Opening Hours

raybkk · January 10, 2004

May I quote...

Opening Hours

The interior Ministry will seek cabinet approval on Tuesday for a new regulation to require all entertainment venues to open at 6pm and close at midnight based on public hearing results.

Deputi Interior Minister Pracha Maleenont said he will ask cabinet on Jan 13 to issue a new ministrial regulation to require all kinds of entertainment venues to open at 6pm and close at midnight every day.

If endorsed by the cabinet, the new rule will be enforced around Jan 22- the chineese New Year Day - when His Majesty the King is expected to sign the new entertainment law, he said.

Wichian Chavalit, director of the Local Administration Department's legal office, said the law will impose 5,000-baht fines on entertainment venue visitors failing to carry ID cards.

Candyflip · January 10, 2004

That suuuucks.. big time.

nokna · January 10, 2004

Maybe time to relocate to the philipines

Thaiquila · January 10, 2004

That is beyond ridiculous.

I thought Thailand was trying to build tourism. It isn't only sex tourists who like to go to late night entertainment venues. People like to have a good time on their vacation. This is only going to drive tourists to more party friendly destinations. The obvious winners are places like the Phillipines and Spain (and Spain doesn't need the help).

I hope if they have to go through with this mistake, they will at least go for the compromise closing time of 1 AM.

Also, what constitutes ID card for foreigners? What would suffice? A drivers license, xerox copy of passport, or actual passport? If they require carrying around your actual passport, that is another onerous anti-tourist, anti-foreigner mistake.

I understand the Thai government is embarassed by Thailand's reputation as a sex capital. However, this new tack is not the answer. I always have felt that Thailand's sex reputation is unfair to Thailand. There are millions of prostitutes in countries all over the world, France, Netherlands, Mexico, the US, Brazil, to name a few. I think a tastefully done international ad campaign highlighting how Thailand is just like lots of other countries in having prostitution available would help soften the unfair image.

January 10, 2004

Underground Rave will pop up everywhere

nokna · January 10, 2004

######.. us old guys r to old for rave what the ###### will we do

ZoiD · January 11, 2004

This is the dumbest thing ive ever heard.. There trying to increase tourism???

Right ho

How are they justifying this??

All the bars, clubs etc in the phillipines close at 4-6am and there aint any problems there..

Its gonna be the same as the UK, everyone drinking as much as they can before last orders and then down the kebab house (trolley) for a fight..

Membrane · January 11, 2004

That is COMPLETELY ABSURD!

I think that translates into "Bye Bye Farang"!

Khun ? · January 11, 2004

I see alot of house, hotel and street parties in the future. This will help many save

on their drink prices at least. I see alot of cheaper street action so if they can keep the crime down this could be a blessing in disquise. Resturants will be packed

after hours now and the amber liquids will be the savior of many small places

that have had rough times. Just think the corner noodle stand with 50 or so customers each night. Going to be alot of noisey neighborhoods in the future.

francois · January 11, 2004

Thailand is closing, time to go home early gentlemen ...

as it had been said, a lot more noise in small places soon

I don't see Thailand in a bright future ...

from some kind of stupid new social order and well-thinking and being ...

Thailand is loosing it's most precious thing ... it's charm, that comes from so many

little things, but surely mostly like Thais like it, food open late in the streets, bars and entertainment places wide open for "paytio" ... it's gone

sanouk at home ... not really same

we complain, we are surely right someway, but what a He## fot Thai people ....

francois

duncaw · January 11, 2004

What exactly constitutes an "entertainment venue"?

Just go-go bars / nightclubs?

Bars with girls working in them?

Bars without girls working in them?

Cinemas?

Bowling Alleys?

Restaurants?

I cannot honestly believe that ALL bars will not be able to open until 6PM. Midnight closing isn't too much of a problem as far as I'm concerned but not being able to get a beer on a Saturday afternoon is complete crap.

the gentleman · January 11, 2004

What is he doing?, I hope he keeps these stupid ideas up as I think his future as leader of this country is limited (I am talking about Thaksin by the way) - For the Thai people... Do you think the king will sign this?

