Phuket Noise: Villagers' Complaints Spark Raid

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Phuket noise: Villagers' complaints spark raid

Phuket Gazette

The Harbour Pub & Restaurant, located about 400 meters north of Phuket's famed Heroines Monument, was found to be trading without licenses. Photo: Thawit Bilabdullar

Vice Governor Somkiet reviews documents at the Relax Live Music nightclub, located about 200 meters south of Phuket’s famed Heroines Monument . Photo: Thawit Bilabdullar

PHUKET: -- Complaints from residents about noise from two entertainment venues in the Heroines Monument area prompted Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak to lead more than 30 officers to raid the venues last night.

Vice Governor Somkiet and officers from the Damrongtham Center (provincial ombudsman’s office), the Muang District and Thalang District Offices, and the Thalang Police raided the Relax Live Music bar pub the Harbour Pub and Restaurant at 10pm.

The raids were the result of the local residents, through their village chief, filing a collective complaint to the Damrongtham Center on August 27, explained Prapan Kanprasang, Chief of the Damrongtham Center.

V/Gov Somkiet said the complaint cited four issues: the loud noise from the venues; illegal trading after hours; the licenses, if any; and the effect on Thepkrasattri Road traffic because the drinkers' parked cars were narrowing three high-speed lanes down to just two, and blocked access to residents' private homes.

“Neither Relax Live Music nor the Harbour Pub and Restaurant have the correct business licenses, so I have told the owners of both venues to close at midnight,” said V/Gov Somkiet.

“Also, the owners must ensure the noise does not bother the residents and they must resolve the traffic problem; otherwise the owners will be arrested,” he added.

Mr Prapan added that Vice Governor Somkiet had also assigned the Phuket Public Health Office to monitor the noise created by the two venues.

“The officers are to report to him within seven days,” Mr Prapan said.

“If it is reported that the venues have not fixed the problems, the business owners will be arrested and charged with operating a business without the correct licenses and outside of an entertainment zone, for which the penalty is a fine of up to 20,000 baht or one year in prison, or both,” Mr Prapan warned.

“As I said, we did not intend to harm anyone. Our intention is to have both sides happy,” he added.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ticle19160.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-10-13

[Briggsy]

I'm glad the villagers got a result.

Noise from "pubs" (a.k.a. late night music and drinking venues) can destroy one's quality of life here.

Midnight seems to be the accepted convention now as the cut-off time. Perhaps there is something enshrined in law to that effect.

I wonder how much the police made from each side.

[HaleySabai]

obviously not run by the police,unlike 'Spicy' in Chiangmai.

[cheeryble]

"I wonder how much the police made from each side."

Briggsy, how would you like it if you were an honest Thai cop....or even a cop who was not being dishonest on a particular occasion, and there was a constant chorus of heckling accusations, without a shred of evidence that you were corrupt?

This is exactly what happens, usually multiple times in a thread, here on TV.

Is it in any form constructive?

Do you think it enamours you.......and unfortunately you automatically drag in the rest of us farang as a group.....to Thais who happen to read TV, constantly berating their country without offering any worthwhile suggestions?

Edited October 13, 2012 by cheeryble

[Briggsy]

"I wonder how much the police made from each side."

Briggsy, how would you like it if you were an honest Thai cop....or even a cop who was not being dishonest on a particular occasion, and there was a constant chorus of heckling accusations, without a shred of evidence that you were corrupt?

This is exactly what happens, usually multiple times in a thread, here on TV.

Is it in any form constructive?

Do you think it enamours you.......and unfortunately you automatically drag in the rest of us farang as a group.....to Thais who happen to read TV, constantly berating their country without offering any worthwhile suggestions?

The question is so easy.

An "honest Thai cop" would not have huge drinking venues operating beyond licensing hours, selling alcohol without the proper licenses, acting as a music venue within a residential area without any licensing on his patch. It is not as if they can hide.

Unless of course he had been bribed.

They all have to pay one way or another, that's how it works. If you had ever been in business in Thailand, you would know.

[asiawatcher]

"I wonder how much the police made from each side."

Briggsy, how would you like it if you were an honest Thai cop....or even a cop who was not being dishonest on a particular occasion, and there was a constant chorus of heckling accusations, without a shred of evidence that you were corrupt?

