Police order shutdown of 3 go-go bars, nightclubs in Bangkok’s Thonburi
Police are shutting down three bars for five years in the Thonburi area of Bangkok without much explanation. The three “satan borikan,” or “service places” (a Thai genteelism for prostitution venues) have been closed down for committing offences that violate Thailand’s “Entertainment Act” of 1966 and a government order from 2015.
New Jazz, Lan-Lao and Poseidon Pub in Thonburi committed offences that violate the 1966 act and violate an order issued in 2015 by the National Council for Peace and Order, the military junta that ruled after the 2014 coup. Poseidon Pub had reportedly been closed in the past and was raided by police in 2019 with 38 people testing positive for drugs in on-the-spot tests. Drugs including ketamine and methamphetamine were also found on the pub floor.
The 2015 document entitled “Measures to solve the problem of car and bike racing and measures to control ‘service places’” provides the following rules for go-go bars…
- Persons under 20 years of age are not allowed to use the service
- Alcohol cannot be served to persons under 20 years of age
- Must operate within opening hours prescribed by the law
- Must sell alcohol within the hours prescribed by the law
- Must not allow weapons, explosives or narcotics into the venue
The court has given the final verdict that the three bars have committed an offence violating these acts but it is not clear which rules the bars were breaking. Deputy Police Chief Roy Inkapairote has signed an order to close down the three venues for five years.
The deputy chief added that the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration does not have a special policy for “service places,” which are classified as entertainment venues and remain shut under Covid-19 regulations.
SOURCE: INN News
