New Pattaya Police chief - Late night crackdown ?

[colmx]

Hi All
I have now had 2 independent confirmations that there is a New Police Chief in pattaya and that all late night venues (Dave, Nab, Hollywood, x-zyte etc) are now closing at 2AM

With High season (and my next holiday) rapidly approaching this is kinda worrying!

Hopefully it will be a temporary crackdown as some of us night owls would have our holidays ruined if we had to go hope that early every day!

Anybody got any updates on this situation?
Thanks in Advance!

[jolyjacktar]

Im with the Police Chief in 2am. In fact the 1am a few years back was even better. Night time was meant for sleeping dude. " Early to bed and early to rise." keeps ones body good and mind strong. :nud:

[Alaan]

Night time was meant for sleeping dude

Maybe in your world it is mr joly, But not when i'm holidaying for my week in Pattaya it isn't. If you sleep in Pattaya when it is night time, seems you'll be heading to the land of nod from 6pm...don't think so! Night time is when Pattaya should just be wakening up. Have you never had a Thai guy sleep over with you in Pattaya? daytime is for sleeping according to them. Outside Pattaya, yep fair enough...reasonable bedtime and take advantage of the daylight time.

Have'nt heard about new police chief yet, but the normal series of events when one is appointed normally starts with a 'tightening up' of tea-money venues until the correct and proper levels of return in exchange for 'reasonable closing times' have been established for the 'new regime'. Like Colmx hope it gets sorted out quickly.
Although not due to arrive until January, I wouldn't want the new Police chief to have to wait too long to save up for his new 'Benz'.

[puckered_penguin]

The current Pattaya police chief was appointed in March 2010 and the appointment is usually for 1 year. The Royal Thai Police Board appointed Pol Gen Wichean Potephosree, Deputy Police Commissioner-General as new national police chief in August though I believe he has only recently taken up his post. Who knows if he is directly behind this police activity or its just the local chief needing some macho stuff in his daily log for the new chief's eyes.
For the last few years there has been crackdowns on opening hours at the beginning of the tourist season. On Wednesday 10/11 and Thursday 12/11 most late night opening places were closed at 3 am. That included walking street area and North Pattaya venues. On the Friday the bars expected early closure but at 3 am the all clear to 'normal trading' was given.
I was in Nab on a couple of occasions and I usually run a tab there and on Friday 25/11 was asked to settle the Tab at 2 am just in case there was early closure at 3 am. The Coyote dancers and shows stopped early and the buzz went out of the place and many people left early though in fact it did not close until 6 am.
People are generally going to Nab much earlier (just now) and when I arrived at 11:30 it was already quite full.
I am certainly not out every night but I believe the early closures have happened on only 2 or 3 nights in the past 2 weeks.

As others have said it maybe a reminder to the late night venues to start to pay the dark money so that they can remain open until it gets light. Probably this week everything will be back to normal.

I have now had 2 independent confirmations that there is a New Police Chief in pattaya and that all late night venues (Dave, Nab, Hollywood, x-zyte etc) are now closing at 2AMAgain? This happens every year.

[Beachlover]

Im with the Police Chief in 2am. In fact the 1am a few years back was even better. Night time was meant for sleeping dude. " Early to bed and early to rise." keeps ones body good and mind strong. :nud:
1am - are you serious?

Even I think that's waaaay too early and I'm an early riser too, usually 6am or if I've had a really late night, 9am-11am. I usually work during the day and like to be productive. If I'm out every night, latest I like to be out is about 3am, or I just collapse after a few nights.

And I believe people should have choices... especially in a big nightlife place like Pattaya or Bangkok. Few things kill the nightlife/entertainment more than early closing restrictions. It sucks... you're having a great night, then suddenly there's no where to go!

I do like the idea that clubs like NAB are kicking off earlier around 11pm though...

[Wesley]

Hi All
I have now had 2 independent confirmations that there is a New Police Chief in pattaya and that all late night venues (Dave, Nab, Hollywood, x-zyte etc) are now closing at 2AM

With High season (and my next holiday) rapidly approaching this is kinda worrying!

Hopefully it will be a temporary crackdown as some of us night owls would have our holidays ruined if we had to go hope that early every day!

