Last night at midnight, dozens of police descended on Loi Kroh rd, shut down the girlie bars and went through Chez Marcos with a fine tooth comb:- checking there was no 'Mae Sai Whisky' , checking staff papers etc etc.

My wife asked them what they were doing and being remarkably candid, as most Thias are, one guy told her that complaints had been received about late night noise at the new location of Spicy on Chiang Moi Rd and despite the fact that the police own it, they were forced to close at midnight. As a result and having lost face, Plod decided that every bar in the area should close at midnight, hence the shakedown. Restaurants arn't supposed to be included but they decided to give Marco a shakedown as they were in the area anyway and he doesn't make the appropriate contribution to the Police Benevolent fund.

T.I.T.!!

at midnight, dozens of police descended on Loi Kroh rd, shut down the girlie bars

Well, time to get home anyway.

at midnight, dozens of police descended on Loi Kroh rd, shut down the girlie bars

Well, time to get home anyway.

My Grandad always used to say to me "if your not in bed by midnight, go home"

Nothing good happens after midnight.

All very banana republic-esque, though.

The 21st century and nanny is tucking people up in bed.

Were they real police or a set of dummies....or couldn't anyone tell?

Is this a city ordinance that bars close at midnight?... I thought it's 2am.

Saw a convoy of police on motorcycles and police cars traveling down LK. Asked someone on the street what's happening. She said they were busting people using or selling ya baa.

Not sure what you are talking about here.

Shake down to me means pay money or other commodities in return for special treatment.

Kinda missed that in your post.

Sounds like they were just enforcing the law.

Is this a city ordinance that bars close at midnight?... I thought it's 2am.

Saw a convoy of police on motorcycles and police cars traveling down LK. Asked someone on the street what's happening. She said they were busting people using or selling ya baa.

Night before last as I was coming home around 23:00 I think, I saw a large group of police wearing some uniforms I had not see before - kinda like black riot outfits, stopping every motorcycle and car going under the bridge at Faham. They had about 70-80 motorcycles lined up and were going through them with a fine tooth comb, even looking in the gas tanks with flashlights.

Right before tourist season and at the beginning of Loi Krathong. Absolutely consistent with the Thai mindset - Lets do whatever we can to screw up tourism, and then sit around and wonder why the numbers are so low so blame it on the foreigners."

Right before tourist season and at the beginning of Loi Krathong. Absolutely consistent with the Thai mindset - Lets do whatever we can to screw up tourism, and then sit around and wonder why the numbers are so low so blame it on the foreigners."

You think too much.

Right before tourist season and at the beginning of Loi Krathong. Absolutely consistent with the Thai mindset - Lets do whatever we can to screw up tourism, and then sit around and wonder why the numbers are so low so blame it on the foreigners."

Who are you referring to, the police?

Right before tourist season and at the beginning of Loi Krathong. Absolutely consistent with the Thai mindset - Lets do whatever we can to screw up tourism, and then sit around and wonder why the numbers are so low so blame it on the foreigners."

Who are you referring to, the police?

It appears they are the culprits this time. Before it was one of or both of the 'shirt' (pick your color) crowd. In Phuket it's the tuk tuk drivers.

For the most part Thais are very hard working, good people. I want to see them succeed, not only because I live here, but because it's deserved. But groups/government seem to always get in the way.

Edited November 5, 201114 yr by venturalaw

Right before tourist season and at the beginning of Loi Krathong. Absolutely consistent with the Thai mindset - Lets do whatever we can to screw up tourism, and then sit around and wonder why the numbers are so low so blame it on the foreigners."

You think too much.

No I think he is on to some thing. I believe it is headlines in every major publication in the world.

DON'T GO TO CHIANG MAI THAILAND THE POLICE ENFORCED THE CLOSING TIMES ON LOI KROI

Not exactly a deterrent to the family people is it or am I confused as to their purpose here in Thailand.

Perhaps the police no longer have any interests in Spicy anymore? That’s why it`s changed location. More trouble than it`s worth or just not making a profit because of the ever dwindling numbers of tourists each year? Who knows?

I believe the aim is for the eventual close down of all adult themed nightly entertainments in Chiang Mai. I mean, let us face facts; there is hardly anything left worth mentioning as things presently stand and I personally cannot see much of a future for the existing businesses.

Maybe time for the business owners to sell up and seek pastures anew?

I rode down Loi Kroh at about 8pm? and they were already on the scene in numbers, so the end result hardly sounds surprising. A shame what happened to Marco's crew but T.I.T. My Spicy visits are in ever dwindling numbers but i have noticed since the move that they are copping a lot of attention, as is Lucky. Perhaps the Police have moved on from this venture. It all seems in line with other opinions that post midnight fun is being minimalised. Adapt and survive people.

I could tell you the truth of it, but I would probably not be believed, so I'm not even going to try.

I could tell you the truth of it, but I would probably not be believed, so I'm not even going to try.

Haha sounds like something i was going to post in the Chang beer thread .

I don't think we know the real story of what was happening down there last night. I was headed home at 8:30 PM and stopped to talk to a friend that owns a pharmacy that was right across from the paddy wagon. They had no clue what was going down and even the cops didn't look like they wanted to be there. Funny thing though is that as I walked to my motorcycle, some German tourists warned me to leave the area!

re .. complaints had been received about late night noise at the new location of Spicy on Chiang Moi Rd

ahhhh... so thats what these posters put up in chiang moi road were about

now know !

dave2

ps .. pics taken on 26 oct.

