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Hermanolobo
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There is only one topic of conversation among bar owners, users and travellers in general: closing time.
Since the Chairman got into the act everybody has realised that something is going to happen. This is part of the Bangkok Post article that cranked up the rumour mill:
Interior Ministry sources said earlier the government was likely to move the closing time for bars, pubs and clubs forward from 2am to 1am, effective from the Chinese New Year on Jan 22. Opening time would be 3pm, the sources said.
Legal operating hours of nightspots are 1pm to 1am, but most stay open till about 2am.
The prime minister said he understood that changing opening hours might affect nightspots, but believed the government, operators, employees and customers should meet half way. ``Is it not possible for an entertainment outlet operating for five hours from 9pm to 2am to open instead between 7pm and midnight? That is five hours as well.
Most people I have spoken to seem to be resigned to 1 a.m. closing. Arguments about tourism are falling on deaf ears since the government has a booming economy and are more interested in what they perceive as law and order, rather than tourists. To me the way this government thinks is very like the establishment back in the UK 30 years ago. Sitting in armchairs in large houses drinking large Black Labels they pontificate about the workers and youth and how they should behave. They are not interested in closing time because it will never affect them. Student fighting, traffic accidents and drug problems will all go away if they can simply stop/reduce the time people spend in bars. I know it is wrong, you know it is wrong and even, by all reports, the PM’s son knows it’s wrong: but to Them: we do not understand.
There are rumours that the Chairman and his son have fallen out badly over this issue, and that has made it even more likely that the closing time could be moved to midnight. Apparently many police think it will be midnight, although there is some speculation that would require a new law to be passed, the existing law is for bars to close at 1 pm.
The terrorists attack in the south this week could just help our cause. Clearly these well publicized events will once again set Thai tourism back. We could hope that somebody may have enough balls to point out that late night drinkers will still come when Moms and Dads won’t! Well we can hope can’t we?
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 9:38 am on Jan. 9, 2004
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bostonjon
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it seems as though many of the guys who posted replies to my other post were vacationers who are just spending time in Thailand for 2 or 3 weeks at a time; the typical response to the early closings was ' so what? I can meet a girl before midnight and have her in my room for a screw easily by then'. that's true, but what about the rest of us?
a good many of the readers here live in BKK or are like me and split their time between BKK and somewhere else. I have a place in the city and to me it is just appaling that I may have to go home now at 12 or even 1 AM. I think if the people who don't care about this had it apply to the city that they live in like we do, they may care more; imagine if all the bars in your cities closed at 12? you would just be starting to go out for the night and it would be time to go home.
lets remember that we are talking about ALL bars here, not just the girly bars in NEP and Patpong and Cowboy, where indeed you can meet and screw a hottie as early as 7 or 8 PM. But I am still relatively young at 38 and like to go out to popular watering holes like Hollywood, Q-Bar, and RCA and Khoa San Road; as you know in any big city, it's not fashionable or even sensible to show up at places like this before 11AM or midnight because they are still empty. What will happen to those places now? Local Thai's and even local ex-pats like me will not be willing to go out dancing and imbibing at 9PM and heading back to your apartment at 1215, bored and depressed.
remember, not everyone who wants a later closing time hangs out in go-go bars. I spend my fair amount of time in them, but this stupid law will much more effect the ability of local people to go out and have fun. seriously....I mean even in boring old brahmin Boston it's 2AM, and just about everywhere else you go in the world [or later].
lighten up, Thaksin; we love your country and you are trying to drive us all away.
Jon
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 11:02 am on Jan. 9, 2004
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Hermanolobo
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bostonjon,
Good points !
I live in West London and whilst some pubs have an extension to 12 or later 11pm closing is the norm. Then its "let's have yer f_cking glasses! You've spent yer money now f_ck off !"
10:30pm on Sundays ! Yeah but with all the shops open who is observing the Sabbath. Cross the 22 miles to the other side of the channel and it is a completely different story! I thought we were supposed to be part of the EU ?
It's about people control in England and in Thailand.
They'll be trying to stop singing and dancing next. It's inevitable for this type of two-faced mind set.
We used to have 'Sanuk' but we are alright now !
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 6:25 am on Jan. 10, 2004
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stuckinapub
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some good points john
Quote: from bostonjon on 5:02 pm on Jan. 9, 2004
lighten up, Thaksin; we love your country and you are trying to drive us all away.
i think may be the answer is yes
the bar closing situation is aimed fairly and squarely at the thais
as you read the bangkok post or nation
there is gang wars between tech colledges
the drug situation seems out of control
underage drinking
there are lots of articles about the morals of the youths today etc etc
so the magic answer is close the bars and entertainment areas earlier which seems to be the quick fix that the politicians want
just a quick point
there is compleling evidance in the uk regarding early closing times is detremental
as this sets targets for drinkers to get there gutfull of beer in before closing time
then you have a bunch of drunk people being chuked out onto the streets at an relative early time causing all sorts of chaos
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 7:00 am on Jan. 10, 2004
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Hermanolobo
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Quote: from stuckinapub on 8:00 pm on Jan. 10, 2004
just a quick point
there is compleling evidance in the uk regarding early closing times is detremental
as this sets targets for drinkers to get there gutfull of beer in before closing time
then you have a bunch of drunk people being chuked out onto the streets at an relative early time causing all sorts of chaos
I believe this to be correct where the laws in Scotland were changed to midnight and things improved.
I have never seen many drunk French people although I am sure there must be some. They take it slow a bit like their two hour lunches and a lot healthier for it ?
The English licensing laws were brought in during the First World War to keep the people in the arms factories and not the pubs. As with all such legislature it is never changed back again. Which I think the Thais will find out soon. As you say the changing of closing time is a quick fix on deeper social problems. If Thaksin believes changing the closing times will improve his social problems he is away on planet Mars (lost there like the space probe) In fact it is likely to make them worse as the Thais will get grumpy as they no longer have an outlet. He has probably already written his own 'political death-warrant' ?
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 7:35 am on Jan. 10, 2004
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nokna
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"the bar closing situation is aimed fairly and squarely at the thais"
really?,then why are the places talked about mainly Falang entertainment centres?
how many back street Thai only Bars will be closing at this time?
will the MIB be looking for them when the Falang places are a much easier touch?
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 8:01 am on Jan. 10, 2004
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kmanrox
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thaksin doesnt care what we think... he thinks anyone who goes with a BG is 'of the lowest class of society' and that we spend very little money here.
Heh, if he could only see how much I spent on whores last year, he'd sh_t...
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 8:55 am on Jan. 10, 2004
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stuckinapub
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Quote: from Hermanolobo on 1:35 pm on Jan. 10, 2004
The English licensing laws were brought in during the First World War to keep the people in the arms factories and not the pubs. As with all such legislature it is never changed back again.
yes you are quite right about this
FYI do you know that the only bar that was exempt from this law was the house of commons bar
a little of do what I say not do as I do !!!!
as to nokna point on back street bars
i am a copper which place are going to shake down for money?
1) a small back street bar that has few local patrons
2) a bar that caters for rich foreigners where the pay offs will be much larger
we may laugh at the dim whitted local cops but they are not that dum when it comes to suplementing their incomes
another point would be check the local thai language papers I am sure the same heated debate is happenig there as well
since I cant read thai I hope one of our more learned brothers could comment on that one
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Thai Girls : Meet Active Thai Girls
Posted on: 9:53 am on Jan. 10, 2004
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