Police raid popular Bangkok pub

[rayw]

Why close late night bars in a late night city? Why should adults be put to bed early? It's pathetic.

Spot on mate. I could no agree more. Sure they should be all licensed of course as in most countries and not allow illegal substances. Mind you marijuana for example is proven as less harmful than alcohol or tobacco for 100% sure from all serious open minded and unbiased documentaries I have ever seen or read. So why not legalise and licence the sale and use of marijuana the same as alcohol and tobacco and any other more harmless recreational drugs? Would raise taxation and save a lot of wasted police time better spent on hard drugs and drug barons for example.

But anyway back more on topic, to close bars at 2:00 AM in major cities like Bangkok and Pattaya and Chiang Mai etc is completely insane. Why not let each bar owner open and close at what times that suits his business best, depending solely on his personal choice as owner, his trade pattern and his staffing needs?? That will once again save a lot of valuable police time needed to tackle more real serious crime. Same really should apply across all of the country as long as noise pollution and nuisance is not allowed from late bars in residential areas of course, as that is a matter of public respect and decency.

Also same for the most ridiculous and totally pointless law of only allowing super markets to sell alcohol between 11:00 to 14:00 and 17:00 till I think 23:00. Even every Thai I have spoke to on this one says the same how silly pointless and inconvenient it is to millions. Also just discovered they have made this insane law even worse by no longer folk to buy over 10 Litres of alcohol in the prohibited hours as it used to be allowed. All so so pointless and crazy as no way does it stop people drinking, or indeed as much, as if they want to drink then they will do so no matter what sort of prohibitions you impose. That is more about education as to the woes of over indulging. There is already strong laws, that maybe need more stringent enforcing, that state you cannot sell alcohol to anyone under 18 years of age, so this time prohibition crap is not needed for that issue at all as it is already covered with inconveniencing adults pointlessly.

Sure yeh yeh yeh I am well aware I am a guest here in Thailand and a grateful one. I respect that very much and do love this country (otherwise I would not choose freely to live here), but that surely does not mean that I should not make comments and suggestions that I personally consider would make life better for almost all folk here and in particular most Thais too. So our good PM Prayut can I ask you to please consider this matter if you really want to make folk happier here and less grossly inconvenienced by absolutely pointless alcohol sale times restrictions in particular.

[cruisemonkey]

Thonglor police are the worst - apathetic towards ordinary citizens, protective towards those who pay bribes. They should all be transferred to the Thai equivalent of Juno.

You want them to work for a Roman goddess?

[toooa]

...pointless...imagine the mayhem without them "keeping us safe"...

[YeahSiam]

It would take over 100 to take down the illegal beer bars on Asoke now open past 4amevery night. Bring extra pee testing cups too!!!!

Why? Just cos you don't like it?

I have a mate coming in July, I didn't realise BKK had a 2am kurfew, is there anywhere to go after 2?

Climax goes to 3 or 4

Insanity (formerly Insomnia) about the same

Sugar on Soi11 fairly late I think

Shock39

Bossy

Mixx

Spicy

Swing (new location, not right to spicy anymore) goes the latest, maybe til 6

The same building as this one that was raided has Wip club on the ground floor, haven't been in a while but that goes late

Didn't realise Swing had moved. Where is it now?

[novo58]

I am not very familiar with Thai licensing/ entertainment venue laws.

But is it not possible that a general license applies UP TO 2am.................and then a different license applies to stay open after 2am.

Then its simply a case of having the correct license.....................or operating your business according to the license that you do have.

[Jenny Adara]

its not just the curfew violation they need 100 cops for... its the hope of finding a few farang or rich thais on Ice or meth that can garner some hefty bribes to get out of court, enough to pay all 100 officers some tea money too.

And as far as a license goes in Thailand LOL - there is your standard 2am license - then after 2am you can stay open until 5 am provided you pay UNDER THE TABLE to the police district chief cronies, but this is never on paper and at anytime they will raid you, just so they dont look as if they are accepting bribes. But when the fine comes they will usually waver it to a smaller number. that is one scenareo, or they just stopped paying the extra money and the BIB got pissed so wanted a shakedown. notice it was only 15 mins after closing, not very long so the police weren't taking any chances.

