Police raid Pattaya club, find no license

Police in Pattaya seem to believe that tourists crave the safety and security of club raids each night. That was the reason given for the latest in a long series of nearly nightly raids on clubs and nightlife entertainment venues last night. In the early hours of this morning, police shut down a club that was operating after legal hours and questioned the legality of the club altogether.

Just after 3am, Pattaya City Police were joined by Bang Lamung district officers to raid an entertainment venue. The venue, 169 Club, was still open, serving drinks and hosting partiers long after the 2am curfew for all entertainment venues to close.

When police raided 169 Club, they found over 100 patrons drinking booze and enjoying the music. Police demanded the music be stopped immediately and ordered the venue closed. All clubs are required to close at 2am and this club was open an hour after legally permissible.

What the police didn’t find was an operating license. The manager of the club was questioned by police and The Pattaya News reports that, when asked for legal documents, he was unable to produce any. It is possible that the entertainment venue was operating without a business license or a liquor license.

The manager was then taken into custody and transported to the Pattaya City Police Station. He faces charges for operating a nightclub without a license.

Police have been cracking down on entertainment and nightlife venues that have not been following the laws in Pattaya. They have shut several bars that have been opening beyond the legal curfew, which is 2am despite heavy pushes to extend it to 4am. Many that have been raided have been unable to prove that they are licensed and operating legally.