Police in Phuket's fun town to enforce 2am bar closing

[webfact]

Police in Phuket's fun town to enforce 2am bar closing
Tanyaluk Sakoot


No pole dancing after 2am, please

PHUKET NEWS EXCLUSIVE

PHUKET: -- A major row is brewing in Patong after the town’s police officers were ordered today (August 14) to clamp down on the nightlife industry by enforcing the official 2am closing time.

The order came from Patong’s police chief, Pol Col Jiraphat Pochanapan, possibly stung by strong public criticism from Patong’s nightlife business owners over a “request” that they close during HM the Queen’s Birthday (August 12).

Col Jiraphat was not prepared to go into depth about the order. “It’s policy,” he told The Phuket News this morning.

“It’s come down from above. I don’t want to damage Patong’s entertainment industry but I have to do this for security reasons. I can’t tell you any more than what is in the laws of Thailand.”

One of his deputies, Pol Lt Col Suthichai Chaiyarat, confirmed the order had been given.

“The Superintendent has given an order, which we must follow, that entertainment businesses must close at 2am. We will have inspection teams go to the [entertainment] areas [to enforce this]. Officers will ask them to close.

“We have to apply the law strictly. Sometimes, we will have soldiers join our action, too.

“I heard there was some misunderstanding between the entertainment business people and the Superintendent. If they are uncomfortable or unhappy, they can come to talk to us at Kathu Police Station.”

Weerawit Kuresombat, President of the Patong Entertainment Association, was furious. He told The Phuket News, “I just heard that we have to close our businesses [at 2am] on the command of the Superintendent. When he issued the command he was already in Surat Thani [at the police regional HQ].

“It is unfair. This is a tourism area. We will hold a meeting with our members soon to discuss this issue.”

The order ramps up a row between police and entertainment owners over a "request" from Col Jiraphat that entertainment businesses not serve alcohol on Tuesday, HM the Queen's Birthday. (read story here)

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/police-in-phukets-fun-town-to-enforce-2am-bar-closing-47857.php


-- Phuket News 2014-08-14

[steelepulse]

So what they are really saying is, " We've never enforced the law in this regard before, but we will now". Amazing how law enforcement admits they broke the law all the while keeping a straight face.

[khwaibah]

Suffer like the rest of us mortals.

[casualbiker]

I thought 2am was the legal time to close. I presume if you want to close later you have to get and pay for the required license!

[NamKangMan]

"Phuket's fun town" - will not be much fun after 2am.

[ThaidDown]

So what they are really saying is, " We've never enforced the law in this regard before, but we will now". Amazing how law enforcement admits they broke the law all the while keeping a straight face.

I think what they are saying is 'favours should work both ways'.

The police will allow the bars/clubs to stay open after the official closing time every day but when they request (whether rightly or wrongly according to law) that bars/clubs close for HM The Queens birthday and that request is rejected then 'all bets are off'.

Suspect it will drift back to opening late in time for high season. The next similar test will come on 5th December.

[yougivemebaby]

I agree they should be able to get special licenses fr

The municipality (not the PO Lice ). Thus keeping them legal and eliminati another avenue of

Police power and corruption. Too much money is lost to have it closed even one day.

[terryp]

i think you will find the law of thailand is 12 midnight and 1am for licensed premises (under the entertainment licence categories)

[LivinginKata]

'ask them to close' - how about make them close. I guess these days the BIB are not making their 'fee' quota and now upping the pressure to make their quota.

[laocowboy2]

This may be more a reflection of the fact that the current powers that be are actually enforcing long-ignored laws and regulations. We cannot (at least I cannot) applaud the ending of forest and beach encroachments and the clean-up of the taxi mafias and then complain when they enforce a long-standing rule that gets in the way of our personal fun. Special license for later hours - with set and public fees paid to the government - is much better than brown envelopes under the table.

[BKKBrit]

Good...will keep some of the dross and flotsam away from Phuket..it's turning into a bidet..Pattaya is already the toilet of Thailand.

[zaZa9]

I think everyone would be better for enforcing what already is the law , a 2 am closing.

When the curfew was on , I had great reports from visiting friends.

Happy girls on duty in the bars at 6 or 7pm ..., discos busy by 9pm , and quiet streets by 1 or 2 am.