Edited June 4, 2015 by Jenny Adara

[MikeTexas]

I always find it interesting that the senior officials, and others are always transferred and not fired (at a minimum).

[YeahSiam]

I really don't care if it takes 500 police to carry out a raid, if these establishments are operating illegally then they should be closed down.

Yes there will be other venue's operating illegally but do you expect them all to be closed down on the same evening? In a perfect world the answer would be yes but we're not in a perfect world are we?

These venue's (and many more like them) have been operating for years with the full knowledge, permission and collusion of some well placed and powerful people.

The tide may be turning but it will not be an easy or quick fix, lets show some patience and appreciation for the progress that is being made. If we still had the previous administration do you think any of this would have happened?

Funny how all the curtain twitchers

call for enforcement of the law when

the consequences won't affect them.

How many of these puritans take

advantage of corruption when it

benefits them? A 500 baht note

makes a potential DUI disappear, a

nod, a wink and a 100 baht premium

lets you buy that bottle of gin at

2.30am and the bribe to the local

cops means you can take that little

cutie with the silicone headlights

upstairs on the premises for some

bedroom antics.

Hypocrisy is sickening

[fred Kubasa]

One cop for every patron is a good balance so if it is a very large venue, Mixx, for example that holds about 500 patrons

500 police will be sent ! One cop, since they have guns, would have been enough.

[Johnnie99]

No licence, no insurance as a result.

Santika? Anyone remember?

[DLock]

I really don't care if it takes 500 police to carry out a raid, if these establishments are operating illegally then they should be closed down.

Yes there will be other venue's operating illegally but do you expect them all to be closed down on the same evening? In a perfect world the answer would be yes but we're not in a perfect world are we?

These venue's (and many more like them) have been operating for years with the full knowledge, permission and collusion of some well placed and powerful people.

The tide may be turning but it will not be an easy or quick fix, lets show some patience and appreciation for the progress that is being made. If we still had the previous administration do you think any of this would have happened?

Seriously?

So what you are saying is that it would be a good idea if we turned sin city into another Vatican City.

Why would a puritan want to live in Bangkok.?

...as opposed to unlicensed venues where fire doors are locked, no fire extinguishers and the place burns down and kills 60 pub goers.

Your logic is invalid.

[AlphMichaels]

Late or no payments being made to police to stay open without issue. "Let's go remind them". Likely the situation.

[jspill]

Didn't realise Swing had moved. Where is it now?

Not sure exactly as I didn't check GPS but fairly close by the old one, 1 or 2 mins in a taxi. Bit more floor space now.

[DonaldBattles]

It is really amazing that the force has started to raid selective places. The PM still refuses to clean out the police department and reorganize it. Why not?

The crime that has taken place in the past 12 years is simply unbelievable. It may be too late for the military to get control.

The law of secession passed about 10 years ago is very interesting.

[Halion]

Someone stopped paying tea money.

[alexth]

Somebody missed on their payments...[emoji10]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Deli]

Kindergarten cops. Nothing more important to do than punishing party goers in a so called party city.

[The Deerhunter]

I have a mate coming in July, I didn't realise BKK had a 2am kurfew, is there anywhere to go after 2?

Apparently, suddenly, NO! After 2am, surely the best entertainment would be at home in your hotel bed(room) with a friend!!! (or two) Leicester City football players excluded, of course.

Edited June 4, 2015 by The Deerhunter

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

"Thonglor police station"

Still haven't fixed that station I see. Transferring the commander and his lieutenants is a good start though.

I thought I recalled, Thong Lor got a new police commander not too long back after the big hub bub over increased stop and frisk, stop and street drug test farangs controversy. The new guy came in at that time a few months back and pledged that his officers would stop harassing farangs, and that any street stops leading to drug tests in Thong Lor would be brought to the police station for conducting the test.

[lostoday]

Kindergarten cops. Nothing more important to do than punishing party goers in a so called party city.

Next they will be trying to arrest football players. What a bunch of .......

[Jiggo]

I have a mate coming in July, I didn't realise BKK had a 2am kurfew, is there anywhere to go after 2?

Bed.....