That's quite a strong statement!

I don't think we know the real story of what was happening down there last night. I was headed home at 8:30 PM and stopped to talk to a friend that owns a pharmacy that was right across from the paddy wagon. They had no clue what was going down and even the cops didn't look like they wanted to be there. Funny thing though is that as I walked to my motorcycle, some German tourists warned me to leave the area!

Great, so they managed to scare some tourists. I watched them go about their business last night, and it was just precious to watch. Telling tuk tuk drivers where they can and cannot park, and grannying about for a bit.

It's folklore, and kind of sweet that someone somewhere bothers with LK road.

I could tell you the truth of it, but I would probably not be believed, so I'm not even going to try.

Aww come on. Now you have to tell.

If not here then drop me a line off the forum.

Is this a city ordinance that bars close at midnight?... I thought it's 2am.

Saw a convoy of police on motorcycles and police cars traveling down LK. Asked someone on the street what's happening. She said they were busting people using or selling ya baa.

Night before last as I was coming home around 23:00 I think, I saw a large group of police wearing some uniforms I had not see before - kinda like black riot outfits, stopping every motorcycle and car going under the bridge at Faham. They had about 70-80 motorcycles lined up and were going through them with a fine tooth comb, even looking in the gas tanks with flashlights.

Sorry if I'm a bit slow. I reckon you're saying the cops can do what they want at whatever time they feel it for a buck. Am I right?

CM should have a zoning law; in fact all cities should. Let all shops in the red zone open as late as they want. Perhaps they feel regulating the joints' operating hours make the enforcement agency look more respectable?

Nice pics. Actually, CM Road would be a good candidate for a refurb... could look the bee's knees: got a nice bend, a hump over canal and then the head of Chinatown. I say turf the businesses out, paint the shophouses multicoloured, cobble and pedestrianise the street, and fill the bars with gorgeous Southern girls.

Sort of like main street, Burano Is, though without the water:

CM should have a zoning law; in fact all cities should.

Many places do, such as Bangla in Patong, Phuket and the nefarious localities of Bangkok/Pattaya... probably set up to circumvent T & co's curtailing of drinking hours many moons ago. CM never got zoned as it's a cool, cultured mountain town.

If Bangkok and Pattaya have zoning for nightery entertainment places, the zone muxt be the whole city.

I can well imagine that OP was upset! Certainly a terrific annoyance to him and others.

Looking at the inflammatory topic heading, was he "shaken down?" The "facts" gathered from one "BIB" (maybe black, not brown, this time (?). Does OP have any direct and specific knowledge of anyone being shaken down? He has certainly tossed off a casual post! Regrettably, most of the posts thereafter go even further.

Too bad about Marco's (according to OP's story) where there was (implied by OP) a rather more thorough inspection. It is a lovely place, as is OP's, and certainly innocuous. I am unable to recall any cutie dancing on a table or on OP's bar offering her favors. Perhaps OP will offer a "rubdown" voucher along with the several others he has on offer!

OP suggests that Marco has not provided any dash to the police. The implication is that OP has paid off the police since he wasn't apparently more than somewhat inconvenienced? Or did his lovely missus stare them down! Now, she's a rock!

Anyway, back to the speculation, one can well imagine that local Chiang Moi residents would be quite upset about late-night noise from the reincarnated Spicy's, infamous as a pick-up point for the very late-night (and rather desperate!) crowd and site (at least in the past) of rather nasty altercations on the pavement. Why, one wonders, the change in venue? One doesn't have to be a monk to wonder where the neighborhood might be headed. Perhaps the Chiang Moi neighbors will march in the upcoming parades with placards: "Loi Kroh for Loi Kroh!" A subtle "boost" to business they wish elsewhere.

To suggest a much more important concern for OP and Marco: When will there be a parking garage on lower Loi Kroh !!!!!!!!!!!!! Perhaps with "solicitation stations" (aka "girlie (and other) bars" on every level offering beer, popcorn and getting popped. Other less adventurous sorts might simply go on to enjoy Marco's, OP's, or other similar places of not-so-ill repute. But that would definitely ruin the je ne sais quoi quaint atmosphere of Loi Kroh (which topic has been hammered into the ground elsewhere on this site!)

Ah, is this "TIT," as OP suggests, or "TITV Chiang Mai!"

Mai phen rai!

Edited November 5, 201114 yr by Mapguy

OP suggests that Marco has not provided any dash to the police. The implication is that OP has paid off the police since he wasn't apparently more than somewhat inconvenienced?

That seems to be the case yes. I would imagine most night spots in that area do though, so not that big of a deal. And, being a proper restaurant, Marco rightly tells them to get stuffed.

Funny about Chang Moi Rd by the way. Sad dreary road, I think Spicy probably helped it a couple steps in the right direction. And complaining about pubs and noise.. as if that doesn't apply to so many other roads, including Ratwithee around the Irish Pub and reggae area, or Nimmanhaemin for that matter. But no, a couple saddos go cry about Chang Moi. Cry me a river.

Edited November 5, 201114 yr by WinnieTheKhwai

Agreed. OP's place is also legit!

Edited November 5, 201114 yr by Mapguy

Its completely absurd to have 60+ police officers in riot gear descend upon Loi Kroh.

Its a thuggish demonstration of force.