Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Entertainment industry calls for 2am closing times

Published

3 weeks ago

13-07-2020

The Thaiger

PHOTO: The Pattaya News

A leading representative of Thailand’s entertainment and nightlife industry is urging the Department of Disease Control to allow the country’s entertainment venues to close at 2 am instead of the current closing time of midnight. The meeting was held yesterday at the Chatuchak Newspaper building and called “Brainstorming to help save the economy and revive tourism.”

Thanawat Srisuk, the industry representative, claimed, among other things, that the entertainment industry was a critical part of Thailand’s tourism industry and “very important for both domestic and foreign tourists”. He told the meeting that “millions of workers had struggled during the four month closure of the industry”..

Entertainment venues around Thailand were closed on March 18 due to Covid-19 precautions and lockdowns. The government allowed e-openings of “high risk” businesses on July 1. Thanawat claimed that the entertainment industry was “the first to close and the last to open”, but is now suffering a 70% decrease in business, blaming the ongoing ban on foreign tourists and closure of the Thailand borders as the key factor.

From the staffing point of view, Thanawat also claimed that many operators in the entertainment industry depended on foreign workers from nearby countries like Cambodia and Laos… “but with the borders still closed this was also dramatically hurting the industry”.

He is proposing that the Department of Disease Control allow entertainment venues to shuffle the closing time forward to 2am, instead of midnight, to provider a longer time for venues to remain open and attract business.

Both Pattaya and Phuket, both heavily reliant on tourism, are struggling to reopen without any palpable tourist flow. A photographer sent The Thaiger photos from Patong on Saturday night estimating that only 10-15% of businesses were open in the town’s Bangla Road walking street.

PHOTOS: Phuket’s Beach Road (Taweewon Road) and Bangla Road on Saturday night – CG

SOURCE: Khaosod English

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News Categories:Coronavirus (Covid-19)Entertainment Expats Thailand Tourism

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4 Comments

Jason Draper
July 13, 2020 at 10:29 am
Before the convid 19 struck. Beach vendors had to close 1 day a week, which fell on a Wednesday. During this closed period due to Corona, the beach had never look so good and clean. They even used a tractor and cleaning machine to clean the beach. Now these Beach vendors open as they please. I live across from Jomtien Beach, they open their business between 5am and 6am. Hitting their steaks for the umbrellad into the beach sand with a sledgehammer, everyday with no regards for local residence. I approached 1 particular beach vendor about why he needs to open before the sun even is awake and or 3 hours before any customers. The owner disregarded me as a farrang and basically ignored me. My question is should there be stricked opening times guided by common sense, obviously by authority, as common sense is not so common amongst less educated folk. Also when are they going to enforce 1 day a week rest.
Reply
Glenn
July 13, 2020 at 12:02 pm
a magic virus that can tell time – amazing.
a tourist industry without tourists – TIT.
a govt filled with officials who think they can ‘decree and write directives’ to command a return of tourism without opening borders to tourists – the mind reels.
remember all this when it’s time to vote in next elections.
Reply
Toby Andrews
July 13, 2020 at 12:35 pm
Well written Glen.
And what is even more tragic is that they say they cannot get the Cambodian and Lao cheap labour in across the borders.
So the jobs that they once paid Cambodians peanuts for, the Thais might have to do themselves!!!
Life not fair is it?
Still there is always fishing and farming to go back to.
Reply
David Bateman
July 13, 2020 at 1:15 pm
Whilst I applaud the government for their efforts to stop the spread of Covid, I cannot be amazed that they are dragging their feet about visa extensions. Surely, keeping people who are obviously free of Covid, and are spending money in Restaurants, fitness, supermarkets etc, should be a priority and given every opportunity to stay on until the tourist industry can return to some sort of normal? At present, people who would stay are booking flights out of Thailand because of the uncertainty.
Reply

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