Jomtien Complex Raid December 10

[aussie]

Last night, Friday 10th, the police closed all restaurants and bars in Jomtien Complex main soi with the threat of jail if they open again before January 16th. This included the restaurants with SHA and SHA Plus registration.

[Dodger]

Wow!

First I've heard of this.

Where did you hear this news?

[Manforallseasons]

Pattaya has a new police chief wether this has something to do with this who knows, it will be interesting to see if they also raided the girlie bars, why do any bars think they needn’t have the required documents to sell alcohol in the first place? Perhaps they were “ready to rock” a tad too soon!

[Dodger]

Pattaya has a new police chief wether this has something to do with this who knows, it will be interesting to see if they also raided the girlie bars,

You're reading my mind.

Jai saw something on the news last night about a few places on Soi Bui chao getting busted as well. At least they're nor singling out "gays".

[Gaybutton]

Where did you hear this news?

Unfortunately I saw for myself. I walked through this evening, Saturday December 11. Dead as a doornail. Mostly dark. A couple restaurants were open. A couple massage shops were open. The only bar I saw open was @Home bar. I doubt there was a total of more than 25 boys in the entire complex.

While most of us want to see the bars reopen and many of us see no point to continuing to forbid the bars from serving alcohol, apparently that is precisely what they were doing anyway. They had no legal right to do that. Oh well, so much for Christmas and New Year's Eve. While we may not like it, the police had every right to shut down venues caught breaking the rules.

Regarding the restaurant closings, both Yupin's and Divarium restaurants were open. Divarium was packed with farang customers.

If the restaurants were operating within the rules and had their SHA certification, the police would have no legal grounds to order them closed.

[francois]

Was Adonis open?

[DoubleDutch]

I walked through this evening, Saturday December 11. Dead as a doornail. Mostly dark.



You must be ecstatic. You got your wish.





Oh well, so much for Christmas and New Year's Eve.



Now you have found new angle - Jomtien Complex gay bars have cancelled Christmas.

Accusing Jomtien gay bars of ruining Christmas is Bill O'Reilly, formerly Fox News level of madness accusing Democrats cancelling Christmas, fabricating such garbage, you should be ashamed. You don't blame Taleban-like Junta here with their hate of alcohol and idiotic alcohol restrictions, you blame bars in Jomtien Complex. You imply that bars would have been legally serving alcohol on Christmas Eve; if only they had not served today, how twisted is that!

[Gaybutton]

Was Adonis open?
I'm not sure. Most of the bars were closed. The only one I noticed still open was the @Home bar.



You must be ecstatic. You got your wish.

Congratulations. You've just shown me that you're some kind of nut.

I don't know what makes you think I wanted something like that to happen, but that's your opinion. What reason would I have to wish the bars and gay venues forced to close? Go ahead - twist my words and intent to your heart's content.

[Gaybutton]

Some people apparently don't like that I am trying to keep people planning a long haul flight and expensive holiday in Thailand as well informed as to what to expect as best as I can. Those who don't like that - too bad.
__________________________________________________ _______

Police ban the appetite for booze in Jomtien’s gay street

By Barry Kenyon

December 11, 2021

A police raid at the Jomtien Complex, sometimes known as Super Town, has effectively closed the open-street gay bars just one week after they had reopened. It had been widely assumed that the bars were in the clear serving alcohol provided that they had obtained the SHA (Safety & Health Administration) certificate issued by government bodies.

However, Pattaya police and officials from the Department of Provincial Administration, which issues licenses, pointed out that the SHA certificate covers many types of businesses including restaurants, accommodation, travel agencies, health spas, souvenir shops etc. The SHA is not in itself a go-ahead to serve booze. The other requirement is that the business is licensed to serve food and – crucially – has eating as its main income earner.

Bars which serve booze as the mainstay, but offer food to customers as a sideline, are not deemed to be eligible under the Chonburi governor’s provincial edict of December 4 which specifies “restaurants”. They must also have the SHA certificate which requires a vaccinated staff, satisfactory sanitation and high-level public services. The popular Yupin’s restaurant in the Complex is an example of a fully-qualified business which can legally serve beer, wine and spirits to dining customers.

Police captain Tanakit said that the bars in question were really posing as eateries to justify selling alcohol, but this was not the purpose of the provincial edict which was designed to limit the spread of Covid. If bars wished to operate, they must offer food and soft drinks only and should close by 9 pm. Making a commercial profit on this basis is a no-no, although one Complex bar has been open for coffee and cakes for several weeks already.

