Bars closing at midnight!!!!!

[davethailand 91]

Just to get you all in a panic a letter was handed around some of the bars last night regarding the earlier closing (12am) of certain types of bars.

According to the letter beer bar type? bars and ST bars and forms of karaoke bars are the targets of the letter and it states that from 2pm till 5pm they will not be allowed to serve alcohol (Apparently applies to all alcohol selling establishments although certain license types are exempt) and they will have to stop selling alcohol from midnight?

I'm not sure about disco's, gogo's etc (obviously i've enquired about my place and apparently its ok), but the idea is to clean up the daytime drinking and ST trade.

NOT MY WORDS OK

Anyway there you go and if i get any more info i will put it on here.

I'm not an authority on this so its no good asking me too many questions all i can say is the letter is real and obviously we want to keep our business's open.

[doorman 0]

The moral minority at work. No fret go with the flow. As long as they make tg's I am fine. Can always have a bottle or 2 back at the room. later doorman

[torrenova 644]

As of last night, I have heard nothing about this proposal. However, as we were largely unaffected by the 2am to 1am change, I cannot see us being affected by this.

 

I'll post up any further information as and when I receive it.

[aqua4 2]

Makes little difference to anyone really. Tesco Lotus does not let you buy liquor before 11 in the morning as an example.

[davethailand 91]

Believe me IF the letter is enforced ALL beer bars will have to stop serving at midnight. No more late drinking in the streets.

ALL ST bars same same.

This type of letter has'nt appeared before in the 3 and a bit years i've been here.

Remember Taksin is in AGAIN, He can and will do what he likes.

(it was explained and translated to me by my lawyer and a policeman.)

[torrenova 644]

Sorry Dave but it will not force all beer bars to close at 12am. Whether there is a law or not, it just will not happen.

 

Remember also that ST bars don't exist, they are just bars.

 

Sure, Toxin is back in again and looking more and more like a dictator, especially after the last announcement that he and one minister can now effectively bypass the cabinet but you just can't tell 12,000,000 tourists and the X,000,000 who come to Pattaya to go home at midnight.

 

It may well be a ruse to create different licences to give the BiB more money just as they did a while back, substancially increasing the licence fees.

[Begs 0]

Yea Dave, it seemed strange that I could not get a beer with my MK Suki between 2pm and 5pm, yet I could go to a bar and get a drink.

 

I guess the bars will have to fall in line as well now.

 

The times are changing.

[torrenova 644]

MK does not sell beer so there was no surprise there. This letter Dave is talking about has nothing to do with that.

[Begs 0]

but you just can't tell 12,000,000 tourists and the X,000,000 who come to Pattaya to go home at midnight.

But he can do just that, if 2500 suspected drug dealers can be shot dead in Thailand, I am sure the closing of bars another hour early will not cause too many ripples in the country.

[Begs 0]

MK does not sell beer so there was no surprise there. This letter Dave is talking about has nothing to do with that.

 

MK Suki: Large Kloster : 110 baht, but not between 2pm and 5pm.

[rolyshark 0]

I've always had beer at MK Suki

 

Agree with you about the enforcement though. I believe this afternoon closure has been enacted for a while and obviously since the election it looks like it will be more vigourously enforced-until you get the "get-out" licence for the additional baht.

For example,over Xmas/New Year,the police would cruise soi 8 bars during the day and speak to those bars playing loud music and obviously partying before 6pm.On New Year's Eve Shark Bar had a staff party starting at 2pm and had a heavily pregnant lady doing the bbq on the soi-police pulled up three times,but didn't want to make trouble with anyone pregnant and left...

[davethailand 91]

Sorry Dave but it will not force all beer bars to close at 12am. Whether there is a law or not, it just will not happen.

 

Remember also that ST bars don't exist, they are just bars.

 

Sure, Toxin is back in again and looking more and more like a dictator, especially after the last announcement that he and one minister can now effectively bypass the cabinet but you just can't tell 12,000,000 tourists and the X,000,000 who come to Pattaya to go home at midnight.

 

It may well be a ruse to create different licences to give the BiB more money just as they did a while back, substancially increasing the licence fees.

Have you seen the letter?

The lawyer mentioned although the 50k new license thing happened last year with Banglamung city council the government still want to clampdown on beer bars ets and the licenses and the services that they operate under and the services that are provided.

The letter stated shortime bars, bars where men go and sit with ladies and go ST (on the premises) and beer bar units that were'nt operated under the correct license.

It was all in black and white. I know that they can't shut everyting down when and where they want but they CAN enforce the necessary paperwork, registration and licenses. They started registering farang owners/ residents last year. I had to go to soi 9 with all of my credentials.

[davethailand 91]

The times are changing. 

This is a fact, And he ain't finished yet

[torrenova 644]

Last year when this came in (Bt50,000 licence etc.) we had some people come round. I just wonder if this latest act is designed to raise cash by perhaps offering bar owners the chance to close at 12am or pay the money and open later. I'm sure that quite a few don't have the correct paperwork.

 

Tangentially, I posted a long time ago about the underlying trend of making things more regulated and introducing greater and more widespread taxation in the bar industry. I pay taxes but I suspect many do not. If you are registered with the correct licences then you can be cross referenced for taxation purposes I would have thought.

 

Also on that subject, I think that the medium term prospects for the bars will be that the girls will become subject to more formal taxation. Just paying below the tax threshold may no longer be enough. What that will mean for the girls I don't know but it could mean them having to declare tips or other income. Of course, the post work income cannot be taxed under present legislation.

