Thailand’s bars and beach parties remain strictly closed (cough)

Will some of Thailand’s most popular hotspots ever come back to life? It appears that the bars and beach parties will never restart as these photos reveal darkened streets and deserted beaches.

Last week’s Full Moon Party was curtailed after initially getting the go-ahead from Koh Pha Ngan police. It eventually went ahead but in a vastly reduced ‘covid-era’ form and closed up by 11pm, usually the time the party gets started.

Fewer than 100 people turned up to celebrate an October Full Moon Party on Friday evening but there was no alcohol, plenty of social distancing and everyone, of course, wore masks.

Then there’s Bangla Road in Patong, Phuket, as captured on video on Friday night, again completely empty and devoid of tourists or any activity. Bars have been closed around Thailand since the third wave of the coronavirus kicked in during April 2021.

It’s clear in both sets of photos and videos that bar owners, and patrons, have been fully obeying all aspects of the Covid-19 restrictions.

But, worry not, there is light at the end of the Covid-restriction tunnel with applications being made in tourist zones for a lifting of the alcohol ban that may allow bars to re-open. Certainly the Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has made it clear that he wants to bars and Thai nightlife open by December 1, in time for the high season and traditionally busy Christmas holiday/New Year traffic.

Any suggestion that the enforcement of the alcohol ban has been lax is demonstrably incorrect.

VIDEO: A deserted and darkened Bangla Road on Friday evening.