This is exactly what happens, usually multiple times in a thread, here on TV.

Is it in any form constructive?

Do you think it enamours you.......and unfortunately you automatically drag in the rest of us farang as a group.....to Thais who happen to read TV, constantly berating their country without offering any worthwhile suggestions?

The question is so easy.

An "honest Thai cop" would not have huge drinking venues operating beyond licensing hours, selling alcohol without the proper licenses, acting as a music venue within a residential area without any licensing on his patch. It is not as if they can hide.

Unless of course he had been bribed.

They all have to pay one way or another, that's how it works. If you had ever been in business in Thailand, you would know.

Having any venue with noise after ten near a residential area shows town planning was never an issue. And neither will be the policing. Payoffs and the issue will continue.

[cheeryble]

"I wonder how much the police made from each side."

Briggsy, how would you like it if you were an honest Thai cop....or even a cop who was not being dishonest on a particular occasion, and there was a constant chorus of heckling accusations, without a shred of evidence that you were corrupt?

This is exactly what happens, usually multiple times in a thread, here on TV.

Is it in any form constructive?

Do you think it enamours you.......and unfortunately you automatically drag in the rest of us farang as a group.....to Thais who happen to read TV, constantly berating their country without offering any worthwhile suggestions?

The question is so easy.

An "honest Thai cop" would not have huge drinking venues operating beyond licensing hours, selling alcohol without the proper licenses, acting as a music venue within a residential area without any licensing on his patch. It is not as if they can hide.

Unless of course he had been bribed.

They all have to pay one way or another, that's how it works. If you had ever been in business in Thailand, you would know.

At the risk of labouring the point not just to you but to many:

"Do you think it enamours you.......and unfortunately you automatically drag in the rest of us farang as a group.....to Thais who happen to read TV, constantly berating their country without offering any worthwhile suggestions?"

[KarenBravo]

At the risk of labouring the point not just to you but to many:

"Do you think it enamours you.......and unfortunately you automatically drag in the rest of us farang as a group.....to Thais who happen to read TV, constantly berating their country without offering any worthwhile suggestions?"

You do know police have to buy their jobs, right? They also have to pay for all their equipment. Do you think police become police to "protect and serve"?

Why are you so sensitive to what the Thais think when it's obvious they don't give a rat's arse what you think?

Frankly, I don't care what either ethnicity think if the truth is out there.

Surely truth trumps "saving face"?

Edited October 13, 2012 by KarenBravo

[DoctorG]

A vice governor leading a police raid?

[Briggsy]

Cheeryble

You must be a real noob.

The Thais have a far worse view of their own police force than the foreigners here. If you think that Thais are scrutinising this forum looking for negative comments regarding their own police, you are seriously mistaken.

Stay here a while, open a bar perhaps, learn to read the Thai papers and you will discover that the police are systemically corrupt. Money has to be passed up from the bottom to the next rank above every month. Where do you think this money comes from? Father Christmas?

If you open a large pub in Phuket, you will be paying the police a hefty sum every month, I guarantee it.

[Tanaka]

"I wonder how much the police made from each side."

Briggsy, how would you like it if you were an honest Thai cop....or even a cop who was not being dishonest on a particular occasion, and there was a constant chorus of heckling accusations, without a shred of evidence that you were corrupt?

This is exactly what happens, usually multiple times in a thread, here on TV.

Is it in any form constructive?

Do you think it enamours you.......and unfortunately you automatically drag in the rest of us farang as a group.....to Thais who happen to read TV, constantly berating their country without offering any worthwhile suggestions?

There are honest Thai police, of course. But they are a minority, IMO. And the UN has stated Thai police to be organized crime so maybe you should write them a letter too. If the honest cops were serious, they could deny working with corrupt officers.

[silsburyhill]

Cheeryble

You must be a real noob.

The Thais have a far worse view of their own police force than the foreigners here. If you think that Thais are scrutinising this forum looking for negative comments regarding their own police, you are seriously mistaken.

Stay here a while, open a bar perhaps, learn to read the Thai papers and you will discover that the police are systemically corrupt. Money has to be passed up from the bottom to the next rank above every month. Where do you think this money comes from? Father Christmas?