[knowntender 0]

Appreciate the info from you guys.

 

Dave, ST bar is indeed a strange term.

[elef 0]

"Tesco Lotus does not let you buy liquor before 11 in the morning as an example."

 

You can buy liquor any time in Best, Big C and Tesco Lotus - if you buy at least 10 litres.

[bigmofo 0]

When the laws were changed to 1am,i thought maybe taxin is trying to please everyone for his campain and after the elections everything will go back to normal,or it was the beginning of the end.Now its 12am iam thinking hes trying to do away with the current pattaya to cater more for asian package tourists who i think spend more but maybe iam wrong thanks for info dave

[Begs 0]

I think things are changing, if you look back over the last 15 years, drastic changes have taken place in Thailand in general, and it will not be so many years before Asia is the worlds powerhouse.

 

The countries will prosper and things just will not be the same as they where in the days when they where poorer. I think that can be seen in every developed country that developed out of poverty, everything changes and the changes will happen here too IMHO.

 

I came to Thailand in 1990, Pattaya is nearly unrecognizable now compared to the Pattaya of 14 years ago.

 

Now Thaksin is making a name for himself and if he can in some way see an opportunity to rid Thailand of its 'Sex destination' label, he will try to do it. He is a billionaire , he does not need to run this country as a leader to make money, he is extremely rich right now, I think he wants to go down in Thai history as the Guy that changed things, a lot.

 

He must hate to have his country and his people labled as sex objects to be bought for the price of a packet of cigarettes and a beer in UK money, he has promised to eradicate poverty in his term of office, now we know that will not happen, but if he can clamp down on prostitution and sex tourism, the world will think he is doing a grand job. And so will his people in general.

 

Maybe I would make Thailand a less attractive place for Euro Yobs too if I was the Big Boss.

[monkeyman 1,604]

So where did this directive originate from? It all seems too low key to be any kind of political gesture.

[Eneukman 1]

All this brings back memories of the 10.00 swill when I started going to pubs in the early 70's. Scotland's licensing laws were draconian in these days, though fortunately they are now much more civilised.

 

From what I can gather, Thaksin is determined to stamp out high levels of under age drinking and teenage drunkenness. All that is required there is for the police to enforce existing laws. Bringing closing time forward an hour to midnight will not help at all - people will just go out an hour earlier.

 

When 11.00 opening was introduced in Scotland, my friends and I didn't drink more because of the extra hour! We just went out an hour later!

 

Whilst I am seldom out much after midnight, I am COMPLETELY in favour of returning to a 2.00 am closing time. The last thing I want to do is to try and get on a baht bus at midnight along with a load of drunken farangs and their tgs!

 

Alan

[torrenova 644]

He (Toxin) must hate to have his country and his people labled as sex objects to be bought for the price of a packet of cigarettes and a beer in UK money

Why would he care ? He is one of the 15% minority. Toxin is from a Chinese background, not Thai.

 

He's robbed the country and now wants to rule as a dictator. "His" people tried to get rid of him permanently a couple of times before. I would not be surprised if they tried again.

[upena 2]

back in the early 70's in Bangkok the bars closed at midnight. This just created another venue. Bars that opened at midnight, "coffee shops" (Grace hotel and Thurmae back then) and some "discos" that only operated from midnight til 6 AM. If the bars close earlier...just start drinking earlier...no big deal

[Begs 0]

He's robbed the country and now wants to rule as a dictator.

Then we may as well pack up and go home now .

[HILLY 9]

Thaksin can do whatever he feels like doing and will for sure do it until he is fired by his own party which must be a possibility. I agree that he is fast becoming a dictator and is at the least very dangerous with his quick temper and mistrust of everyone even in his own party.

 

I have heard about this notice and it may just be the tip of the iceburg. However if he tries this one on he will have a major problem to contend with. The Thais who are earning their livings in this way will not take it lying down and demos and petitions are going to be flying around.

 

I suspect that this is a local issue rather than a national one and there was strong talk about licensing being handed over to local authorities who could then set their own rules for closing etc especially in tourist areas like Pty and Phuket. It was interesting to see that Phuket did not shut its bars/clubs for the last religious day and this was by direct order of the authorities I understand. The mayor wants later closing also but why not get in the licensing revenue which they have every right to under last years new rules.

 

Torrenova I know where you are coming from as a bar owner and maybe I would be thinking or hoping the same if I was in your position. As for it not happening I would not be so sure. I reckon that Thaksin laid low on this subject until his victory was confirmed and what the hell come next is a daunting prospect. It is patently obvious that he has little time for farangs of any type who he says do nothing but criticise him and his policy's. The King also seems to want to close up the nightlife as stated in his last speech on loud music and drinking. We will see and are powerless to do anything. The Thais however are not without a voice.

[torrenova 644]

The last words from the Pattaya authorities (Governor or mayor I can't remember) were that they had petitioned whatever government department or cabinet committee they had to about relaxing the closing hours. This was after a tour of Walking Street venues. The last I read was that they were awaiting a reply but would abide by the new rules (yeah right) until such an answer was received.

 

Perhaps that was just a smokescreen but I cannot see the Thai business owners and landlords letting this go without a fight as it would cost them too much if implemented. Already the heat is on for some with the 1am closing but 12am would be disasterous. Again as I said previously, I suggest that it may be a revenue collecting exercise as I don't really see how they can realistically close bars at 12am when they cannot now close them at 1am.