thalenoi Posted September 2, 2001 Report Share Posted September 2, 2001 Typical Thai contradiction like always: ``Unlike Thais, foreign tourists go out late at night. The busiest hours are between 2 am and 5 am,'' he said." Yeah, all Thais are in bed before midnight, what a joke... "Checks on leading nightspots such as RCA, a popular teenage hang-out, found that night owls began leaving at 1.30 am. Shortly after 2 am the area was empty." Well, Thais don't stay out late (especially teenagers), as stated before... These are interesting times indeed and we all wonder how this will evolve in the next few days. Really curious now... [ September 02, 2001: Message edited by: thalenoi ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sukhumvit Posted September 2, 2001 Report Share Posted September 2, 2001 Knowing how passionate lots of Thais are about football could this sudden backdown have anything to do with the screening of the England v Germany football match at ye dark hour of the morning? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 2, 2001 Report Share Posted September 2, 2001 They wouldn't want to encourage the Thais to stay up late in boozers and watch football. They gamble on football here,don't they? Oh,I forgot,they can't be, gambling's illegal too! Adam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 3, 2001 Report Share Posted September 3, 2001 Some thoughts on this. Firstly Sanoh is regarded as a bit of a godfather of TRT, and has set up his own faction in the party.He was jockeying for position if the corruption court case went against Thaksin, and the top job was up for grabs. Maybe Thaksin feels the need to be on the right side of him. Thaksin is as flaky as they come, if tomorrow some other bigwig comes up with how the crackdown is benefitting the country he could go back the other way. On the other hand, the government recently increased the taxes on alcohol. As they have no other apparent policies to raise the revenue needed to put into place their populist policies, perhaps the penny has dropped that they need to sell as much drink as possible. Personally I dont think that special privileges for tourist areas will cut much ice, as I think this will piss off the average Thai more than a universal crackdown. For the best word in crackdowns check out Crutch in todays Bangkok Post. [ September 02, 2001: Message edited by: Johnny Was ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattaya127 Posted September 4, 2001 Report Share Posted September 4, 2001 Read thaksin's line on this one. definitely not targeting tourists or webmasters: Early closing or I go: minister Published on Sep 4, 2001 The Nation Purachai Piumsombun threw down the gauntlet yesterday, challenging the Thai Rak Thai Party to remove him as interior minister rather than prevent him enforcing the early closure of nightspots. Even the prime minister could not stop him enforcing the law, he said. "Nobody can tell me to let things stay messed up as in the past. In that case, we don't need an interior minister. Anyone can do it," Purachai said. "I have to keep my honour, which has been cultivated for over 50 years. I have no problem if I have to go from this post. But if I have to compromise my stand and lose my honour, I'd rather go." Purachai was responding to a three-point demand by some 2,000 operators of entertainment venues who gathered in Bangkok early yesterday. He was also replying to criticism from TRT Party chief adviser Snoh Thienthong, who said last week Purachai was causing trouble to hundreds of thousands of people. The operators met for three hours at Phraram Kao Entertainment Plaza and decided to call on the government to allow 18-year-olds to enter places licensed to open late at night. But theminister''s "new order" is to tell police to arrest anyone under 20 who enters a discotheque or bar. Operators also called on the government to extend closing time from 1am for restaurants and 2am for discotheques to 4am for all places. The government should also abolish its entertainment-zoning plan, they said, or at least allow them to participate in the process. Maj Gen Trairong Inthornthat, an adviser to the prime minister on security affairs, met the operators and promised to submit their appeal to the Prime Minister. But Purachai was intransigent, saying he could not give in to any of the demands because he has to enforce the law. "It's the law - so how can the prime minister ask me to stop enforcing it? I can't allow people under 20 to enter such places. If [bars] are allowed to remain open until 4am, how could we control them? If anyone wants to remove me from the post, I'll say I don't want the job anyway. But here I am, so I have to get on with it," Purachai said boldly. The law would have to be amended to meet with the operators' demands, he said. But he promised the Interior Ministry would comply with any such amendments. Thaksin had asked initially Purachai to tone down his stance. But yesterday, after learning of his colleague's stand, Thaksin said nightclubs and their customers should themselves adjust. "They will have to visit such places earlier and go home earlier so that they will have some time for their wives and children," the PM said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sukhumvit Posted September 4, 2001 Report Share Posted September 4, 2001 quote: Originally posted by pattaya127: If [bars] are allowed to remain open until 4am, how could we control them? If anyone wants to remove me from the post, I'll say I don't want the job anyway. But here I am, so I have to get on with it," Purachai said boldly. Thaksin said nightclubs and their customers should themselves adjust. "They will have to visit such places earlier and go home earlier so that they will have some time for their wives and children," the PM said. Well at least if these pair of knobs ever leave politics they could have a comedy double act "The Purachai & Thaksin Show." Firstly, why do they feel the need to impose "control" on night venues? Just continue as other countries do with the odd spot check to kick out underage drinkers etc. As the saying goes, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Secondly, Thicksin seems to forget that not everyone who goes out clubbing or boozing is a) male married or c) working hours that allow them to get in and out of the boozer within the allotted time (i.e. shift workers) Thirdly, ahh fug it. Can't be ar.... I think I'll go and try and untwist my knickers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 4, 2001 Report Share Posted September 4, 2001 As it looks like even Thaksin wants the rules relaxed, how long will his loyalty to Purachai last if/when the going really gets tough ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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