If you open a large pub in Phuket, you will be paying the police a hefty sum every month, I guarantee it.

Spot on with the 'money must be passed from bottom to next rank'. However, the farang owner of the Drift Inn on Phuket pays nothing. No Thai front girl either.

[cheeryble]

Spot on with the 'money must be passed from bottom to next rank'. However, the farang owner of the Drift Inn on Phuket pays nothing. No Thai front girl either.

In my own case the police have twice acted on my behalf ensuring the guilty party in an accidents paid up. It's normal procedure in Thailand for payments to be made in a police station on a set date with the police holding the license of the unlucky guy. In neither case was anything asked, not even vaguely hinted at.

As for others in business or trouble in my experience I see some people have to pay and others don't, and of course corruption exists.

However what's the point in constantly bringing up suspicions as if they're evidenced fact......because in most cases by far, its just supposition, just worthless hot air. If you really feel so strongly why not hold your breath until you see a case where you can actually act then take your cajones in your hand and do it, even if it's only a properly evidenced proxy complaint or even anonymous complaint to the right parties and the press in a considered form that's hard to ignore. I'd say crying wolf all the time weakens a genuine case.

Edited October 13, 2012 by cheeryble

[Briggsy]

The pubs are definitely paying the police as they are operating outside of the legal hours and without the proper licences without question.

[pauljones]

"I wonder how much the police made from each side."

Briggsy, how would you like it if you were an honest Thai cop....or even a cop who was not being dishonest on a particular occasion, and there was a constant chorus of heckling accusations, without a shred of evidence that you were corrupt?

This is exactly what happens, usually multiple times in a thread, here on TV.

Is it in any form constructive?

Do you think it enamours you.......and unfortunately you automatically drag in the rest of us farang as a group.....to Thais who happen to read TV, constantly berating their country without offering any worthwhile suggestions?

Over the last 20 years in Thailand, I have never spoken to a Thai that has respect for the police.

There is not one single police officer in Thailand that has not participated in corruption.

[stevenl]

"I wonder how much the police made from each side."

Briggsy, how would you like it if you were an honest Thai cop....or even a cop who was not being dishonest on a particular occasion, and there was a constant chorus of heckling accusations, without a shred of evidence that you were corrupt?

This is exactly what happens, usually multiple times in a thread, here on TV.

Is it in any form constructive?

Do you think it enamours you.......and unfortunately you automatically drag in the rest of us farang as a group.....to Thais who happen to read TV, constantly berating their country without offering any worthwhile suggestions?

Over the last 20 years in Thailand, I have never spoken to a Thai that has respect for the police.

There is not one single police officer in Thailand that has not participated in corruption.

Look around more, I know plenty who do respect them.

[NamKangMan]

"I wonder how much the police made from each side."

Briggsy, how would you like it if you were an honest Thai cop....or even a cop who was not being dishonest on a particular occasion, and there was a constant chorus of heckling accusations, without a shred of evidence that you were corrupt?

This is exactly what happens, usually multiple times in a thread, here on TV.

Is it in any form constructive?

Do you think it enamours you.......and unfortunately you automatically drag in the rest of us farang as a group.....to Thais who happen to read TV, constantly berating their country without offering any worthwhile suggestions?

Over the last 20 years in Thailand, I have never spoken to a Thai that has respect for the police.

There is not one single police officer in Thailand that has not participated in corruption.

Look around more, I know plenty who do respect them.

I think you are confusing "respect" with "fear."

[cdnski12]

There is virtually little or no town planning anywhere in ThaIand. 40 story buildings have septic fields in BKK, which is 2.0m below sea level. Heavy rains in virtually all Thai cities cause septic sludge to flow all over the terrain. I realise that Engineering is not a Thai strong suit and neither is Public Health. I've seen large niteclubs open up in the middle of villages, a slaughter house opened up next door to a ferang friend's rented rural house. Adjacent properties were given no notice. The Police & Govt Authorities were all paid off. As far as I know, no compensation was ever offered to the adjacent property owners & renters. That is why many expats recommend to newbies ... rent, rent and RENT again! You will inevitably loose the money anyways. Never invest more than you are prepared to loose.