Pattaya 4am And/or 24hrs Opening In Specific Zones

[george]

City calls for review of entertainment legislation to allow 4 a.m. and/or 24 hour operation in specific zones

“Everyone” confused over variations in new laws

PATTAYA: It appears that the only person who understands the new entertainment legislation might be the person who wrote it, and even that is not a sure thing.

By now, most likely everyone who has any interest in the new law is well versed in the changes that have been making headlines, but of late, these changes are being altered. At a recent cabinet meeting Deputy PM Purachai Piumsomboon, head of the committee making the legislation changes, proposed classification for operating times in specific venues, such as bath massage houses and other entertainment venues, by separating operating times according to zoning. He is prosing these new variations due to mounting concern that the populace may try to invoke paragraph 50 of the constitution, which allows “the people” to overturn legislation if they gather enough signatures on a petition.

To avoid such an exercise, the deputy PM said that zoning would be needed. For example, he said, dance venues inside the designated “entertainment zone(s)” would be allowed to operate from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m., but those outside the zone would be required to close at midnight. Beer bars inside the zone would be allowed to open from 11 a.m. to midnight ... Thai massage parlors inside the zone would be allowed to operate from 4 p.m. to midnight and outside the zone, 6 p.m. to midnight.

Places offering live music and shows inside the zone would operate from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m., but those outside the zone must close at midnight. He said that these regulations will come into effect as of March 1 this year.

However, there might be yet another twist to the saga. Suwit Nongyai, Pattaya city council member who is involved with the drafting of the new entertainment legislation in parliament said, “In reality, the law must be passed by parliament with a majority vote for it to come into effect, since it is being proposed by the Ministry of Interior. Currently, it has only passed through cabinet and has not been presented to the parliament.”

Suwit went on to say, “The new legislation will give special consideration to tourist destinations such as Pattaya, Phuket, Bangkok and Chiang Mai only, which would allow them to operate 24 hours. They will only be closed pending legal action if they fail to abide by the law (laws such as serving minors, drugs found on the premises, etc.). High ranking officials will also be able to order closure of a specific venue if it fails to abide by the rules. These laws have also yet to be passed.”

Suwit did, however, admit, “I’m sure that there will be changes coming.”

Meanwhile, back here in Pattaya where entertainment venue operators are still scratching their heads, wondering what this all means and how it will all turn out, said operators are trying to take matters into their own hands and have submitted a petition to protect their interests.

In the petition, local bar owners addressed 5 main issues: 1) The new laws are unclear for business owners and further clarification is required on their part; 2) The March 1 deadline for implementation is too soon for businesses to comply; 3) The 50,000 baht license registration fee is too high and they have called for reconsideration. If one complex has 20 bars, they said it would be better if the complex owner registers a single business and then collects the relevant fees from each operator; 4) Punishments of bar owners are too severe, e.g. being caught serving an intoxicated customer. Such regulations could leave an open door for officials to take advantage of bar owners, and 5) Operating times designated to be 6 p.m. till midnight are inappropriate for Pattaya and would negatively affect the city’s tourist numbers, since the city never really sleeps.

After receiving the petition, city administrators met at city hall and decided to call for a further clarification of the laws.

Tawit Chaisawangwong, council president, said that he and other city officials presented the document to the relevant government officials, including the Interior Ministry, the Chonburi provincial CEO, plus Sontaya Khunpluem, Minister for Tourism and Sports and Purachai Piumsomboon, Deputy Prime Minister, to present the case before parliament.

Tawit said, “We request that the opening and closing times for Pattaya’s entertainment venues be reviewed and categorize the city under two separate issues. First, people 18 years and over should be allowed into discos and pubs. The second issue involves go-go bars and beer bars, of which, in Pattaya, there are over 1,000 where foreign tourists are the major clientele. It would be beneficial to consider zoning that would allow these places to open until 3-4 a.m., or even 24 hours. Even Singapore allows their venues to stay open till 5 a.m.”

Tawit added, “This must be taken up with cabinet and parliamentary members and officials involved in drafting these laws should survey Pattaya for themselves.”

--Pattaya Mail 2004-02-20

[tuky]

“Everyone” confused over variations in new laws

You've got that right.

It is quite interesting seeing this thing play out.

Is the talk of legalising prostitution still getting around?

TIT

[astral]

Where can one see the details/boundaries of these ZONES.

It is a bit late in the day to be talking about zoning, it should have been done 20-30 years ago when Pattaya was first growing. Until the zones are clearly defined and enforced it is very unfair to business owners to impose rules like these at short notice. Especially in a tourist city like. It also opens up a whole new area for the police to demand bribes.

Zoning should apply to all areas, not just entertainment.

I am currently concerened that the banana plantation at the back of my house will become an industrial estate. If it does it will knock millions off the property values on our estate.

As far as I can establish there is no formal government control over who does what where. Farm land can become housing estates or industrial complexes at the whim of the land owner.

