Phuket bar owners' fury at 'request' to close on Mother’s Day

[webfact]

Phuket bar owners' fury at 'request' to close on Mother’s Day
Tanyaluk Sakoot


Bright lights but no booze for 24 hours. Patong at night.

PHUKET: -- Patong’s nightlife business owners are irritated and confused after police “requested” that they close during HM the Queen’s Birthday (Tuesday, August 12).

Pol Col Jiraphat Pochanapan, Superintendent of Kathu Police, explained that he had issued a notice to 300 bars and restaurants requesting that they close for the day, or at least not serve alcohol, as a way of honouring Her Majesty, and to allow employees to spend time with their mothers – August 12 was also Mother’s Day.

Pol Maj Gen Krajang Suwannarat, Deputy Commander from Police Region 8, and currently acting commander of police in Phuket, confirmed to The Phuket News on Monday that there was no ban on alcohol sales on Mother’s Day.

The President of the Patong Entertainment Association, Weerawit Kuresombat, told The Phuket News, “About 300 business closed all day. August 12 is not a Buddhist Holy Day, on which alcohol sales are banned.

“Entertainment places on Bangla Rd felt they had to close because in the past, when we got a ‘request’ document like this, we knew that it was actually an order and we would be fined if we did not comply. People did not want to be fined, so they closed.

“I did not hear about anyone being fined last night, but maybe it happened."

“Pattaya and other places were allowed to sell alcohol on Mother’s Day but [Patong] apparently was not allowed to.

“You know, tourists did not understand why the bars were closed. They did not understand. This issue smouldered inside all the business people in Patong.

“I absolutely do not agree [with Col Jiraphat’s decision to issue the request]. I received this document on August 10. It was not approved by the Phuket Provincial Police Office.

The Phuket News received one report about a bar being fined B75,000, but it could not be verified. Some bars closed while other served soft drinks only.

Col Jiraphat was surprised when The Phuket News called him. “I did not mean they had to close or that there was a ban on alcohol sales.

"The document was not intended to be an order to business owners. I just ask for cooperation, that’s all. If they did not want to comply, that was alright.

“I did hear the story about police officers payment from some businesses of about B70,000 but I checked and it did not happen.”

Alcohol sales are banned in Thailand on Buddhist religious holidays and on days when elections are held.

But bar owners The Phuket News spoke with (all on condition of anonymity) said they either closed or sold only soft drinks until one minute after midnight on Tuesday, just to be on the safe side.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-bar-owners%E2%80%99-fury-at-%E2%80%98request%E2%80%99-to-close-on-mother%E2%80%99s-day-47842.php

[pn]2014-08-14[/pn]

[KarenBravo]

If it wasn't a point of law, then the police have no right to "request" anything.

[iReason]

“...I did hear the story about police officers payment from some businesses of about B70,000 but I checked and it did not happen.”

 

Ok. Case closed.

  

 

 

[terryp]

totally ridicules ..what next in this ever confusing country

[KarenBravo]

The police - guardian of the country's morals 

Edited August 14, 2014 by KarenBravo

[Greenhill]

Inconsistency with law enforcement - one of the biggest problems here!!     You never know where you stand!!

[chooka]

If it wasn't a point of law, then the police have no right to "request" anything.

Welcome to the new Thailand under Military Rule.

[Pi Sek]

 

If it wasn't a point of law, then the police have no right to "request" anything.

Welcome to the new Thailand under Military Rule.

 

 

... which, as we can see from the Police Commander's statement, is more lenient than ANY civilian government in the decade-plus that I've been here.

This time, they're "requesting" in the hope of cooperation, before they "requested" under pain of a big fine.

 

I totally agree with Karen Bravo, they don't have any right to "request" anything without a decree from someone far more important than any policeman. That's policy, the police's job is to enforce policy.

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

Coke in a Mickey Mouse cup tastes like any brand of beer.

[Oziex1]

You must understand, it was all a misunderstanding!

[laurentbkk]

I tried to buy a bottle of wine Tuesday morning at the supermarket , they refused saying it was mother's day ..... I told them my mum loves to drink wine ...... but couldnt buy it ... 

[stevenl]

I tried to buy a bottle of wine Tuesday morning at the supermarket , they refused saying it was mother's day ..... I told them my mum loves to drink wine ...... but couldnt buy it ... 