Anybody got any updates on this situation?
Thanks in Advance!


I certainly agree, and I take fulll advantage of the 5 AM bar closings in the Philippines. party all night eat then enjoy each other all day.

Wow, what a life!

[gerefan2]

Dont think the Raids on the Bars has anything to do with enforcing morality, or stricter closing times has anything to do with compliance with the law.
If they did, all the above "good intentions" would not take place take plece outside the high season, as they always do.
All will be well, colmx

[cdnmatt]

if it makes you feel any better, the clubs that usually close around 4am here are getting shutdown at midnight right now. Bangkok cops are here for some reason. Not sure why, and maybe they're just showing off a bit, letting the KK cops know he's in charge. Out for beers & snooker, then the cops show up around midnight, and kick everyone out -- about 200 people.

Hopefully they go home soon, as it's a pain to go anywhere right now. Since the Bangkok cops are here, I guess the KK cops decided they better look busy, so there's traffic stops everywhere now.

[Beachlover]

if it makes you feel any better, the clubs that usually close around 4am here are getting shutdown at midnight right now. Bangkok cops are here for some reason....
That sucks!


kick everyone out -- about 200 people.
Geez, that must piss a lot of people off. This is the is the kind of thing that leads to someone doing a drive by shooting on the police station or whatever hotel they're staying at.

[cdnmatt]

Geez, that must piss a lot of people off. This is the is the kind of thing that leads to someone doing a drive by shooting on the police station or whatever hotel they're staying at.

huh? No, this is Issan. It just leads people to goto 7-11 and buy beer.

[Beachlover]

Geez, that must piss a lot of people off. This is the is the kind of thing that leads to someone doing a drive by shooting on the police station or whatever hotel they're staying at.

huh? No, this is Issan. It just leads people to goto 7-11 and buy beer.
Yeah, I know. Drive by shootings are more a Sydney thing.

But yeah, sucks having a night ruined like that by corrupt police. Even though corrupt police are the ones letting it open.

But yeah, sucks having a night ruined like that by corrupt police. Even though corrupt police are the ones letting it open.

I think you will find it very, very difficult to find a non-corrupt policeman in Thailand Beachlover...That's another reason why the Thai's don't really bat an eyelid when they come round closing places down as they know it's only the new boss showing off. They know it doesn't last long otherwise the BIB from the bottom up wouldn't have much of an income as their wages are shit.

At a meeting between the Pattaya City administration and entertainment business owners, plans were discussed to apply to the Royal Thai Police for a 24 hour entertainment zone during the coming high season.

On November 24, at Pattaya City Hall, officials held a meeting to discuss the operating hours of entertainment businesses following a claim by the Office Of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission [PACC] that it had received a significant number of complaints from concerned people in the city. Present at the meeting were Pattaya City Mayor, Mr. Itthiphol Khunpluem, the president of Entertainer in Pattaya, Mr. Banyat Siritanyong, Pattaya administrative assistant, Mr. Soonthorn Rattanawaraha and Colonel Nunthawut Suwanla-ong (Pattaya Police Superintendent).

The meeting was told that the high level of corruption in the city was of grave concern, especially the negative impact it has on the tourist industry. Complaints had been presented to successive administrations, but the problems still remained.

Also under discussion were three rules to be implemented throughout the cityтАЩs entertainment areas - no admission to those under age 18, a stricter control on the use of drugs, and a ban on the possession of weapons. These issues needed to be addressed prior to the possible implementation of a тАЬZoning Pattaya ModelтАЭ allowing entertainment venues to stay open for 24 hours, as opposed to the present arrangement тАУ a тАЬHot SpotтАЭ or Red zone with 3:00 am closing, and the remaining areas with 2:00 am.

Pattaya Daily News

[martin911]

Hi Colmx --sorry to inform you but we were in Nab tonite --still closing at 3 !!!!!!!!!!!!!sucks ,will venture out again on fri and will update u on T&T (one of your fav spots lol ), hearing its opening at 1/2 closing at 4am --means u might get some sleep next visit lol -and also i was told tonite by Copa boss thats its the Bkk police that are the ones coming to inspect , they were in boytown at 2 one night last week,when all the lights were off anyway !!!!