the cops get a complaint they normally act on it.

[toklong]

You knowI am suspicious of about this thread.  Its making no sense here.  Several points where brought up and it blows my mind that the police would even bother someone doing something very simple and not create a drop of sweat. 

Only time the police would even look at you is if you are doing something BAD or did something BAD in Thailand.

I will give you something to think about here.

Why would the Police want to bust a foreigner for just hanging something up on the wall of some establishment or hand over a beer bottle to a stranger without going to the register or asking for money for the beer????  Thailand cops have better things to do than put up with that kind of BS unless they (the busted) did something to aggravate others etc.  Thai people are well known to put up with a lot of BS from the foreigners until it goes over the top.

Get the drift????

Daveyo

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

He was dobbed in..reason jealousy.If the cops get a complaint they normally act on it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I would agree with you on your jealousy theory but I am suspicious,especially since PCN is reporting it.Can you see the possible connection?

[lovethailandlongtime]

You knowI am suspicious of about this thread.  Its making no sense here.  Several points where brought up and it blows my mind that the police would even bother someone doing something very simple and not create a drop of sweat. 

Only time the police would even look at you is if you are doing something BAD or did something BAD in Thailand.

I will give you something to think about here.

Why would the Police want to bust a foreigner for just hanging something up on the wall of some establishment or hand over a beer bottle to a stranger without going to the register or asking for money for the beer????  Thailand cops have better things to do than put up with that kind of BS unless they (the busted) did something to aggravate others etc.  Thai people are well known to put up with a lot of BS from the foreigners until it goes over the top.

Get the drift????

Daveyo

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Lost me to..As usual.

[george]

Related news from Pattaya Mail:

Bar owners arrested for serving drinks after hours

PATTAYA: -- A police crackdown on after-hours drinking has resulted in the arrest of several beer bar owners on Walking Street.

Pol Col Somnuk Changate, superintendent at Pattaya police station, led a 5 a.m. swoop on June 10, officers first descending on the Marine beer bar where there was still a crowd of tourists drinking. The owner, who was not named, was arrested.

Officers then went on to other bars still open. They arrested Tiger Sports Bar owner and manager U-thai Khokhuntod, 36, and then went to the JP 1 beer bar, arresting owner and manager Panuwat Pungsanthia, 26. They then arrested Hard Rock beer bar owner Pitak Pinyo, 23, and Performance Bar owner Suthasinee, 27. Police charged all of them with being open over the time limit set by the law.

The arrested owners have complained that although there were some 20 beer bars open after hours, only a few arrests were made. If the orders are that all beer bar owners allowing their premises to be open after the legal time limit are to be arrested, why have only a few singled out, they asked.

--Pattaya Mail 2005-06-17

[kayo]

8000 Plus views on this thread... seems disproportionatly large...

any thoughts?

[cobra]

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}>

[bartender100]

8000 Plus views on this thread... seems disproportionatly large...

any thoughts?

If you do a search on Google "walking street bars"as many might do, this thread comes top and third.You don't have to be a member to read off google.

Just shows how many potential tourist could be put off by the social crusade.

The police are oviuosly looking at soi Lucky Star,shame about Tiger Bar as that is one of the least busy,and more quiet music bars late night in that area.

But I bet Jenny Star is in full swing.