Mayor meets Governor over 2 am law

PHUKET TOWN: Thirty entertainment venue owners, led by Patong Mayor Pian Keesin, yesterday met with Provincial Governor Pongpayome Vasaputi at his home to inquire about the results of last week’s petition asking for Patong to be given an exemption from the 2 am limit on opening hours. The petition, signed by some 300 business owners in Patong, was handed to the Governor on April 24 by Chairat Sukkaban, owner of the Safari Disco & Fun Pub. “I don’t have the authority to grant an extension, but I have already sent the petition to the Ministry of Interior,” Gov Pongpayome told Mayor Pian. “Personally, I sympathize with the business owners, but this is government policy, which applies nationwide. Any exemption must come from above.” He also told the delegation that a blanket exemption for the whole of Patong was unlikely. Before being allowed to stay open after 2 am, each business would probably have to be examined to see whether an exemption was appropriate, whether the business had cooperated with officials, and whether it had a record of criminal offenses.