Thai nightlife gets a glow-up: Cabinet green-lights 4am extended hours for tourist hotspots

The Thai Cabinet has given the green light to a draft regulation set forth by the Interior Ministry, permitting extended hours until 4am at entertainment venues in prominent tourist hotspots. The affected areas include Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Koh Samui, and Phuket.

Aiming to stimulate the country’s tourism sector, the Interior Ministry is at the helm of this initiative. The spokesperson for the ministry, Traisuree Taisaranakul, announced this development. The extended operating hours also encompass entertainment establishments within hotels governed by the hotel law.

However, for standalone entertainment venues situated in other locations, the Interior Ministry advises operators to await specific regulations tailored to their respective provinces. The Ministry will soon establish and issue these particular criteria, as Taisaranakul noted.

Initially, the Interior Ministry had slated December 15 as the date to put this new rule into action, reported Bangkok Post.

In related news, an innovative approach to combat drunk driving has been launched by the Patong Police Station in Phuket. Tourists who are unable to drive back to their accommodation due to intoxication can now reach out to local police officers for assistance.

This new measure, aimed at enhancing safety, was announced through a series of posts on the police station’s official Facebook page. The police have pledged to facilitate a taxi service or even offer a ride in a police vehicle to help prevent intoxicated tourists from taking to the wheel.

The police station has already begun to put its plan into action, as evidenced by three reports of officers assisting inebriated tourists to their accommodation. Photos and videos accompanying the Facebook posts demonstrate the Patong Police’s commitment to this initiative.

The issue of drunk driving and safety, in general, has been a recurring concern, particularly with the proposed extension of legal operating hours for entertainment venues until 4am. Read more about the story HERE.