Properly licensed restaurants with SHA certification can serve alcohol from 11 am to 2 pm and 5 pm to 11 pm under the provincial decree. Police added that they had received reports in the last few days that parties had been held in the offending bars until well past midnight with minimal attention paid to social distancing and mask wearing. No bar owners, staff or customers were arrested during the initial raid, but warnings were issued in clear language.

The Jomtien Complex, prior to the pandemic, was the center of Pattaya’s once-famed gay scene with competitors Boyztown and Sunee Plaza already well past their prime. Police later told reporters that they were not specifically targeting gay venues, pointing out that their raids until now had been on non-gay establishments operating illegally. But bar workers in the Complex commented that a merry Christmas 2021 now seems out of the question.

Government spokesmen have said that the intention is to allow night life to operate normally from mid January. But this depends on the success of the national vaccination program, the level of Covid infections and, in particular, the behavior of the Omicron virus variant. Meanwhile, Pattaya’s well-known nighteries such as Walking Street and Sexy Soi 6 remain mostly shuttered. Shaking off the resort’s ghost town image is proving very difficult indeed.

https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/news/police-ban-the-appetite-for-booze-in-jomtiens-gay-street-382600

[aussie]

Wow!

First I've heard of this.

Where did you hear this news?

A bar owner sent me a message after the raid.

Since the raid @ Home Bar is open till 9.00 PM as a cafe and not selling alcohol.

[aussie]

Was Adonis open?

Adonis was closed last night.

At Home Bar is open till 9.00 pm as a cafe and not selling alcohol.

Dicks Cafe is open later than 9.00 pm and not selling alcohol.

I heard some bars or "restaurants" may reopen in the next few days.

[Dodger]

Some of the bars in JC were trying to circumvent the system - they got caught - and are paying the consequences. That's the bottom line.

Some of the str8 bars along Soi Boi Chao (and other areas) have also been fined and closed recently for the same reasons. The police are trying to set an example so things don't get out of hand. Nothing more - nothing less.

Most, if not all of the bars, will reopen again...there's very little doubt of that...so more patience is required. My guess is that some will reopen in the next few days - and others may wait until mid-January, if in fact the government gives the green light.

There should be little doubt in anyone's mind about the bar owners intent to reopen. That's the good news.

[dab69]

https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/news/police-ban-the-appetite-for-booze-in-jomtiens-gay-street-382600




A police raid at the Jomtien Complex, sometimes known as Super Town, has effectively closed the open-street gay bars just one week after they had reopened. It had been widely assumed that the bars were in the clear serving alcohol provided that they had obtained the SHA (Safety & Health Administration) certificate issued by government bodies.



However, Pattaya police and officials from the Department of Provincial Administration, which issues licenses, pointed out that the SHA certificate covers many types of businesses including restaurants, accommodation, travel agencies, health spas, souvenir shops etc. The SHA is not in itself a go-ahead to serve booze. The other requirement is that the business is licensed to serve food and – crucially – has eating as its main income earner.


Bars which serve booze as the mainstay, but offer food to customers as a sideline, are not deemed to be eligible under the Chonburi governor’s provincial edict of December 4 which specifies “restaurants”. They must also have the SHA certificate which requires a vaccinated staff, satisfactory sanitation and high-level public services. The popular Yupin’s restaurant in the Complex is an example of a fully-qualified business which can legally serve beer, wine and spirits to dining customers.



Police captain Tanakit said that the bars in question were really posing as eateries to justify selling alcohol, but this was not the purpose of the provincial edict which was designed to limit the spread of Covid. If bars wished to operate, they must offer food and soft drinks only and should close by 9 pm. Making a commercial profit on this basis is a no-no, although one Complex bar has been open for coffee and cakes for several weeks already.



Properly licensed restaurants with SHA certification can serve alcohol from 11 am to 2 pm and 5 pm to 11 pm under the provincial decree. Police added that they had received reports in the last few days that parties had been held in the offending bars until well past midnight with minimal attention paid to social distancing and mask wearing. No bar owners, staff or customers were arrested during the initial raid, but warnings were issued in clear language.

[goji]

I don't know why the hell they are waiting until January.

1. Thailand has vaccinated almost 70% of the population. Daily vaccination rates are barely more than half peak levels, despite walk in vaccinations being available for anyone, including farang tourists. So if everyone has had the opportunity of a vaccine, that's not a reason to keep restrictions.

2 Last time I looked, Chonburi had a lower infection rate than Bangkok.

3 By January, there must be a good chance that Omicron is spreading, so will they still relax the prohibition rules then ?

[Gaybutton]

will they still relax the prohibition rules then ?