Jeepz · January 11, 2004

I dunno that I should even venture an opinion on this, since I'm sitting in the USA at the moment. The bars here close at 2:30 a.m. and I've found that very convienent since most of my working life has been on the swing shift, getting off about midnight.

Now, since it has zero effect on me at the moment, I think it's a great idea. Maybe even 10:00 p.m. as a closing time. It'll have a wonderful effect on all the twenty-something and thirty-something tourists, whether they are visiting for dubious or upright reasons.

Then the tourism board can try and get all the big spending old fogey's to come and visit with assurances that they won't be kept up late by revelers outside their hotel room. And the manufacturing base will have to change to producing goods for the grandparents to take home as presents for their grandkiddies.

Okay, to be honest, if it gets implemented, it will probably cause an amazing amount of problems for the tourist industry. Numbers will drop, money stop flowing in at the rate they expect, and at some point, someone will rethink the regulation.

But the powers that be may see it at this point as a first step to get Thailand out of the Sex Tourism business. It may not work as they expect, but that's never slowed down politicians before.

Jeepz

bartender100 · January 11, 2004

My girlfriend did not believe me at first,then we found on the front page of yesterdays Thai paper,the problem is,that if not enough Thais kick up a fuss about it,it will be made law very soon because taksin wants it,then it will be to late.

lamphun · January 11, 2004

Well done the Thai government. These new closing hours are a great idea.

At the moment when I head down the bars at 6:30pm there's nobody around no singers no dancing no atmosphere. Makes you just sit and drink and drink.

Soon nightlife will be buzzing in the early hours, the early evening hours that is.

Great for those of us who have to get up early.

Early to bed early to rise.

adjan jb · January 12, 2004

Long live the corner noodle shops, the bar-b-cue stands, their cheap beers and their friendly atmosphere. That's where I always drink as I can't stand the "air-con".

lamphun · January 12, 2004

Long live the corner noodle shops, the bar-b-cue stands, their cheap beers and their friendly atmosphere. That's where I always drink as I can't stand the "air-con".

Be very careful Adjan_jb or Doktor Pat will label you a "walker"

In all the moaning over this the recent limitations on opening hours from last year seem to have been forgotten. The police were hanging about in the street outside local bars and making sure they shut before 2 am.

This doesn't seem to have caused the demise of the Thai tourist industry and neither will shuting at midnight.

It will only upset a few alkies... and they can drink at noodle shops after the bars close.

I suppose you could say they're keeping them on the street.

adjan jb · January 12, 2004

As far as I'm concerned, I move to the country side where the police has barely heard about the "social crusade" and where beer is cheaper and barbecue pork crispier.

I don't mind being labelled a "walkie" as I never take my car to go the nearest waterpoint.

"Oh show me the way to the next whisky bar"

lamphun · January 12, 2004

As far as I'm concerned, I move to the country side where the police has barely heard about the "social crusade" and where beer is cheaper and barbecue pork crispier.
"Oh show me the way to the next whisky bar"

Mighty interesting Adjan. I hope you're not breathing meths fumes over your unfortunate pupils first thing in the morning.

You may want to keep your head down whilst pissing it up at the countryside grog shop as the rural cops have definately heard of the "social crusade" against the drug trade.

We more sophisticated big city boys will just have to adjust our socialising hours to the new midnight closing time. It's great for people who work in restaurants and bars as it will let them get home before sun-up. Another step in the right direction.

Thaiquila · January 12, 2004

Another reason early closing hours are silly:

Thailand is a HOT country!

It makes perfect sense to take advantage of the cooler, NIGHTTIME hours.

Khun ? · January 13, 2004

It is a health issue. They want all of us Fat Farangs back in our rooms early so we can be up in time to feed our face in the morning. The extra food we eat will make up for the lost beer sales. They will now have to open noodle stands earlier so the million lost jobs will be transitioned to the noodle stands which have no BF's. It is a bargain in disquise.