No thought needed for noise, inconvenience, infrastructure like access roads and junctions to provide access to major highways without causing accidents. Just take a drive from Pattaya to Chonburi and look at the ribbon development and the 18 wheel lorries doing U-turns across 6 lanes of traffic. It is a disaster area.

[akimagure]

When i first come Thailand, the travel agency described Thailand as being an erotic destination, i thought the prostitution was legalized. As soon as you see a country where prostitution is it's own things but it's not legalized, you start wondering how much corruption does this country have. I mean, it's obvious that the gvernment would make tones of money by legalizing it...yes?

[britmaveric]

The more things change - the more they stay the same. Amazing Thailand!!!

Dave - you booked Lam to play til 4AM yet?

[davethailand]

The more things change - the more they stay the same. Amazing Thailand!!!

Dave - you booked Lam to play til 4AM yet? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Only new years eve

I think 4 am is enough PLEASE don't give 24hrs to Walking St, I can imagine it now Pissheads 24 hrs a day outside my bar

[Rinrada]

All of the thousand and thousand and thousand of pubs ,bars,nightclubs,wine bars continental style cafes "ent" places in the Smoke and around the country were recently given the opportunity to bid for 24 hour non stop ra-ra- booze serving ...ere we go .licenses to rave......

and how many actually asked and got it (in Lonon).........2.

So much for the dire warnings but at least the choice was there and we have finally chased of old LLoyd Georges dictate on restrictions first enacted and introduced in 1915...only took 90 years....

If the sunshine boys at Patti City hall can sort their manors confusion out in half the time then well done to them but 24 hours on the sauce...

[britmaveric]

The more things change - the more they stay the same. Amazing Thailand!!!

Dave - you booked Lam to play til 4AM yet? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Only new years eve

I think 4 am is enough PLEASE don't give 24hrs to Walking St, I can imagine it now Pissheads 24 hrs a day outside my bar

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm with you Dave, but good to have some reason coming back into this.

[Pattaya_Fox]

“Everyone” confused over variations in new laws

You've got that right.

It is quite interesting seeing this thing play out.

Is the talk of legalising prostitution still getting around?

TIT

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There was a government backed conference about legalising prostitution in November 2003.....but I don`t think that much has happened since.

Many arguments for and against....not least from the sex workers themselves who feel that they will become stigmatised if they have to register as sex workers.

On the other hand they would gain access to health and regular medical checks would be to their benefit.

Some of the large brothel owners would be in favour of being licensed as it would mean that they would not have to pay large bribes to officials in order to operate.

At the end of the day this is a 5 billion dollar per annum business and the government will surely want to harness their share which is slipping away in the unlicensed sector.

[akimagure]

“Everyone” confused over variations in new laws

You've got that right.

It is quite interesting seeing this thing play out.

Is the talk of legalising prostitution still getting around?

TIT

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There was a government backed conference about legalising prostitution in November 2003.....but I don`t think that much has happened since.

Many arguments for and against....not least from the sex workers themselves who feel that they will become stigmatised if they have to register as sex workers.

On the other hand they would gain access to health and regular medical checks would be to their benefit.

Some of the large brothel owners would be in favour of being licensed as it would mean that they would not have to pay large bribes to officials in order to operate.

At the end of the day this is a 5 billion dollar per annum business and the government will surely want to harness their share which is slipping away in the unlicensed sector.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Fox, i think you don't get it yet, these money go to government anyway, one way or another, it's not on paper, but it's in the pockets. Would you rather taking 1 million for yourself, or take 1 million and share it with the others???

[Pattaya_Fox]

Raro, not the same thing.

The government would love to control it, but they can`t because of kickbacks etc to officials and the cops.

Getting money indirectly through taxes when people spend their money is one thing but legislating the sex industry if it were possible would be quite another but impossible.

[tuky]

~snip~

--Pattaya Mail 2004-02-20

Nothing has happened in the 1.5 years since this was first posted by the G man, nothing is going to happen at all guys.

[Connor McCloud]

Opening hours have always confused me.

I often say I'm only going out for a couple of hours and before I know it it's the next morning.

[Humphrey Bear]

Akimaqure - congratulations on actually researching old posts, but there are many more on this topic buried in the forum.

Nothing has happened - nothing will happen to change the current closing hours. Too much loss of face and the government has only this year been returned to office again. So this is a dead issue.

If you want to party until 4 in the morning - go to Singapore. Great nightlife scene, especially along the river (Clarke Quay / North Boat Quay) And if it's pay-for-play you're after - there is Orchard Towers (four floors of whores) and Geylang Road.

[britmaveric]

Akimaqure - congratulations on actually researching old posts, but there are many more on this topic buried in the forum.

Nothing has happened - nothing will happen to change the current closing hours. Too much loss of face and the government has only this year been returned to office again. So this is a dead issue.

If you want to party until 4 in the morning - go to Singapore. Great nightlife scene, especially along the river (Clarke Quay / North Boat Quay) And if it's pay-for-play you're after - there is Orchard Towers (four floors of whores) and Geylang Road.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not exactly true - most everything is open in Patters. (drink and be silly til the sun comes up)