Pattaya entertainment owners want extended hours

More than 500 bar and club owners from Pattaya and an equal number of their staff assembled in front of the Pattaya City Hall to submit their petition for a Service Hours Extension to Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh and was witnessed by Pattaya Member, Mr. Rattanachai Suthidechanai. Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh accepted their concerns and promised to assist them as best as he could.

The petition drive was led by former Chonburi MP Charnyuth Hengtrakul, who handed the petition to both Pattaya officials.

Deputy Mayor Ekasingh explained to the petition supporters that the entertainment regulations were mandated by the Ministry of Interior. The new Ministry had issued very strict measures for entertainment venues that not only affected Pattaya, but are enforced throughout Thailand which reduced the hours of operation and requires bars to close earlier than they want to because customers are more plentiful late night.

Entertainment venues, in the entertainment zone of Pattaya, are allowed to remain open until 2:00 am, and ones outside the zone area until 1:00 am. However many would like to remain open until 4:00 am. The entertainment zone is bounded by Third Road and Beach Road east and west and North Pattaya Road and Walking Street north and south, according to the Official Map of Pattaya.

Bar owners said they feel that because Pattaya is a famous international tourist destination which provides over 60,000 million baht of national income a year minimizing service hours in bars and clubs will have a domino effect reducing income for other businesses, such as restaurants, hotels and baht bus services.