Allowing venues to open till 4am will eliminate 'under the table' deals: Chadchart
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt believes that extending the opening hours of entertainment venues to 4am will eliminate any “under the table” deals and put everything under the eye of the law.
Chadchart was answering press queries after speaking at a seminar titled “Bangkok’s Vision in Tourism and the Hospitality Industry”, hosted by the Thai Hotels Association on Wednesday.
“Extending the hours will put everything that is under the table on the topside [of the table]. Operators can no longer bribe officials to look the other way while they exceed the closing hours,” Chadchart said.
He pointed out that these “under the table” deals could be a safety loophole as officials would skip inspecting these venues for safety and legal compliance.
“Once these deals are gone, officials can fully inspect these venues,” he said. “I personally do not oppose the move, as long as it does not affect surrounding communities or businesses.”
The move to extend the opening hours of entertainment venues to 4am was proposed in August by Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, who eyes Bangkok’s Khao San Road as a pilot area to test out the measure.
The move is aimed at boosting tourism and helping entrepreneurs get back on their feet amid an economic downturn.
The 4am closing will be allowed only on weekends – Friday, Saturday, Sunday – in selected zones in eight tourist destinations, namely Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, Phang-nga, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Koh Samui and Chiang Mai.
The ministry is working with authorities to draft regulations to control any noise so these businesses don’t become a nuisance to surrounding communities, said Phiphat.
