Officials tour Walking Street to experience
first hand what it is they are trying to regulate.
Thanachot Anuwan
Holiday-makers still hoping for later bar closing
times in Pattaya will have to wait until at least February while city,
national and police officials draft a pilot plan that could become a
model for all of Thailand’s tourist-driven cities.
National Counter Corruption Commission spokesman
Ampol Wongsiri announced at a Pattaya City Hall press conference Dec. 13
that Pattaya and Banglamung leaders, Pattaya’s police chief and the
Pattaya Entertainment Association have begun work on the model zoning
plan that could eventually be used in Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hat Yai and
elsewhere.
The project will tackle not only the issue of
operating hours, but policing of minors, drugs and guns; license
applications and regulation of entertainment venues outside established
entertainment zones.
Ampol said he hopes the committee can submit a draft
proposal to the Cabinet by the end of January.
The Counter Corruption Commission became entangled in
the Pattaya bar closing issue in November when it staged a week-long
crackdown following findings of “irregularities” in the Pattaya Police
Department’s enforcement of national closing time regulations. It has
now become the latest Bangkok office attempt to exert influence over the
lucrative entertainment industry in Pattaya.
Pattaya officials proposed that high season operating
times should be extended to as late as 4:30 a.m. on condition that bars
crack down on allowing those under 20 through the doors, as well as
crackdown on drug and weapons possession inside their establishments.
Ampol acknowledged the minors, drugs and guns issues
were at the top of the list of items to be considered, but made no
mention of any changes to legal bar times. Currently, Chonburi Police
and the city have made an informal agreement to allow bars to remain
open until 3 a.m. However, the NCCC could easily void that.
Ampol noted that the government will need time to
inspect the various entertainment areas and meet with all affected
parties before a final plan to manage the overall zoning and licensing
of entertainment venues can be finalized.
