Phuket entertainment venue operators protest alleged extortion
Operators and staff from Bangla Road entertainment venues in Patong Beach, Kathu district, Phuket, gathered for a protest yesterday, May 13, to oppose alleged extortion and benefit-seeking by state officials, while calling for faster action on business licensing issues.
The gathering took place near the Bangla police box at the entrance of Bangla Road in Patong subdistrict, Kathu district, Phuket. It was led by Weerawit Khrueasombat, president of the Patong Entertainment Association.
Several operators and staff held signs with messages calling for help from Prime Minister Anutin. They held signs accusing money-hungry officials of harming Phuket residents and opposing the extortion of Patong entertainment workers.
During the gathering, the prime minister was in Phuket to follow up on efforts to address encroachment on public land at Freedom Beach, which is not far from Patong. Participants had hoped his convoy would pass the protest site on its return route, but it used another road.
Weerawit later said operators wanted the government to speed up business licence applications after entertainment venues were allowed to open until 4am.
He said many venues still faced problems renewing licences, despite already submitting applications and paying fees.
DailyNews reported that some nightlife venues had waited more than one year for approval but were later inspected by officials, with some facing legal action, which operators viewed as unfair.
Weerawit also raised concerns about businesses outside zoning areas, including Soi Nanai.
The area had been a business and entertainment district for more than 20 to 30 years, but operators could not obtain licences under existing regulations because the area was not inside the designated zoning area.
Ordering all venues in those areas to close, he said, would seriously affect Patong’s economy and tourism image.
Weerawit ended by saying that the operators were not directly accusing any specific official, but wanted the government to explain the situation and communicate with business owners, rather than relying only on searches or closure orders.
Similarly, nearly 100 bar owners and staff gathered at Patong Bay Hill Resort in Phuket to protest the extension of alcohol sales to midnight. The group said entertainment zones in Phuket and Pattaya should be allowed to operate until 4am.
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