Phuket night workers start day shift to survive curfew

PHUKET: Patong nightlife operators, desperate to make up for business lost due to the nationwide curfew, have done the only thing they can do: start the party earlier.

“Each venue has adjusted its hours to fit the curfew. Discotheques are now opening at about 4pm,” Weerawit Kurasombat, head of the Patong Entertainment Business Association, told the Phuket Gazette.

“While it may be true that there are no customers at 4pm in discotheque venues, this is our only option if we want to salvage business,” Mr Weerawit admitted.

Night-venue operators understand the law and are complying with it, Mr Weerawit said, but they remain hopeful that tourist destinations such as Phuket will soon be exempted from curfews.

Yesterday, they got their wish, at least in part, when the army relaxed the curfew nationwide. Starting tonight, the curfew will be in effect from midnight to 4am (story here).

— Chutharat Plerin