And that was during the every day 'alcohol not allowed to sell' hours?

[topt]

 

I tried to buy a bottle of wine Tuesday morning at the supermarket , they refused saying it was mother's day ..... I told them my mum loves to drink wine ...... but couldnt buy it ... 

And that was during the every day 'alcohol not allowed to sell' hours?

 

One could surmise that morning meant at least some time before 1pm latest (unless a very late riser  ) so well within the law (IE not 2-5pm)

[catweazle]

Hhhmmm... looks like they forgot that the typical Thai mother has to make fast cash to feed the children they were left behind with (to then leave them with granny or auntie) by an even more responsible Thai father...

 

And just imagine all those sympathetic Mama Sans running out of gambling money - a nightmare!

[garrya]

Well, well, well. Things are getting more and more confusing. 

What if someone doesn't have a mother or  there is no reason to be with her??

 

They might force people to find a mother ASAP. Total joke.

[tx22cb]

Stupid to ask for a teetotal day for Mother's Day.

Would it not have been more fitting if the authorities closed all brothels on Mother's Day instead?

[Carrerakiss]

totally ridicules ..what next in this ever confusing country

It's happened every year that I have been in Thailand, and that's more than ten. So I am not sure what is confusing.

The issue seems to be that other entertainment areas changed from the normal pattern and sold alcohol. So the Patong bar owners feel they have lost out. Just as other businesses lost out because Monday was declared a holiday

[Benmart]

Inconsistency with law enforcement - one of the biggest problems here!!     You never know where you stand!!

I often stand aside when it is a Thai problem.

[ChrisY1]

25000 girls left Patong and went home to Isaan for the day........how nice :)

[belg]

do the BIB give those businesses a discount on the brown envelope, the days they cannot sell overpriced booze?

[Likener1]

If it wasn't a point of law, then the police have no right to "request" anything.

 

They can "request" anything but cannot fine if their "request" is refused - well actually they can I suppose.

 

What is the point of putting money in the envelope every month for "extended opening hours" - again its up to them.

 

When the Police are paid a living wage that actually includes, a free uniform, a free gun & bullets, either an official bike or at the very least gas money for their own, when ranks are not bought but earned by hard work and endeavour maybe such "inconsistencies" and "requests" for closing or income supplements will no longer be the norm.

 

But that's not the Thai way - up to them

[khounteen]

Its also Thailand's mother's day, I suppose that Thai mothers do not drink.

[LivinginKata]

Off topic posts removed. Let's try and stay on Patong/Phuket issues.

[Holiday Kojak]

Its a shame that so many party goers will actually remember what they did that night I think it was the right and most respectable thing to do to honour the Queen's Birthday. I'am sure the bar owners will recover they will just have to water the drinks down a bit more than they already do.

[Jonmarleesco]

Sublime to the ridiculous.

[BudRight]

 

 

If it wasn't a point of law, then the police have no right to "request" anything.

Welcome to the new Thailand under Military Rule.

 

 

... which, as we can see from the Police Commander's statement, is more lenient than ANY civilian government in the decade-plus that I've been here.

This time, they're "requesting" in the hope of cooperation, before they "requested" under pain of a big fine.

 

I totally agree with Karen Bravo, they don't have any right to "request" anything without a decree from someone far more important than any policeman. That's policy, the police's job is to enforce policy.

 

 

Wrong. It is to enforce law.
 

[BudRight]

Its a shame that so many party goers will actually remember what they did that night I think it was the right and most respectable thing to do to honour the Queen's Birthday. I'am sure the bar owners will recover they will just have to water the drinks down a bit more than they already do.

 

Another condescending ex-drinker.
 

[NomadJoe]

If it wasn't a point of law, then the police have no right to "request" anything.

Unless the country were to be under martial law.

[Absolut]

totally ridicules ..what next in this ever confusing country

It's happened every year that I have been in Thailand, and that's more than ten. So I am not sure what is confusing.

The issue seems to be that other entertainment areas changed from the normal pattern and sold alcohol. So the Patong bar owners feel they have lost out. Just as other businesses lost out because Monday was declared a holiday

I think you're right here, the issue being that the other entertainment areas in Thailand traded as normal.

[lvr181]

 

If it wasn't a point of law, then the police have no right to "request" anything.

Welcome to the new Thailand under Military Rule.

 

 

Huh? This or similar would not have happened before Military Rule?