Based on the history of what they have been doing, I don't like the odds. Even relaxing the rules is no guarantee that sooner or later they won't come up with reasons to prohibit alcohol again, especially if a new more virulent strain pops up.

[Dodger]

3 By January, there must be a good chance that Omicron is spreading, so will they still relax the prohibition rules then ?

Same odds as forecasting the weather: 50% chance it rains - 50% chance it doesn't.

When the green light is given most will reopen - at least that much we know.

[goji]

Well today I ventured further up Soi Bukhao, in order to find a bar showing the Grand Prix. Not much point in looking in Jomtien, after the Mafia shut the bars there.

The top end of the Soi was rammed. I was in a bar with just over 50 customers, all drinking and only one ordered food when I was there, between 19:45 and just after 22:00. So why exactly are the rules applied differently for gay and straight bars ?

Are the authorities homophobic ?
Do the Soi Bukhao bars pay more tea money ?

I would add photos, but despite resizing to 800 pixels wide, the board software thinks the pictures are too big.

[Brad the Impala]

So why exactly are the rules applied differently for gay and straight bars ?

Are the authorities homophobic ?
Do the Soi Bukhao bars pay more tea money ?



I would expect that the answer is more likely that Soi Buakhow and Jomtien Complex are in different police districts.

[goji]

I would expect that the answer is more likely that Soi Buakhow and Jomtien Complex are in different police districts.

Where would the boundary be between these police districts ?

I regularly see police district boundary signs in Bangkok, but have yet to see one in Pattaya.

[Dodger]

Where would the boundary be between these police districts ?.

This may be outdated information, but a friend who was on the PTY Volunteer Police Force years ago told me that he was assigned to the South PTY police district, (which included the area where his bar was located). The other 2 main districts were simply Central PTY and North PTY. If this is still the way it's done, then JC would be in the South PTY police district - and Soi Buakhow most likely in the Central PTY district.

Note: The Dark Side may or may not be divided this way.

I agree with Brad's assessment.

[arsenal]

Cafe Pitini is on Soi Buakhow and does the best breakfast as well as other wonderful homecooked western food. Also loads and loads of karaoke bars in the streets that run off it. All full of boys, all needing money. The hunt is afoot.

[goji]

This may be outdated information, but a friend who was on the PTY Volunteer Police Force years ago told me that he was assigned to the South PTY police district, (which included the area where his bar was located). The other 2 main districts were simply Central PTY and North PTY. If this is still the way it's done, then JC would be in the South PTY police district - and Soi Buakhow most likely in the Central PTY district.


By this logic, Boyztown and probably Sunee Plaza would be in the central police district. We just need some of those bars to test out if they get the same priveliges as Soi Bukhao.

Also, irrespective of police district, they are enforcing rules set by the same government.

[Dodger]

By this logic, Boyztown and probably Sunee Plaza would be in the central police district. We just need some of those bars to test out if they get the same privileges as Soi Bukhao.

At least at the time, JC, Boyztown and Sunee were all in the South PTY Police District. I'm thinking Soi Bukhao was (is) probably considered the Central District.

In any event, it really doesn't matter. There's no way of determining what the exact rationale was for the closures in JC, except for the fact that many of the bars were in fact violating restrictions. Why other bars are being allowed to do the same without being hassled is anyone's guess. Personally I think it may involve things that people like you and me will never hear about. TIT.

January 16 will be a critical day - and should show us what cards they're holding.

[Patanawet]

I might be wrong but I assumed that the closed bars had SHA certification only (probably not even SHA+).
They would need SHA AND a restaurant licence.

SHA is just a certification of cleanliness etc. and SOME vaccination.
I think is is a T.A.T. initiative and nothing to do with restaurant licensing.

[Dodger]

I might be wrong but I assumed that the closed bars had SHA certification only (probably not even SHA+).
They would need SHA AND a restaurant licence.

SHA is just a certification of cleanliness etc. and SOME vaccination.
I think is is a T.A.T. initiative and nothing to do with restaurant licensing.

I might be wrong too, but I doubt that any of the bars,. other than Home Bar, even have a restaurant license. At least that's what it sounds like from the reports we're receiving.

[aussie]

Jomtien Complex bars are now open again. There was a meeting of bar owners today.

[goji]

I've just heard the same from a delightful young Khmer lad.

[Nirish guy]

Jomtien Complex bars are now open again. There was a meeting of bar owners today.


When you say there was a "meeting" - a tea money "whip round" might be a more apt phrase by the sounds of it if they've somehow decided that they can miraculously open again so soon after a raid. Perhaps the police just made a wee mistake and they told them it was all fine now just probably, yeah, I'm sure that was it :)

[colmx]

My understanding is that all open fronted bars in Pattaya will be allowed to open after an announcement on December 16th

Watch this space!

