17 more bars caught in late-trading crackdown
PATONG: Seventeen more bar operators have been charged with trading outside permitted hours following the raids on late-night Valentine’s Day parties last week.
The second round of raids came about 4:30 am February 16 on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd, with the operators of the Jonas Tree Guest Bar, The Sunday Bar, Paris Bar, The Nineteen St Bar and a bar named by police as “Inniname Bar” being arrested.
About the same time the next day, police arrested the operators of Cat Bar, Tiger Bar, UK Bar, Irish Bar, Sunlight Bar, Captain Big George Bar, KSR Bar, Sporting Sun Bar, and Blacky Monkey Bar – all on Thaweewong Rd.
The operators of Highlander Bar on Nanai Rd, Krapao Bin Bar on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd, and Galaxy Pub on Phang Muang Rd were also arrested.
Lt Col Jakkrit Taewattana, Crime Suppression Inspector at Kathu District Police Station, told the Gazette that the crackdown follows Pol Gen Sereepisut Temiyaves’ February 5 appointment as acting Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police.
“The new Commissioner General has sent an order for us to strictly enforce laws relating to all kinds of entertainment venues. Therefore we will continue to check for establishments operating without a license or opening beyond the times specified by the law,” he said.
The crackdown is a nationwide policy, Col Jakkrit added.
All 17 bar operators arrested were charged with operating an entertainment venue and selling alcoholic drinks outside the permitted hours.
If convicted, the operators face punishment of up to one year in prison and fines of up to 60,000 baht.
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