These friends actually saw day time for a change , spent quality time on the beach , and went on tours for the first time ever.

They reported happy interactions with the local lassies , who were actually getting enough sleep.

One who has stayed on says its now 4am+ before Taipan or Hollywood is full.

Surely its better business for the Club owners to be busy at 11pm ( and closed at 2 ) than busy at 4am.

The streets and public order must be better off as well.

Much of Bkk shuts at 1am ... I dont see the problem in readjusting times , just as people do with daylight savings.

Edited August 14, 2014 by zaZa9

[animatic]

“It’s come down from above. I don’t want to damage Patong’s entertainment industry but I have to do this for security reasons. I can’t tell you any more than what is in the laws of Thailand.”

Yeah, they complained publicly, made someone lose face,

and so the full weight from above is being applied.

Oh my they should have stayed quiet.

[sgtsabai]

The "rule", law or whatever is being enforced in many places now. I said "be careful what you wish for" more than once questioning the enthusiasm for the new regime. I've watched too many of the General's "talks" on morals. Reminds me too much of those "born-again" so-called christians. Bars closing in Udon at midnight, open until 0200 in Nong Khai, different laws I hear. And yes, the cops/military are making sure bars comply. I also hear many Thai venues have 0200 license so not affected by the midnight closing. I would guess the procedures for getting a late night venue license just got a lot more difficult and a whole lot more expensive. I don't think most bar owners could afford, besides, many of the ladies have gone home or someplace, there are few customers for them. No customers, no money, no honeys.

[drand11]

This is basically saying... "Lets turn up the heat on the business Owners, piss them off, and then, in a few months during "High Season", the police will have Owner's lined up at their door steps asking to pay the Police cash in hand to keep open. Trust me, this will not last long here in Phuket. Its just "Foreplay".

[mrfill]

“It’s come down from above. I don’t want to damage Patong’s entertainment industry but I have to do this for security reasons. I can’t tell you any more than what is in the laws of Thailand.”

Yeah, they complained publicly, made someone lose face,

and so the full weight from above is being applied.

Oh my they should have stayed quiet.

But the only ones who have lost face are the 'public' i.e. bar owners, who are of the opinion that because they have been regularly breaking the law, they must be allowed to continue. Rather like a naughty child - Daddy has said no, and he means it. I believe the word is discipline.

[sgiandubh69]

The police in hua hin are enforcing the legal closing time of midnight for all bars. Previously they allowed places to remain open later - provided they were paid of course.

[garrya]

This doesn't make sense at all. Closing at 2 or 3 won't make a difference. What's the reason behind this??

[Likener1]

"Col Jiraphat was not prepared to go into depth about the order. “It’s policy,” he told The Phuket News this morning.

“It’s come down from above. I don’t want to damage Patong’s entertainment industry but I have to do this for security reasons. I can’t tell you any more than what is in the laws of Thailand.”

Perhaps its his own job security reasons

[Cthulhu]

Good...will keep some of the dross and flotsam away from Phuket..it's turning into a bidet..Pattaya is already the toilet of Thailand.

The vile, sanctimonious clap-trap that some people post on here is unbelievable!

We don't comment on your life style, Reverend, and it would be better if you could keep your nasty opinions to yourself.

Love and best wishes from Pattaya.

Edited August 14, 2014 by Cthulhu

[KarenBravo]

The bars in Phuket were screwed over during the 12th August. They were told to close, when they didn't have to.

Bars in Bangkok and Pattaya were open.

When the Phuket bar owners found out about this, they had the temerity to actually complain about it and have made senior police lose face.

The 2 am closing is pay-back, pure and simple.

[ebean001]

New Orleans closing time is 1 hour - pick the hour. It is a tourist city. Locals yes but tourist first. They make a huge amount of money from the tourist. Same in Thailand. It must be obvious to everyone if you make the bars close early then less money will come into Thailand. That means police, administrators, firemen, etc will have to get laid off because of the lack of money. Besides the government all the people will have less money. It is important to recognize who the customer is then take care of them. Tourist want the bars to stay open all night. So be it. Do it. Serve and Protect the locals and tourist as the money flows in to help all of Thailand.

