The caretaker Thai Cabinet agreed this week that the three provinces of the rapidly expanding Eastern Economic Corridor, which includes Pattaya, should permit 24 hours opening of bars and clubs to boost tourist income in the post-covid era. However, this is one of those “in principle” announcements with various stakeholders still able to cancel, delay or interpret the rules more or less at free will. Certainly, the notion of the EEC business zone becoming a cheerleader for booze reform is a gaspingly original role. It’s best understood with a gin and tonic in your hand.
The secretary of Pattaya’s entertainment and tourism association, Damrongkiat Phinitkan, has made the expected announcement that the move would benefit local businesses and strengthen the Pattaya tourist industry. However, his predecessors have been saying much the same thing since 2010 when the then-Pattaya mayor Itthipol Kunplome led a campaign to extend booze hours till dawn. It got nowhere. The current campaign is said to owe much to newly elected Move Forward member of parliament for Pattaya, Jaras Kumkhainam, with his own flagship proposals to make the resort competitive in world tourist markets.
Whether or not anything more is heard of the current 24 hour Pattaya booze freedom idea will depend on the Thai government once in office. Alcohol not likely to be a priority agenda item and the hot potato is likely to be passed to provincial committees and even to public meetings. Thus we are likely to hear once again the many well-rehearsed, conservative arguments about the need to protect youths, avoid a surge in the crime rate (including prostitution) and prevent an explosion of middle-of-the-night traffic accidents. These debates will doubtless earn their yawn of the month literary awards.
Even if bars were open 24 hours, it’s doubtful if many owners would leap at the opportunity to go the whole hog. Expansion on that scale has enormous implications for rents, salaries, contracts, staff hours and all manner of unforeseen expenses. A recent report on the Cambodian cities of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap found that nearly all nighteries, although legally able to operate 24/7, close around 2 am, or even earlier. There just aren’t sufficient customers to remain open. With Pattaya’s international tourist profile changing rapidly with fewer naughty bachelor boys turning up from Europe, America and Australia, booze liberalization maybe doesn’t have the punch it once did.
Further down the decision-taking line, we will hear much about restricted Happy Zones or Enjoyment Sandboxes where extended booze hours will be allowed with a special permit. One can imagine the howls if Walking Street is allowed to serve cocktails, but Soi Buakhao isn’t. And what if gay zones such as the Jomtien Complex or Boyztown are excluded? Government spokespersons have already said that all night partying must not go on in areas where people need to sleep. Best of luck sorting that one out.
Of course, Pattaya already has substantial 24 hours opening experience. Apart from police, emergency services and hospitals, there are more “we never close” 7/11 convenience stores in Thailand than in any other country except Japan. Foodland, alone of the major food halls, never closes even though an aisle or two are closed off at four in the morning for cleaning. Not to mention the shebeens or illegal drinking dens which do exist in Pattaya if you know where to look. Law reform in Thailand is well overdue with tawdry legal restrictions still in place to force the retail selling of alcohol into artificial windows from 11 am to 2 pm and 5 pm to midnight. Dislodging Thai booze history will be no easy task.
