26th October

[I love Tacos!]

So its after 4pm..

c'mon guys your killing me...

 

[Shady Vines]

:angry: It is definately official. I drove halfway across the island this evening and just took a stroll down Bangla and every bar is closed up tight. I never realized how noisy Bangla is until they shut it all down. I only have 3 days left in LOS and they look to be pretty boring. I am hoping some street activity will kick up later and I can still salvage my last couple of days here. Up until now the trip has been great and the bar crawl on Saturday was loads of fun.

 

[jboi4life83]

http://www.phuketgazette.com/news/index.asp?id=3752


PHUKET: Following mass protests in Patong and Phuket City today, Governor Udomsak Usawarangkura has informed representatives of the entertainment industry in Phuket that Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will discuss closing times with the Cabinet next Tuesday (November 2).

Packdee Ritthisaman, Phuket City Entertainment Association told the Gazette that the Governor informed him that the Cabinet will discuss a proposal to declare Phuket, Pattaya and Koh Samui “tourism cities”, exempting them from the early closing regulations.

These regulations require venues in entertainment zones to close no later than 1 am, and those outside zones to close at midnight.

The announcement came after some 3,000 operators and staff of entertainment venues threatened to occupy the grounds of the Provincial Hall, day and night, until they got a satisfactory answer.

After receiving the news of the Cabinet meeting, K. Packdee said the blockade of Provincial Hall would end at 7 pm.

In Patong, however, the entertainment industry took a more cynical view. The Chairman of the Patong Entertainment Business Association (PEBA), Sompetch Moosophon, said he wanted the governor to allow venues to stay open late until the Cabinet gives its answer.

“I’m afraid it will be the same thing again – that nothing will change after the Cabinet meeting, so the Governor should let us open longer until next Tuesday,” he said.

Failing that, however, 600 entertainment venues in Patong will close for three days and a sit-in at the football ground on Thaweewong Rd will continue, he said. “We will stay here for as long as we want.”

Some 4,000 people joined the sit-in after the PEBA decided that all 400 bars, plus 200 beauty salons and massage parlors, will remain closed for at least three days.

No decision was made on what will happen after the three days, but Patong’s annual carnival is looming, and the possibility of carnival parades through streets of shuttered bars is not out of the question.

Staff and operators of nighttime venues in Kata and Karon, where 100 bars will also close in protest, joined the sit-in in Patong.

While K. Packdee in Phuket City said that venues in the island’s capital were lobbying to stay open until 2 am, the Patong industry has been pushing for venues to be allowed to stay open as late as 4 am.

Before the Governor’s announcement about the Cabinet meeting, K. Packdee told the Gazette, “We will not survive with a closing time of 1 am. I believe tourists will go to other places or even to other countries.”

He argued that illegal drugs and underage drinking – the stated targets of the early closing order – were not common problems in Phuket. “There are many venues who stay clean and are aware of what the government wants.

“As for prostitution, I don’t think the early closing will change this.”

 

[Normen Bates]

I also get bored to press refresh butom to hear about a good new :aao:

 

[HUMAN]

I`m starting to think that there are a couple thais want that the bars close and some other venues. Nightlife goes down bussiness goes down. Places loose their value. Investors stay away or selling their property to get rid of it. And then there are the sharks buy low try to establish a monopoly in the entertainment bussiness. And once they have it let the laws change again in their profit.

 

[Kollin N]

Sounds to me like a delaying tactic and wise not to go back to work waiting...

Though I wonder if the next cabinet may not be taken up with 84 dead in the south !!!

Looks like closure until the 2nd to keep the pressure then...

 

[Sammy Girl]

yeah, I am dying....it's been like..... (counts).....5 days since i last went out!!!

/me phones Nicke

 

[~o~]

...Nicke says:

"Open tonight...til 2am and waiting on further news from the Government in Bangkok next week."

But it should be 3am providing they don't backtrack.

/me goes for a beer!

 

[Ella]

Keep an eye on

http://www.rockhardphuket.com/whatnew.html

Some "leaks" cough cough will appear there

 

[ILOVEU]

Well to all those who were casting aversions on this strike, bah humbug to you.
The governor appears to be in reverse gear from his earlier statements about not really giving a shit. This now appears to be going through the motions of Thai political chess. They will now know what they are doing is not overly sensible, and will ultimately cost the country money, it's how they get out of it that is the tricky part without anyone losing any face, or pinning it all on a scapegoat. It is now out of his hands, and when push comes to shove, Thaksin tends to go on the side of "revenue" blaming others for their gross stupidity.

 

[SexiiShelly]

We open MTB tonight and we are allowed to stay open until 02.

03 closing time look promising, meeting on Tuesday in Bangkok so the Governor could not confirm this on paper.

I also got a photo of the Governor, will post the pic on main page.

 

[Frances]

Yep good news, opening to 2am. Will wait and see about later trading in the next 2 weeks.

PATONG IS ALIVE :happyi:

 

[[804]kennyy]

Why not just post the leaks here ???

BTW what do bar owners on here think of the strike... Personally I think it plays into thier hands and costs teh bars money. Also given asian 'face' issues triying to force thier hand is one sure way (IMHO) to make them more stubborn.

Remember Taxin is fighting the democrats who are Phukets power base, so if he causes those in power to loose face or costs economic support for the democrats all the better for him.

A unanimous descision to ignore the close order would A) benefit bars and B) force the ussue plainly.. Of course bars run the risk of loosing licences fines and jail time but by the sound of baseball bat mob action they are none to worried about that.

 

[waverunner]

Well hurray for small mercy's, I really like the 3am idea though...mai pen rai

Business as usual then fellas....73 hours till ''wheels up'' ..can't wait :cheers:

 

[lily-jane]

Getting out without losing face is essential...

Also Taxin tends to err on the side of populist politics... You know that particular brand of Thai love Thai that says that we farangs are responsible for the countries ills etc... Next year is an election year IIRC and so maintaining his populist stances will be important..

I hope that the 2nd gets us all what we want in the way of closures however the cynic in me says that 'up for discussion' at a meeting next week is an easy opt out clause to A) get bars back open and B) make it look like he tried if it does not work.

 

[~o0o~]

I added some pics from the last hour today at http://www.thailand-photos.net/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/521

I have to say that there were lot more people around before and last night it was packed with people on the field.

 

[Alli]

dont they realise that if they close all the bars alot of people will just go to that swamp...pattaya

 

[Vampire Lord]

What are the bargirls doing during this strike? How do they feel about this whole thing?

 

[Alex S]

Tiger has 2 tonight... 3 is allegedly in the bag but may take a week or two to get 'implemented'...

For me the perfect angle is 4 (with after clubs and lock ins) but 3 is MUCH better... being a dirty stop out, I tend to like 'underground' and other dawn stories (SStars etc) but 3 is MUCH better... Any later that 4 or 5 would probably get me in more relationship hassle (and bar fights) than I could deal with long term... Someone has to tell me when to go home

I have to say I had little faith but it looks like I was wrong..

I bet Joy and othe late late (dirty stop out) owners are breathing a sigh..

 

[Passion (is sick)]

I would imagine that tonights the night to be on Bangla ..celebrations all over :cheers: :cheers:
67 hours & 45 mins till wheels up :happyi: