Night venues win “unofficial’ 2 am reprieve

PATONG: Entertainment venues in Patong and Kata-Karon this evening won an interim “unofficial” reprieve from the Governor, who has said they may stay open until 2 am.

In return, they have agreed to call off their protest at the football field on Thaweewong Rd.

After meeting with Phuket Governor Udomsak Usawarangkura early this evening, Sompetch Moosophon, President of the Patong Entertainment Business Association (PEBA), told the Gazette that entertainment venues in Patong are now “unofficially” allowed to stay open until 2 am.

He said that Gov Udomsak had asked for the protest at the football field on Thaweewong Rd to disband, and for entertainment venue owners to wait “one or two weeks” for the Cabinet to come to a decision on the matter.

“The Governor has asked the Cabinet to extend the closing time to 3 am, which I believe they will approve,” he said.

“But that’s not enough. It’s not what we want; we need [to trade until] 4 am.”

PEBA Secretary Pratheep Rerksomroj told the Gazette, “The Governor seemed to be very worried about the situation in Narathiwat, and concerned that the protest [in Patong] might give the impression of violence. He asked us to stop [the protest] because it might affect tourism, and we accepted that.

“We will open tonight as usual,” he added.

The reprieve applies only to venues in the entertainment zones in Patong and Kata-Karon.