Phuket police chief stands by 2am closing enforcement
Tanyaluk Sakoot


Col Jiraphat Pochanapan

PHUKET: -- Contradicting a local report asserting that he denied ordering his officer to enforce the 2am closing laws for Patong bars and entertainment establishments, the town’s police chief, Col Jiraphat Pochanapan, told The Phuket News this morning, “I follow the law. I would not say anything other than the law.”

His deputy, Pol Lt Col Suthichai Chaiyarat, told The Phuket News, “I am still doing my job and following the law which [requires] restaurants [and bars] to start closing at 2 am. We are supporting this with safety zone action for security, too.”

A representative of the Patong Entertainment Association told The Phuket News, “Last night, we had a meeting [about the 2am closure] but we did not reach a conclusion yet. We will have another meeting soon.”

Kthu District Officer Sayan Chaichanawong also confirmed the 2am closing time was to be adhered to.

He said this morning, “This is policy, which we have to follow. The entertainment [places] have to close on time. If they do not follow the policy, they will be fined.

“Kathu District Office has a duty to inform police in the area about the policy, and who is responsible for acting on it.”

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-police-chief-stands-by-2am-closing-enforcement-47879.php

[pn]2014-08-15[/pn]

Can bar owners not understand the 02.00 closing law. Or are that just so used to the usual corrupt practices.

“I follow the law. I would not say anything other than the law.” ......there is a first for everything in Patong Police

 

 

 

We are supporting this with safety zone action for security, too.............sooooo in high season when it goes back to 3-4-5-6am closing depending who you are or what DISCO you own security is of a less important issue

 

Thought is was at 12, midnight anyway in whole Thailand?

just remember - closing the bars at 2am means less money thailand gets from tourist. this means less money for public support organizations like police, fire, etc. They will be paid less and many need to be laid-off. When the lay-offs begin we can expect the artilce saying - less taxes collected but have no reason why.

just remember - closing the bars at 2am means less money thailand gets from tourist. this means less money for public support organizations like police, fire, etc. They will be paid less and many need to be laid-off. When the lay-offs begin we can expect the artilce saying - less taxes collected but have no reason why.

Not sure you how you can directly equate the money from bars goes to pay for public support organizations. I would think that very little of the revenue goes into the public coffers. Very few pay taxes here in Thailand, any money is siphoned off into private pockets.

Laws being enforced in Thailand. Whats next?

Chiang Mai is midnight !

Who needs to drink and get hammered all night anyways?

 'till 2am is plenty of time to piss away your money...

 

Chiang Mai is midnight !

Exactly - most places in Thailand is midnight. Phuket is extended to 02.00 (as a tourist area) yet they are still not happy - jeez

2 AM general closing time is cool. But many tourists come to Patong just for the nightlife, if those people remain welcome there should be a few after hours places for them.

Who knows, maybe a few years down the road Soi Bangla will have been transformed into a fun and happiness zone for Chinese families.

He never said the closing time was 2am and according to him the law is venues need to stop taking orders and playing music at 2am but people can sit there and continue until the venue closes.  So if you want, you can open a bottle and mixers just before 2am and sit there and drink until the venue is ready to close even if it's 6am.  This is what was reported in the Phuket Gazette  “There is no new order. We are continuing to follow the law. Nightlife entertainment venues do need to stop taking [drink] orders and playing music after 2am, but tourists are free to continue chatting and sitting in the area until the venue is ready to close,” Col Suthichai said.

- See more at: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Police-deny-rumor-order-strict-enforcement-closing/33544#sthash.IjzdOPCO.dpuf

 

just remember - closing the bars at 2am means less money thailand gets from tourist. this means less money for public support organizations like police, fire, etc. They will be paid less and many need to be laid-off. When the lay-offs begin we can expect the artilce saying - less taxes collected but have no reason why.

Not sure you how you can directly equate the money from bars goes to pay for public support organizations. I would think that very little of the revenue goes into the public coffers. Very few pay taxes here in Thailand, any money is siphoned off into private pockets.

 

 

I agree LIK, but let's say there are 300 people in a nightclub at 2am.  Some may leave before 5am, but some others may come in.

 

If each, considering a foreigner would probably be hooked up with a freelancer by 2am, was to buy just 1 drink, per person, per hour, for 3 hours, until 5am, that's quite a lot of money.  Not to mention shots, and then a drink on top.

 

Then, apply that scenario to all the other nightclubs and late opening bars, across Patong, and that becomes millions of baht, each night, lost.

 

Where it will be felt is in employment.  Just no need for so many waitresses, if this law is strictly enforced.

just remember - closing the bars at 2am means less money thailand gets from tourist. this means less money for public support organizations like police, fire, etc. They will be paid less and many need to be laid-off. When the lay-offs begin we can expect the artilce saying - less taxes collected but have no reason why.

 

 

Not at all...not rocket science to go out and start drinking earlier in the evening...can still spent the same amount of time and money in the bars

Fined? How much? 500bht? If they don't close on time they should be permanently closed. Good to see that some discipline is replacing some if the anarchy in Patong.

 “I am still doing my job and following the law which [requires] restaurants [and bars] to start closing at 2 am. So what if the bar takes another 3 hours to actually close..... I love the way these guys word stuff.

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just remember - closing the bars at 2am means less money thailand gets from tourist. this means less money for public support organizations like police, fire, etc. They will be paid less and many need to be laid-off. When the lay-offs begin we can expect the artilce saying - less taxes collected but have no reason why.

