As Thailand still wrestles to control the third wave of Covid-19, much of which stems from entertainment venues in Bangkok and a massive party in Phuket, Patong police announced that the managers of the Phuket venues that hosted the Kolour superspreader event will be charged under the Emergency Decree. The case report was filed with the public prosecutor yesterday according to the Patong police chief, confirming that 3 people will be prosecuted for the event.
The Kolour Beachside Festival was held April 2 and 3 with events at Café Del Mar Phuket in Kamala, and Shelter Phuket Dance and Night Club and Illuzion Nightclub, both in Patong. Before the festival, Phuket had gone more than a hundred days without any new Covid-19 infections, but by April 7 the Phuket provincial Public Health office announced 8 new infections, half of which had been at the Kolour parties. In the following weeks, officials plead for attendees to be tested as infections spread.
Charges were delayed in being filed to the Phuket Public Prosecutor’s office as a special investigation committee was ordered to be created to oversee the investigation at the request of Region 8’s Police Commander. That committee brought together officials from various law enforcement in the area including the Patong Police, Kamala Police, Phuket Provincial Police, and the Region 8 Police to investigate the Kolour event before anyone was charged.
The manager of Café Del Mar, along with the managing director and the manager of Shelter and Illuzion, which are under the same management team, will be charged for the Kolour festival violating Thailand’s Emergency Decree that was declared to help protect the country from Covid-19 outbreaks. A breach of the Emergency Decree can be held liable for up to 40,000 Baht and 2 years in jail under Section 9 of the Decree.
The latter 2 are also facing charges of operating an unlicensed entertainment venue. This carries the possibility of another year in prison and a fine of up to 60,000 baht, in accordance with Thai Law under Section 26 of the Entertainment Place Act.
SOURCE: The Phuket News
It not the rich connected I fl brutal hiso from
My comment makes no sense because filling this in on a phone sucks. Accidental enters abs sends no new line because return = send. I am deleting this Thaiger App now. Bye.
Manager charged, not owner, even though everyone knows who he is.
@Jack Sombra, well said.The owners are ultimately responsible, not the managers, it is a circus.
@Macman – is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s Macman’s dummy! 🙂
Yes I agree Macman. The iPhone app is terrible for adding comments. I think Thaiger said a new app version was to be rolled out soon? It’s so frustrating as return = send.
@Jack Sombra – @Macman –
The operators of the parties only harmed themselves. They wanted to make a quick buck. Now their shops are closed for a long time and they have to expect fines and / or jail.
Young people attend these events with no concern for the consequences to themselves or anyone else! They are the least likely to die from Covid, but the most likely to spread it.
The damage these irresponsible idiots have brought to Phuket is beyond measure. How they were allowed to organise these events is beyond my understanding, now 3 people are going to be charged and the maximum fine is a paltry 40,000 baht, I doubt that they will do prison time. What a joke 40,000 baht should be 100 times that figure and suspension of their trading license. I sincerely hope that when Cafe Del Mar reopens that locals avoid them like the plague, best way to make them suffer is to hit them hard in the back pocket. What a mob of absolute irresponsible morons !!!!!
40,000 to 100,000 baht fine is nothing to these big venues. They will only learn if they have to spend time in jail. They should be made an example to other managers and owners.
@Jason – Having been a patent I can say with authority, ” Kids are stupid”. You can’t let them make decisions. They eventually thank you. But, the responsibility and blame also extends to government who held the Covid statistic at 89 for an entire year giving kids a false sense of security. How did we ‘ suddenly’ jump to 2000 cases per day and holding? People should be made aware that manipulation of statistics is neither proper politically or smart medically.
I would much rather see the owners charged with these crimes and there clubs closed for 5 years
More lockdowns and our freedoms more restricted than ever. Only stupid people won’t see what’s happening before their eyes. Nothing Thailand is doing is preventing the spread of the virus. Let’s lock ourselves in for a few years and lose our income and jobs like millions have already.