Gutted Phuket Pubs Operating Hours Checked: Tiger Disco

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PHUKET FIRE

Gutted Phuket pub's operating hours checked

The Nation

File photo

PHUKET: -- The Tiger Discotheque in Phuket, which was gutted in a fire that killed four people last week, has been declared off-limits, while an independent group of architects has recommended demolishing the structure's second floor and a deck.

It will be known in a few days if Tiger Discotheque was operating illegally after hours, provincial Governor Tree Akkharadecha said yesterday.

The municipality yesterday restricted entry into the building that houses the pub, while the Association of Siamese Architects under the Royal Patronage of His Majesty the King said the heavily damage deck and the entire the second floor should be taken down.

The provincial police chief and his deputy would be "invited" to clarify the operating hours, why two exits could not be used during the fire, and whether the venue was open beyond the legal limit of 2am.

Highly flammable polystyrene had been used to make decorative items in the venue, possibly in violation of the law, said Bundit Pradabsuk, the head of the association. After the Santika Pub fire in Bangkok - which killed many people on New Year's eve in 2009 - polystyrene had been banned, he added.

Bundit did not give the legal timeframe for owners of venues to change from polystyrene to other substances.

He said there were eight fire exits at Tiger Discotheque, while the law only required six.

A lawyer representing the venue said the fire exits caught fire, preventing patrons from using them and forcing them to flee through the front gate.

The Provincial Electricity Authority has already dismissed an electrical short circuit as the cause, as cited by the lawyer.

An inspection of fire safety features and all entertainment venues in Phuket is underway to find any violations, the governor said.

-- The Nation 2012-08-21

[MarkusRellstab]

"and whether the venue was open beyond the legal limit of 2am."

Before it was reported the fire was at 4 am?? slightly over limit then?

[Fatherfluffybottom]

"and whether the venue was open beyond the legal limit of 2am."

Before it was reported the fire was at 4 am?? slightly over limit then?

Yea it was open well past 2am, same every other night!

[Soupdragon]

The Provincial Electricity Authority has already dismissed an electrical short circuit as the cause, as cited by the lawyer.

Translation. We want everyone to think that the fire was not caused by an electrical short circuit and have already removed evidence from the scene that could have disproved this statement.

Where is the quote from the PEA or do we just have to take the lawyers word for it ?

[stevenl]

The Provincial Electricity Authority has already dismissed an electrical short circuit as the cause, as cited by the lawyer.

Translation. We want everyone to think that the fire was not caused by an electrical short circuit and have already removed evidence from the scene that could have disproved this statement.

Where is the quote from the PEA or do we just have to take the lawyers word for it ?

@ Soupdragon: the lawyer cited an electrical short circuit as the cause, the PEA dismissed that as a possible cause.

[namoi]

i thaught the PEA ruled out the transformer as the problem, i don`t recall anything being said about the switchboard one way or the other..........

[KarenBravo]

No.....the PEA discounted the possibility of the transformer causing the fire; not a short-circuit within the club.

[misterme]

CCTVs should clear up whether they were open after 2am.

As I understand it, he can register to view the live broadcasts himself. I'm sure they have that night's footage archived already though.

[Soupdragon]

The Provincial Electricity Authority has already dismissed an electrical short circuit as the cause, as cited by the lawyer.

Translation. We want everyone to think that the fire was not caused by an electrical short circuit and have already removed evidence from the scene that could have disproved this statement.

Where is the quote from the PEA or do we just have to take the lawyers word for it ?

@ Soupdragon: the lawyer cited an electrical short circuit as the cause, the PEA dismissed that as a possible cause.

You are right Steven I misred that.

I was thinking of this statement made by Patong Electricity Chief Atipong Thongyon.

So if the fire was not caused by transformers blowing up, it is possible it was caused by an electrical short..

[stevenl]

You are right Steven I misred that.

I was thinking of this statement made by Patong Electricity Chief Atipong Thongyon.

So if the fire was not caused by transformers blowing up, it is possible it was caused by an electrical short..

Yes, it is confusing, plus the wording from PG could be clearer on many occasions.

[NamKangMan]

Just as a side issue, if the 2am closing time is enforced, for quite a while, before going back to making corrupt payments to stay open past 2am, the owners of the other nightclubs are not going to be very happy. We are talking about the potential loss of millions of baht that would be earned between 2am and 5 - 6am.

Further to that issue, is the loss of jobs/earnings for staff from all other late night venues, and the loss of earnings for the freelance hookers that prey on drunks between those hours, so, not that much being sent home to Issan each month from the legitimate staff and the hookers. So, an impact may be felt in Issan, as a result of this fire/2am closing enforcement.

If 2am is enforced, it will be interesting to see if the sex tourists and party-goers still come to Phuket, or chose Pattaya or Bali. For this reason, this "fire" could have quite some impact on the local economy, IF the 2am closing is enforced for a lengthy period of time.

If Tiger had 800 patrons at 4am, then add several more hundred patrons from the other nightclubs, you would have well over 2000 people out past the hour of 2am, that's a lot of lost sales, both in alcohol, and in sex.

I expect there will be a lot of posts along the lines of "2am is late enough" and "you shouldn't be out drinking past 2am - it just causes trouble" etc etc - but, there is an obvious demand by tourists to be partying after 2am, or you wouldn't have such numbers in the nightclubs in the early hours of the morning.

If Phuket can't put on a party past 2am, tourist may look to holiday elsewhere.

Edited August 21, 2012 by NamKangMan

[indyuk]

The 2am limit for sale of alcohol must be enforced. We suffer far too many problems that are caused by irresponsible bar owner that flaunt Thai Law.

Edited August 21, 2012 by indyuk

[stevenl]

The 2am limit for sale of alcohol must be enforced. We suffer far too many problems that are caused by irresponsible bar owner that flaunt Thai Law.

Can you give some examples of the problems caused by keeping bars open after 2 AM?

[NamKangMan]

The 2am limit for sale of alcohol must be enforced. We suffer far too many problems that are caused by irresponsible bar owner that flaunt Thai Law.

Enforcement of the 2am closing time law could see an increase in what is known as "binge drinking" which can cause more problems than letting people just "burn themselves out." This occurs when people consume more alcohol, over a shorter period of time, when they know alcohol will become unavailable, due to prohibitive laws. Intoxication levels can be higher in these cases.

So, rather than 2am closing reducing alcohol related problems, it can sometimes increase the problems.

Also, you might find tourists starting to drink earlier in the day, when the families are still out - not a great look. So, intoxication levels may remain the same, just the time that it occurs within most people will change.

I suppose, if the above occurs, it would meen the nightclubs would have to get patrons in earlier, to minimise their losses from the 2am closing.

I would suggest, there will also probably be a lot more complaints of noise in hotels, as there will be parties in rooms, or on balconies, at 2am with bar girls.

Edited August 21, 2012 by NamKangMan