Pattaya Mayor Wants Nightlife Plan Review

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Pattaya mayor wants nightlife plan review

PATTAYA: Pattaya mayor Pairat Sutthithamrongsawat has urged a review of Interior Ministry plans to close nightspots from midnight.

Speaking at a gathering of 100 beer bar operators, Mr Pairat said Pattaya would lose tourist income if the proposal came into effect.

He would call a meeting with business operators and send a report to cabinet.

"We can't sit and do nothing. This proposal is the work of lunatics with no common sense. It will destroy the tourism industry," he said.

The new curbs on nightlife are being reconsidered by a panel chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Purachai Piumsombun. Cabinet will later decide opening hours for all nightspots, possibly from March 1.

Pattaya City Council called the meeting to brief operators on the changes.

A law, which classified entertainment venues into six major groups and several sub-groups, took effect on Jan 13.

--The Post 2004-01-29

[Tufty]

According to Chawalit Saengutai, Banglamung district clerk, the January 13 amendments to the 38-year-old legislation are numerous and pertain to many areas of the industry.

Chawalit began by explaining that the central government has decided to categorize all entertainment venues as follows: clause 3(1) A venue providing dance or ballroom dancing; (2) A venue that provides food, alcohol, tea or drinks and services as to pander or lavish customers; 3(3) A venue that provides bath services e.g. body massage for customers, with the exception of traditional massage, which must be approved by the ministry of public health and 3(4) A venue that serves food and drink and other products.

This is further categorized by the new laws as: a) Live music or shows to provide entertainment with singers or staff that sit with customers; Provides equipment for customers to sing (karaoke venues) as part of customer service; d) Dancing or a dancing facility; e) A venue that has music or equipment as such classified by the ministry and (5) An establishment that provides or sells food and drinks and provides live music or other entertainment shows. The official closing time for all venues in these categories is 12 midnight.

Other regulations for entertainment venues classified in this group rule that the business must have its business license renewed annually, with an initial registration fee of 50,000 baht and 10,000 each year for renewal.

According to officials at the meeting, the ministry has yet to finalize the details, but these and other amendments that are to be changed under the current legislation are scheduled to be completed by February 6, 2004.

Chawalit added that apart from the new laws and licensing requirements, enforcement is set to be tighter, with stiffer penalties for those who fail to comply. As for bath massage houses; an additional requirement is that the venue must have a hotel room for sleeping.

Chawalit went on to explain that the rules pertaining to minors and drunkenness prohibit staff under 18 to work in an entertainment establishment as categorized above, and forbid patrons under the age of 20 to frequent such entertainment venues. The law also reiterates that illegal drugs, weapons and lewd entertainment are prohibited. The penalties for infringement are set to range from imprisonment, increased fines and or cancellation of operating licenses and numerous other guidelines.

The announcement clearly unnerved many of those attending the meeting, and mutterings could be heard that the new rules are extremely complicated and will be difficult to comply with.

Surapol Tiensuwan, Banglamung district chief told people at the meeting that he could empathize with them regarding the new regulations, and that they would affect many smaller businesses in the region, specifically the 1,000 plus beer bars and karaoke bars, as the new rules cover these venues and they must pay the 50,000 baht registration fees for licensing - a vast difference from the previous method of requesting a business license.

“However, we must follow the regulations as announced today since they have been handed down by the central government,” said Surapol.

The district chief also touched on the government’s social order campaign and the long awaited zoning issue, which has plagued Pattaya with numerous problems in the past.

“We will have to wait until the final announcement on February 6 when it is expected that the government will also reveal operating hours for the entertainment industry and zoning. The law binds us and I would encourage all business operators to begin registering immediately after February 6 and before March 13 this year,” concluded Surapol.

Following the meeting the majority of business operators were left aghast at the new regulations. They told reporters that the new laws would not only destroy the industry and their businesses due to the new licensing fees, but will ultimately reduce the number of tourists in Pattaya, effectively destroying the city’s vibrant nightlife.