[catweazle]

I thank the lord on my knees that I was allowed to indulge in and enjoy the real good times here in LOS ten, twenty years ago, before immoral people applied moral laws and regulations. If it all goes on like this, Thailand will turn from the fun place it was many years ago into a dull copy of Singapore where there are more laws, fines and regulations than people...

Thai people are starting to really be p!$$ed off now, and I am not talking about the same state of being p!$$ed off when neo fascist Suthep did his 6 months of senseless ranting and babbling on stage in Bkk, causing business owners huge losses. By now they are furious and many left without proper options, especially after the beach cleanup where vendors are pushed into oblivion without feasible alternatives. I see big tensions coming and I fear Thailand by now is farther way from the dream of democracy than it ever was. And it is farther away from being a fun place than it ever was - to me Thailand has lost its luster and I know many expats (not the ones frequenting the bars starting at 09:00am, I mean hard working people who pump a lot of money into the Thai economy) who agree with me in this. No good times folks, no good times...

[ttthailand]

They are trying to clean up the corruption in Phuket and will later do the same in all of Thailand. From my understanding the 2:00 am closing law has been on the books for a long time. Bars who wanted to remain open must pay in order to do so... thus putting money in corrupt officials pockets. Enforce all laws 100% and corruption will take a major hit. It is hard to demand money from people who are not breaking any laws.

Edited August 14, 2014 by ttthailand

[ttthailand]

Everyone bitches about corrupt police and public officials. When they are finally doing something about it we bitch again because it is affecting us. You want your cake and eat it too.

If they are not going to enforce a law remove it from the books so it is difficult for corruption to take hold.

It may be a little strange to most of us that laws are enforced but that is the way they do it in our countries so why should they not do it here.

[gbswales]

New Orleans closing time is 1 hour - pick the hour. It is a tourist city. Locals yes but tourist first. They make a huge amount of money from the tourist. Same in Thailand. It must be obvious to everyone if you make the bars close early then less money will come into Thailand. That means police, administrators, firemen, etc will have to get laid off because of the lack of money. Besides the government all the people will have less money. It is important to recognize who the customer is then take care of them. Tourist want the bars to stay open all night. So be it. Do it. Serve and Protect the locals and tourist as the money flows in to help all of Thailand.

Whilst I dont believe that everything in a country should change to suit tourists, the current situation has arisen because the police, for the wrong reasons have been adapting the law to suit what tourists want and line their own pockets. The outcome of this is that there has been no reason for the government to review laws laid down many years ago. Sensible countries take a more pragmatic view of things and adapt to needs over time. In the UK self regulation of opening hours has worked well despite the hue and cry there was about it at the time. Opening hours need to take into account both the needs of tourists and local people but what you absolutely dont need are laws which are allowed to be broken for decades and then suddenly tightened up on in a panic. Another good example of miss management is prostitution - still illegal but everyone knows it exists as a thriving business. I suspect that instead of legalising it which could work to protect workers and clients alike, the new government will have this in their sights for the next "crackdown" - pushing it further underground, making it more expensive and even more dangerous for the sex workers and losing the opportunity to reduce the health risk.

If you legalise things you can better control the location of facilities to benefit locals, stop the mafia's from controlling them to benefit tourists and the workers and ensure that these businesses contribute to the tax income of Thailand to help build better infrastructure and services for the people of Thailand. They would also drastically reduce the opportunity for police corruption.

[Fullstop]

We have to apply the law strictly

Here's an idea Mr Plod. How about strictly applying and enforcing laws that prevent people being killed on the roads...rather than laws that prevent them from having fun?

Just saying....

[MaxYakov]

I'm sure this is in the interests of "Peace" and "Order". Has anyone noticed that "Prosperity" is not included from the name of the you-know-what?

[keestha]

At least a few places like discotheques should be allowed to remain open after 2 AM, otherwise you get an unhappy crowd on the street at 2 AM sharp, who would have liked to party on.

[slipperylobster]

Nobody needs to be complaining. It is in the law ! They are just enforcing it now.

Exactly the same for the border runs and back to back tourist visa crackdown.

Nothing good happens after 2am anyways... drunks and thugs out on the streets.

Good to clean it all up and get back on the enforcement.