Not sure you how you can directly equate the money from bars goes to pay for public support organizations. I would think that very little of the revenue goes into the public coffers. Very few pay taxes here in Thailand, any money is siphoned off into private pockets.

 

 

I agree LIK, but let's say there are 300 people in a nightclub at 2am.  Some may leave before 5am, but some others may come in.

 

If each, considering a foreigner would probably be hooked up with a freelancer by 2am, was to buy just 1 drink, per person, per hour, for 3 hours, until 5am, that's quite a lot of money.  Not to mention shots, and then a drink on top.

 

Then, apply that scenario to all the other nightclubs and late opening bars, across Patong, and that becomes millions of baht, each night, lost.

 

Where it will be felt is in employment.  Just no need for so many waitresses, if this law is strictly enforced.

 

“...hooked up with a freelancer…"

"...Just no need for so many waitresses…”

 

What’s the difference between the two?

 

 

“...nightclubs and late opening bars, across Patong…"

 

Perhaps, find a different way to spend one’s time than in some bar while your eardrums are being pummeled with uncontrolled decibels and being gauged with overpriced (off brand) drinks.

Whilst fending off obnoxious drunks, whores and thieves and men marinated in yaa baa dressed as women.  

 

It’s surreal this is even a discussion.

As if this is a necessity...

 

After all, prostitution is illegal in Thailand...

 

 

just remember - closing the bars at 2am means less money thailand gets from tourist. this means less money for public support organizations like police, fire, etc. They will be paid less and many need to be laid-off. When the lay-offs begin we can expect the artilce saying - less taxes collected but have no reason why.

Another way to look at it is that there will be less people walking the street, late at night, less drunk drivers, less crime, less drugs being sold, etc...
Also, people come here on holiday with X amount of money in their pocket to spend and budget accordingly. Perhaps the same money that would go into the bar owners pocket will be spent on other things like tours, nice meals, clean entertainment, souvenirs, etc ....
What's to stop people from starting their drinking a little earlier ?

 “I am still doing my job and following the law which [requires] restaurants [and bars] to start closing at 2 am. So what if the bar takes another 3 hours to actually close..... I love the way these guys word stuff.

They only have to stop taking drink orders and playing music at 2am, patrons and tourists can sit there talking and drinking what they have already purchased until the venue is ready to close.  Normally the bars will close at 4am in Patong, but if you have customers still drinking, they can remain doing so, but the bar can't serve them anymore alcohol.  If they change the closing time to 2am in line with the law, the same principle applies.  

 

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

 

 

 

just remember - closing the bars at 2am means less money thailand gets from tourist. this means less money for public support organizations like police, fire, etc. They will be paid less and many need to be laid-off. When the lay-offs begin we can expect the artilce saying - less taxes collected but have no reason why.

Not sure you how you can directly equate the money from bars goes to pay for public support organizations. I would think that very little of the revenue goes into the public coffers. Very few pay taxes here in Thailand, any money is siphoned off into private pockets.

 

 

I agree LIK, but let's say there are 300 people in a nightclub at 2am.  Some may leave before 5am, but some others may come in.

 

If each, considering a foreigner would probably be hooked up with a freelancer by 2am, was to buy just 1 drink, per person, per hour, for 3 hours, until 5am, that's quite a lot of money.  Not to mention shots, and then a drink on top.

 

Then, apply that scenario to all the other nightclubs and late opening bars, across Patong, and that becomes millions of baht, each night, lost.

 

Where it will be felt is in employment.  Just no need for so many waitresses, if this law is strictly enforced.

 

“...hooked up with a freelancer…"

"...Just no need for so many waitresses…”

 

What’s the difference between the two?

 

 

“...nightclubs and late opening bars, across Patong…"

 

Perhaps, find a different way to spend one’s time than in some bar while your eardrums are being pummeled with uncontrolled decibels and being gauged with overpriced (off brand) drinks.

Whilst fending off obnoxious drunks, whores and thieves and men marinated in yaa baa dressed as women.  

 

It’s surreal this is even a discussion.

As if this is a necessity...

 

After all, prostitution is illegal in Thailand...

 

 

 

<What’s the difference between the two?>

Given your attitude towards the scene it's not surprising you don't know.

 

<After all, prostitution is illegal in Thailand...>

The relevance to closing times is???????

 

<Perhaps, find a different way to spend one’s time than in some bar >

You write as though you are compelled to go to bars against your will.

People like you caused prohibition in the US and look where that ended up.

 

just remember - closing the bars at 2am means less money thailand gets from tourist. this means less money for public support organizations like police, fire, etc. They will be paid less and many need to be laid-off. When the lay-offs begin we can expect the artilce saying - less taxes collected but have no reason why.

Another way to look at it is that there will be less people walking the street, late at night, less drunk drivers, less crime, less drugs being sold, etc...
Also, people come here on holiday with X amount of money in their pocket to spend and budget accordingly. Perhaps the same money that would go into the bar owners pocket will be spent on other things like tours, nice meals, clean entertainment, souvenirs, etc ....
What's to stop people from starting their drinking a little earlier ?

 

< Perhaps the same money that would go into the bar owners pocket will be spent on other things like tours, nice meals, clean entertainment, souvenirs, etc ....>    

Chiang Mai is midnight !

nearer1/ 2am in most places.