Prediction of Mar 1 outcome regarding closing time

[Belem]

Well, with the Thai government having decided to study the closing times issue further and render a decision by March 1, what do you guys think the outcome will be? Will the outcome be positive for the Thai nightlife scene, or will the PI, Cambodia, Brazil, and Indonesia benefit from increased (sex)tourism? The optimist in me predicts the status quo will continue, but the pessimist in me predicts a 1 am closing time (without knowledge of how the zoning will ultimately play out). Or maybe this issue will get put on the backburner behind other priorities and nothing will happen. It's going to get interesting as we get closer to the time for the announcement. That's for sure. There are a lot of great things in Thailand, but it's the nightlife that gives me the strength to endure a 24 hour flight. I have a nonrefundable ticket for late March.

[Guest]

I think the decision will be to form a committee to study the issue.

[Whitney]

No, I think they will study the study that studied the study ::

[Guest]

>> Will the outcome be positive for the Thai nightlife scene, or will the PI, Cambodia, Brazil, and Indonesia benefit from increased (sex)tourism? <<

 

I have been talking to many people here in Cambo and many of them are regular faces also in BKK/ PTY. I have heard many complaints, especially regarding the prices and the attitudes of the girls, but I must admit, I haven't heard so many complaints about closing hours yet. I think, other locations are still on the rise, but IMO not particularly related to the closing hours.

[samak]

there are actually 2 issues:

change the law/regulation (and there are always compromises possible like 1200 except in entertainment zones or 12 sunday - thursday and 01 at the weekend)

and how this will be enforced by government, officials and local police.

time will tell

[Whitney]

Peter1964 said:

I have been talking to many people here in Cambo and many of them are regular faces also in BKK/ PTY. I have heard many complaints, especially regarding the prices and the attitudes of the girls, but I must admit, I haven't heard so many complaints about closing hours yet.

 

Closing hours are pretty big issue, but more and more covering up of the dancers does take some of the atmosphere about what a go-go should be all about. I know those dancers have some serious wild sides to them that could be unleashed if not for the restrictions

 

If increased closing hours and further restrictions are imposed March 1st, it could start to influence more people to shift to other countries, maybe.

 

The officials are most probably thinking 1am closing hours, March 1st, so that most businesses hardly feels its impact immediately. Then next year they might go for 12am, IMHO.

[Palatkik]

From latest Asia Bugle:

 

There was a collective sigh of relief among Thailand?s bar owners after a cabinet meeting last week, which has seemingly buried the early closing issue: leaving things as they are.

In a televised meeting there were several opposition voices to the Interior Ministry?s midnight closing plan. Finally some of the ministers, including the Chairman, were asking all the questions that outside opponents to the proposal have been asking. Potential anomalies were identified and possible knock-on effects, particularly to tourism, were talked about. What should happen from here is that Purachai ought to convene a cabinet committee to look into the whole issue, and the matter should come back to the cabinet for reappraisal. So the new closing time will start on March 1. However, nobody that I have spoken to expects the matter to re-appear. ?It will be allowed to die off? is the popular thought.

Of course there is much speculation about the apparent u-turn by the Chairman. My theory is...(politics so cut out)

 

The only issue left is the zoning. That may yet happen, but I suspect it would lead to later opening, in the zones, rather than earlier closing elsewhere.

[khwaimaisabai]

Whitney said:

No, I think they will study the study that studied the study

Hi whitney,

Right - and then take a shopping and fact finding study tour of Singapore where they have 24 hour opening.

IMHO the issue has been killed.

Khwai

[Guest]

Amazing Thailand... IMO, this was another political blooper in hopes of garnering votes. Is there anywhere in the world where closing time is midnight and still have a nightlife, for locals and tourists? Excluding underground joints as well.

 

Rest easy, this won't come to pass. If it does, like most things Thai, it'll just be "fudged" and overlooked, business as usual. The dinger might be, this would be another arsenal for the diligent and trustworthy boyz-in-brown to use. Never enough "tea money".

[Guest]

Rest easy, this won't come to pass.

I suspect this is right. In any event, the big news here now is bird flu, which the government immediately claimed doesn't exist in Thailand. In other words, the tourism industry has just gained a few more points in importance.

 

Nothing is certain in life or Thailand, but my bet is that the early closing times will die a quiet death.