[colmx]

My understanding is that all open fronted bars in Pattaya will be allowed to open after an announcement on December 16th

Watch this space!

* As long as they have SHA+ etc etc

[Dodger]

My understanding is that all open fronted bars in Pattaya will be allowed to open after an announcement on December 16th

Watch this space!

I visited JC yesterday just for the purpose of getting the latest scoop and heard the same.

Fingers crossed this will play out and we can celebrate (again).

I've also heard from other sources (outside JC), that the pressure is being applied to the point of boiling over to allow the bars in Pattaya to reopen. Jan 16 would work - but Dec 16 works even better!

[goji]

I've also heard from other sources (outside JC), that the pressure is being applied to the point of boiling over to allow the bars in Pattaya to reopen.

Or do the prohibition rules only exist so the regime may collect tea money from the bars ?

[Dodger]

Or do the prohibition rules only exist so the regime may collect tea money from the bars ?

TIT

[goji]

I visited Jomtien this evening. Almost all the bars were open, which is very good to see.
A small Singha cost 100 Baht per bottle, compared with 90 baht last week. I guess the 11% increase is to fund police "levies".
For comparison, the same beer cost 65 Baht per bottle when I ventured into Soi Bukhao to watch a rigged F1 race at the weekend.

[Manforallseasons]

I visited Jomtien this evening. Almost all the bars were open, which is very good to see.
A small Singha cost 100 Baht per bottle, compared with 90 baht last week. I guess the 11% increase is to fund police "levies".
For comparison, the same beer cost 65 Baht per bottle when I ventured into Soi Bukhao to watch a rigged F1 race at the weekend.

If you want to play you have to pay, it’s not like you have many options for gay areas.

[gerefan2]

There is nothing new in these Jomtien “raids”.

Readers may remember all Jomtien bars being ordered closed on Saturday February 13 this year (note appropriate date) when all bars were shut down due to some problem with “business licences”.

All was resolved by Monday 15 when Francois commented all bars had reopened...strange being over a weekend.

The hurt being that having just reopened they lost all income on one of the busiest weekends of the year ...February 14 (Valentine night) happened to be on the Sunday.

Don’t under estimate the BiB, they know what they are doing.

See here
https://sawatdeenetwork.com/v4/showthread.php?21897-All-Jomtien-Bars-ordered-to-close-tonight

[Dodger]

I visited Jomtien this evening. Almost all the bars were open, which is very good to see.
A small Singha cost 100 Baht per bottle, compared with 90 baht last week. I guess the 11% increase is to fund police "levies".
For comparison, the same beer cost 65 Baht per bottle when I ventured into Soi Bukhao to watch a rigged F1 race at the weekend.

All the despair you've been through trying to return to Thailand - and you're finally here - and better yet, the gay bars have reopened to service you - and all you seem focused on now is the fact that you had to pay an extra 10 baht for a beer!?!?!?!? I just don't get it.

Maybe the next time you post you can find it in your heart to say something positive about the bars. After the herculean challenge the bar owners had to face just to remain standing I'm sure they would appreciate it

[goji]

I stated it was good to see the bars open and just reported facts and took care not to complain about the price increases.
Since these increases follow a police raid, it's fairly easy to guess where the extra money is going, as mentioned. I was talking to one bar owner earlier in the month and he predicted this would happen.

If I were to be critical, that would be with the authorities, who after keeping these businesses closed for months, then attempt to siphon money out of them, or at least that's how I'm told it works. In contrast, some other countries have been trying to help struggling businesses.
But I'm not going to make a big issue out of that either, since I choose to come here on holiday.

Running a bar here must be very difficult so I'm glad people take on the challenge.

[Dodger]

If I were to be critical, that would be with the authorities, who after keeping these businesses closed for months, then attempt to siphon money out of them, or at least that's how I'm told it works.

I share your same frustrations, but, in all honesty, I think the powers-to-be are more concerned about competition from Cambodia (and other neighbors) right now than anything else. Everyone wants a slice of the pie when tourists start returning in sizable numbers - and seem to be trying to out-maneuver each other in the process.

Cambodia threw a real money-wrench in the works when they announced their reopening as abruptly as they did. This seems to be playing in our favor right now with these earlier-than-expected bar openings. I could be wrong, but doubt that BIB tea money has anything to do with this (at least not yet). The changes taking place right now appear to be at a much higher level (TAT). At least that's my read on this.

[Manforallseasons]

I think under much pressure from bar owners all over Pattaya the powers that be have adopted the correct policy: