2 Bars Closed Down Under Junta's Sweeping Booze Ban

[raybal5]

There is a school less than 200-300m from Walking Street in Pattaya....

All the bar owners will need to chip in to buy the school and close it down.

[abitmiffed]

And so it begins. It seems they are actually serious about this.

What? Really? So these underage kids will simply ride their illegal bikes another 10meters to the bar next door and get drunk....300 meters what a joke.

[DennisF]

Happiness to the people.... Yeahhhhhh... well done

[krisb]

Most ppl come to Thailand for the bars and the girls. Shut these down, then most would question if there is a reason to visit or stay in the country ?

Maybe majority of single men go for bars and girls but not most people.

[Docno]

Looks like a typical place for the Thai youngsters. I wonder how many such places are allowed and licensed in Western countries. If I remember correctly some still consider 21 the legal age before alcohol consumption is allowed.

Yes, the USA I think. Or at least parts of it.

We had several bars on campus at my universities in Canada. Excellent way to let off steam and meet people from other faculties. There would also be regular concerts (with decent bands) on campus where alcohol was served.

[petedk]

Many posters fear for the future of the tourist industry and someone mentioned Khao San Road will be badly hit, but this government seems to be going hand in hand with China.

The number of Chinese tourists will increase and these people don't sit in bars all evening.

So now doubt at all, in a few months you will see headlines "Tourist arrivals increse by 10%"

[DP25]

King Mongkut University is right next to Kho San Road, so say goodbye back packers. Lot's of people will be upset about that one...

There's a high school next to Phra Athit Road too, so that area will go dry too. A small area around Gullivers should be just far enough away though. But most of the are Khao San area will have to go dry, there are a lot of schools in that area.

[MZurf]

This is great news! Now perhaps the drunken louts will return to taking their holidays in Spain, and the alcoholic old perverts will have to eek out their pensions in Wetherspoons!

Who are these drunken students you are rambling about and why should Thai students go to Spain and Wetherspoons (wherever that is)??? Are there large Thai colonies there?

It's a cultural thing - never mind.

I kind of figured it was something like that - hence my response. And I still don't understand what drunken British louts have to do with bars being banned close to schools in Thailand

[Charlie Croker]

Does it seem likely that 1/67 of the country are employed in positions dependant on alcohol sales within 300mtrs of schools?

It is not inconceivable. I live deep inside Lad Prao 87, and it is probably pretty much the same as thousands of other sois in Bangkok.

If I were to walk past 67 shopfronts (at 4 meters each, is almost 300M) on this soi, I would pass at least ten businesses that are involved in selling alcohol in one form or another. Seven Eleven, Family Mart, Tesco Lotus Express, several mom and pop shops, restaurants and noodle shops, even a couple of Thai Karaoke bars.

The Karaoke bars are probably the only ones who are outright "dependent" on alcohol sales, abut all of the rest would be affected if they were within the proximity of a school.

This logic assumes the entire population of Thailand is employed in karaoke bars or mom and pop stores. Is there any other business activity in Thailand?

[Bernard Flint]

I actualy thought that this law has always been there, when applying for an alcohol license. I bet the majority have no license and no music license too, get rid.

[aussieinthailand]

I have not heard of any bars shutting down in Samui. On Soi 22 is a very large school and the bars around are all operating normally.

In our village alcohol sales is normal and just 100 meters away from the school.

Television news said this ruling was for high schools and up. There is no high school on Samui.

Whether or not small language schools will be a problem is yet to be resolved.

"There is no high school on Samui". Samui International School age 11/16 years. you really know your stuff huh, NOT!!!

Do you not recall his (uncle Too's) words? No exceptions No exemptions to his law. Now wouldn't be nice to buy a nice parcel of land 250 meters away from the Green Mango on Samui and announce the opening of a small school or education facility, The BIB have had their asses handed to them last year when they tried closing bars within the opening and closing times, do you remember the protesters standing in front of the cop shop for a few days? and back to business as usual, the shake down just didn't really come off, and they are to frightened of the mafia their to do anything that would last longer than a month.

I don't think this law will be enforced, just on the odd occasion there will be SELECTED targets and that's it, It's another little chest nut for all you guys that like this bloke.

[brewsterbudgen]

I have not heard of any bars shutting down in Samui. On Soi 22 is a very large school and the bars around are all operating normally.

In our village alcohol sales is normal and just 100 meters away from the school.

Television news said this ruling was for high schools and up. There is no high school on Samui.

Whether or not small language schools will be a problem is yet to be resolved.

"There is no high school on Samui". Samui International School age 11/16 years. you really know your stuff huh, NOT!!!

Do you not recall his (uncle Too's) words? No exceptions No exemptions to his law. Now wouldn't be nice to buy a nice parcel of land 250 meters away from the Green Mango on Samui and announce the opening of a small school or education facility, The BIB have had their asses handed to them last year when they tried closing bars within the opening and closing times, do you remember the protesters standing in front of the cop shop for a few days? and back to business as usual, the shake down just didn't really come off, and they are to frightened of the mafia their to do anything that would last longer than a month.

I don't think this law will be enforced, just on the odd occasion there will be SELECTED targets and that's it, It's another little chest nut for all you guys that like this bloke.

Exactly right. This will minimal or no effect on tourist areas. The aim is stop Thai students drinking.

[Emster23]

It came to me whilst I was on a walk. Bars don't have legs, can't run away like students. Wouldn't want the police to work up a sweat enforcing laws, would we? Then sufi saying came to mind "If a tree had legs it wouldn't have to suffer indignity of the axe"

[halloween]

Television news said this ruling was for high schools and up. There is no high school on Samui.

Whether or not small language schools will be a problem is yet to be resolved.

"There is no high school on Samui". Samui International School age 11/16 years. you really know your stuff huh, NOT!!!

Do you not recall his (uncle Too's) words? No exceptions No exemptions to his law. Now wouldn't be nice to buy a nice parcel of land 250 meters away from the Green Mango on Samui and announce the opening of a small school or education facility, The BIB have had their asses handed to them last year when they tried closing bars within the opening and closing times, do you remember the protesters standing in front of the cop shop for a few days? and back to business as usual, the shake down just didn't really come off, and they are to frightened of the mafia their to do anything that would last longer than a month.

I don't think this law will be enforced, just on the odd occasion there will be SELECTED targets and that's it, It's another little chest nut for all you guys that like this bloke.

Pardon my mistake, I don't know how I missed it. I mean it's HUGE.

[samuibeachcomber]

And so it begins. It seems they are actually serious about this.

I doubt it...i heard somewhere that prostitution is illegal.

[Ace of Pop]

I can't see the point of stopping Students doing the only thing they do well at

[brewsterbudgen]

And so it begins. It seems they are actually serious about this.

I doubt it...i heard somewhere that prostitution is illegal.

You heard wrong!

[Lupatria]

After the first attempt failed- here comes "Shut Down Bangkok" 0.2

[beerzy]

ey guys lighten yup the kids of tooday are a mirror of the kids of yesterday. problem is the milltary are restricting peoples rights including the businesses and staff that are affected by this decision. Thailand needs an honest governemnt but cannot whilst the swings from corruption and non corruptions continue.

the miltary want to continue as the are getting more money and liking it

[mercman24]

what a stupid rediculous law, all the shopkeeper has to do is ask for the suspected underage person for their I.D.i have just seen a map of

Pattaya posted by a well known poster, and the whole place is covered in "RED" exclusion zone, this one is going to be fun, so no booze at all on pattaya = no brown envelopes. this aint thought out very well is it lol !! like shooting yourself in the foot, well we all know it will not happen, same goes for SOI COWBOY, all bars come within the exclusion zone, <deleted>.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The problem with this kind of stuff -- totally apart from alcohol -- is, when you have laws but routinely don't enforce them, it leads the public to have a general disregard for the police and the law, all laws. And that's a bad thing.

If you're going to have laws, enforce them!!!! If you're not going to enforce them, then don't have them.

[Trouble]

Wonder how long it will take Prayuth and his cronies to realize that they screwed up big time on this one?

[rjcampbe]

"The maximum penalty for violating the prohibition is a losing a license to sell alcohol."

Sooo... the maximum penalty for ignoring the law is the same as the penalty for following the law?

This country is <deleted> brilliant.

[Businessman]

I guess that by now students have worked out that they can buy alcohol 301 metres from their place of learning.

.... Only the math majors... And maybe a few engineering students

[Nobb]

Does this law include English teaching schools because young and older children go to them?

[Nobb]

The problem with this kind of stuff -- totally apart from alcohol -- is, when you have laws but routinely don't enforce them, it leads the public to have a general disregard for the police and the law, all laws. And that's a bad thing.

If you're going to have laws, enforce them!!!! If you're not going to enforce them, then don't have them.

Good point of view because no one enforces the laws! They worry about the booze ban but not about the helmet law that could save thousands of lives. If the PM wants to crack down on anything i think he is not putting priorities in order. If a student want booze all he or she has to walk or drive a little further. Save lives on the road and quit worrying about the 300 limit from the school!

[Friendly Stranger]

I'm waiting for the retraction, as I cannot see the business owners going along with this for more than a week.

I originally thought this law was for banning alcohol sales between school hours. How does this affect students at midnight?

If a business' only revenue is alcohol sales, it's too bad, so sad?

Like mentioned on another similar post, Vietnam and Cambodia must be grinning ear to ear.

This is a mess.

[Friendly Stranger]

Wonder how long it will take Prayuth and his cronies to realize that they screwed up big time on this one?

We should have an odds board for this, over/under.

I give it 8 days, as after a 2nd weekend the business owners will say <deleted>.

[spidermike007]

What is happening in Thailand? Words are being turned into actions.

As much as I feel this is the wrong approach and that education to change attitudes towards drinking is the way to go this is certainly impressive.

Police officers transferred to inactive posts and bars actually being closed down.

Give it 6 months and we will see if the drive towards this policy continues.

it appears to me, that one of the weakest aspects of this administration is the lack of follow up, on anything of import.

1. They cracked down on the jet skis pirates. Have they been convicted? Has their equipment been confiscated? Have they been allowed to continue their piracy?

2. They cracked down on illegal beach vendors. Has anything been done to make sure they have not set up shop again?

3. They cracked down on rich families who were stealing govenrment land, in national forests. Have they been arrested? Convicted? Have they insured this encroached land was returned to the people, and not to the rich folks who stole it?

4. They arrested some officials for corruption. Have they been charged? Are they going to serve time in prison, as they so justly deserve? Have they been forced to return the billions of baht they stole? Is anything being done to prevent this kind of behavior in the future? Has anything been done to ensure the antii corruption commission is more effective, and has stronger teeth than before?

5. They cracked down on traffic safety, and careless, reckless drivers. Is that being followed up? Are any arrests resulting in any massive fines and prison time? Is there any more deterrent now, than there was before? This is a huge problem here, and needs to be addressed. Is that happening?

6. In Koh Samui the Ark Bar has been one of the most prolific offenders on the island, with their excessive noise pollution, over the years, which has aggravated thousands of people up and down the coast, and has caused many hotels to regularly complain to the terribly ineffective mayor. Nothing got done. Finally the army showed up, and the Ark Bar was as quiet as a church mouse. Then the noise started up again, and they have been blasting, and behaving like really bad citizens ever since. Were they warned and was the warning not followed up? It would appear to be the case.

7. Have they done anything to ensure that the important trials of men like the ones accused of the Dark Tao murders have been fair and impartial? You be the one to answer that.

These are just a few of the areas where they need to pay attention, keep their eyes on the ball, and demonstrate that they are serious about reform.

[exalll]

And so it begins. It seems they are actually serious about this.

I doubt it...i heard somewhere that prostitution is illegal.

You heard wrong!

Really? Prostitution is legal in Thailand. Certainly the opposite of what I've ever heard.