[petedk]

About time that station was touched.

No no please don't do that.

I love the fact that I can buy alcohol 24 hours a day, 365 days a week on Thong Lor.

[tx22cb]

Thonglor police are the worst - apathetic towards ordinary citizens, protective towards those who pay bribes. They should all be transferred to the Thai equivalent of Juno.

You want them to work for a Roman goddess?

Oops - I meant Juneau.

On second thoughts, maybe Jupiter would be better!

[siam2007]

100 officers for curfew violation: really

it was rather 100 officers for fighting the Mafia, including the Mafia dressed in brown

[kunnatee]

Why close late night bars in a late night city? Why should adults be put to bed early? It's pathetic.

I fully agree that there should be no curfew for clubs as long as they are not a nuisance for the neighbours.

What's wrong with the minds of people who want to control others' lives?

However, I wanted to say that Bangkok is definitely not what I'd call a late night city. (Maybe it was in a long forgotten past, but not anymore)

As a comparison, in Spain people don't go out to bars until midnight. They then go to clubs when the bars close, around 2-3pm.

And "Afters" start the following day when the sun is high in the sky, not at 2am.

(Damn, bkk's nightlife sucks and frustrates me to death)

[kiwikeith]

I have a mate coming in July, I didn't realise BKK had a 2am kurfew, is there anywhere to go after 2?

Can you still stand outside the Nana hotel and drink till daylight?

I was drinking there a few years ago and a cop came up and said where you buy that beer, I said 7 Eleven he said ok!

[brewsterbudgen]

I have a mate coming in July, I didn't realise BKK had a 2am kurfew, is there anywhere to go after 2?

Can you still stand outside the Nana hotel and drink till daylight?

I was drinking there a few years ago and a cop came up and said where you buy that beer, I said 7 Eleven he said ok!

Usually there a numerous street bars along Sukhumvit from Nana to Asok and they're open all night. It mighf not be very salubrious or legal, but for those who need to keep drinking in ths locale can do so.

[natway09]

Well done JSP You got it in one.

Bit stupid to get caught without a licence though, only cost about 2,000 bht

[Bignose]

I really don't care if it takes 500 police to carry out a raid, if these establishments are operating illegally then they should be closed down.

Yes there will be other venue's operating illegally but do you expect them all to be closed down on the same evening? In a perfect world the answer would be yes but we're not in a perfect world are we?

These venue's (and many more like them) have been operating for years with the full knowledge, permission and collusion of some well placed and powerful people.

The tide may be turning but it will not be an easy or quick fix, lets show some patience and appreciation for the progress that is being made. If we still had the previous administration do you think any of this would have happened?

Funny how all the curtain twitchers

call for enforcement of the law when

the consequences won't affect them.

How many of these puritans take

advantage of corruption when it

benefits them? A 500 baht note

makes a potential DUI disappear, a

nod, a wink and a 100 baht premium

lets you buy that bottle of gin at

2.30am and the bribe to the local

cops means you can take that little

cutie with the silicone headlights

upstairs on the premises for some

bedroom antics.

Hypocrisy is sickening

For the life of me I can't see where you can find any hypocrisy in my original post, I think the hypocrisy you see has more to do with the alcohol or other mind altering substances you have inflicted on your body.

In my humble opinion once these venue's are regulated and controlled you will see several things happen, improved service for their clients as in less "padding" of bills, the use of the correct and undiluted branded drinks, improved and safer facilities etc, etc...

For the local workers I believe it would cut back on exploitation and the abuse inflicted on the most vulnerable etc, etc...

In my experience in Europe there is no need for restrictive licensing hours, bars and clubs should (when they are situated away from residential area's) be allowed to open when they want. I have found that market forces will dictate whether they remain open in competition to other similar business'es or pick another time slot.

The regulation and proper management of entertainment venues has nothing to do with the individuals choice in where they go or what they do, if you want to sit in a stinking hole and drink cheap plonk you can always stay at home.

Your mindless rant has less to do with my post and has more to do with your frustrated vision of an improving society, a society where quality venues will be the expected norm and not the exception...

[Sviss Geez]

do none of these joints have a proper license ? sure appears that way !

How do you work that one out?