New Zoning/Early Closure Thread

[Guest]

Im quite shocked that considering the noise on forums and in thailand that was created by the proposed changes in closing times (Jan.Feb), things are considerably quiet even though the opening hours have been reduced. As I said last year, the 'softly does it' approach to changing Thailands nightlife is creeping in. Everyone last year settled for 2am closing, has now settled for 1am closing (in the threat of midnight closing) and next year everyone will settle for midnight closing (with the threat of 10pm closing) until at last thaksin etc will have eliminated any sort of interesting nightlife that Thailand has to offer. AND theres not a damn thing anyone seems to be able to do about it.

 

Back to PI for me again this year. (

[Singhaman]

Confirmed. BG at Soi 7 had the lights on 1245 am this morning. Fine for me, because I just go out an hour earlier then! Happy EASTER,

[Guest]

"Yet another well thought out and executed policy. I am particularly impressed with the way that there was no advance announcement or other opportunity for public discussion or consideration. "

 

There has been pulblic discussion of this for well over a year, and in Januay and February there was a huge public outcry against it, which is why the implimentation was delayed a bit, and te controls aren't quite as strict as propsed in February (restricting opeing times to 6:00 PM for most places.)

Not entirely correct. It is is true there was public discussion. But then it was announced that the exisiting closing times of 2 am would apply to properly licensed places and that the new closing times would only apply to new places.

 

What has actually happened - a blanket 1 am closing time in NEP - is a change from what was earlier announced, and there was no public announcement or discussion of this change. That is the point, and the record is pretty clear on this point.

 

One possible explanation is that the 2 am closing times apply only to properly licensed places, and all of the places in NEP don't have the proper licenses to stay open until 2 am. But it seems unlikely that every bar in NEP did not have the proper license. Alternatively, the government simply reversed its policies without bothering to telling the barowners and public until the last moment after previously announcing that existing places would be grandfathered and allowed to close at 2 am, and vested interests in brown are using this as a money making opportunity.

 

If this is being enforced at places like Q Bar, Mystique, it won't be good for their businesses. Ironically, the new social order policies will hurt the upscale regular couple oriented bars harder than the sex tourist oriented venues. Que Bono? Go figure.

[Old Hippie]

So what time are bars such as Morning to night etc opening?

[keith doug]

hiya.. will be arriving in los couple of weeks .. what time would i expect a bar to close in patpong 1 ...2 ?? any info appreciated IF ya been there recently

[Guest]

I cannot answer your question about Patpong (except to repeat rumours that it is open later), but I can provide an update on NEP.

 

In Rainbow I last night (Friday) at about 9:30 p.m., the DJ stopped the music and announced, in Thai and English, that Rainbow I would be open until 2 a.m. This was received with a standing ovation as BGs and customers cheered and applauded.

 

Several observations.

 

First, the obvious one. At least some NEP bars are staying open until 2 am.

 

Second, the potentially (and surprisingly, IMHO) contentious one. Closing times matter. They matter to customers. And they matter to BGs. Customers and BGs are clearly paying attention. It is equally clear that they don't like the earlier closing times. I didn't hear any 'boos' when it was announced that the bar would stay open until 2 am.

 

I always find it surprising when people try to argue here that the earlier closing times don't matter, won't affect tourism, and that most tourists could care less about Thailand's nightlife. But of course I keep forgetting that most tourists come here for the temples and fashion shows.... ::

 

Third and finally, at least some bars recognize and understand that the earlier closing times do matter. It is no coincidence that the better run and more popular bars, like Rainbow I, recognize this by going so far as to publically announce that it will be staying open late. The BGs certainly take a keen interest.

 

Recall that the first indication here of another government policy flip flop on closing times (namely, moving them from 2 am to 1 am after announcing that they would stay the same for existing places with the proper licenses) was my post several pages up about my conversation with a BG several weeks back. Unpredicatable moves like this, which affect your income, tend to focus the mind and make you pay attention. The BGs, bar owners and patrons are obviously paying attention.

[keith doug]

i gather thermaie... is open till 2am ... (or am i wrong) assume they have the correct license then ummmm

[bibblies]

keith doug said:

i gather thermaie... is open till 2am ... (or am i wrong) assume they have the correct license then ummmm

LOL :: I don't believe you're real, keith doug. You're a whimsical creation of khunsanuk, aren't you?

[keith doug]

khunsanuk whats that something one gets from KFC...

[chuckwoww]

keith doug will be in Bangkok soon. We will be getting the definitive up to the minute report on closing times. I am very excited already