News Forum - Bar staff protest on Phuket walking street, after viral video prompts police crackdown

[Thaiger]

The disgruntled staff of a Phuket bar have staged a protest on Bangla Walking Street, after their bar was shut down for violating Thailand’s alcohol sales law under current Covid-19 restrictions. Police closed down the bar when a celebrity lawyer posted a video on Facebook showing late night partying at the venue during Songkran, including alcohol sales to tourists after 11 pm, the official cutoff time. Angry and out of work, the bar’s staff marched on Bangla Walking Street to protest the legal whistleblower and subsequent crackdown. On Saturday, the celebrity lawyer, Sittha Beerbangkird, shared the video of the bar […]

The story Bar staff protest on Phuket walking street, after viral video prompts police crackdown as seen on Thaiger News.

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[ThaiEyes]

Great drama…”The lawyer then raided the bar at 2am”, now we have lawyers “raiding” bars. Amazing Thailand. 

[Fundok]

20 minutes ago, Thaiger said:

The disgruntled staff of a Phuket bar have staged a protest on Bangla Walking Street, after their bar was shut down for violating Thailand’s alcohol sales law under current Covid-19 restrictions. Police closed down the bar when a celebrity lawyer posted a video on Facebook showing late night partying at the venue during Songkran, including alcohol sales to tourists after 11 pm, the official cutoff time. Angry and out of work, the bar’s staff marched on Bangla Walking Street to protest the legal whistleblower and subsequent crackdown. On Saturday, the celebrity lawyer, Sittha Beerbangkird, shared the video of the bar […]

The story Bar staff protest on Phuket walking street, after viral video prompts police crackdown as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

To me, the real problem is the curfew at 11 pm which makes - from a pandemic risk point of view - not much sense at all. As is if the virus would not spread before 11 pm or increases spreading afterwards. The curfew is nonsensical to me and should be abolished.

The action of this lawyer is questionable too. Maybe good PR for his business but I personally find this sort of attitude despicable. As the saying goes "95% of the lawyers tarnish the good reputation of the rest".

[BangkokBruce]

22 minutes ago, Fundok said:

To me, the real problem is the curfew at 11 pm which makes - from a pandemic risk point of view - not much sense at all. As is if the virus would not spread before 11 pm or increases spreading afterwards. The curfew is nonsensical to me and should be abolished.

The action of this lawyer is questionable too. Maybe good PR for his business but I personally find this sort of attitude despicable. As the saying goes "95% of the lawyers tarnish the good reputation of the rest".

Maybe some residents hired him and he's doing his job

[MikkoKoo]

Same old story... Rules are not same for everybody in Thailand. Depends about your status and relations with right people.

[HolyCowCm]

Just ridiculous that there is a curfew. Now this hot shot lawyer (Not) who took and posted the video should be in line to be sued for posting defamous content and entering a facility without permission to take the video. Or something like that. Now the big thing is the noise and the damage to the community, and that is where I see the problem, not the stupid curfew and covid only getting started at 11:00.01pm.

[TimothyN]

14 minutes ago, HolyCowCm said:

Just ridiculous that there is a curfew. Now this hot shot lawyer (Not) who took and posted the video should be in line to be sued for posting defamous content and entering a facility without permission to take the video. Or something like that. Now the big thing is the noise and the damage to the community, and that is where I see the problem, not the stupid curfew and covid only getting started at 11:00.01pm.

He hasn't 'defamed' anybody by making derogatory or inaccurate comments about the venue. The event at the Patong Bay Hill Resort was not closed to outsiders or a private function. The key issues here are that this venue has been operating illegally for over a year, that the police had been informed about a number of illegal activities, including noise, affecting other residents at the 'resort' and surrounding residential areas. And the lack of any police attention despite a number of reports. Whether we like the actions of the lawyer or not, he has done nothing wrong. And the demands of the protesters "we should be allowed to break the law because we need a job" is questionable, if not perhaps understandable.

[Malc-Thai]

Feel sorry for them? Not a bit.. they were working outside the allowed times and knew that.. get caught so what ! My friends bar can't open after 11pm because he refuses to encourage corruption by paying the police ! 

[HolyCowCm]

1 hour ago, TimothyN said:

He hasn't 'defamed' anybody by making derogatory or inaccurate comments about the venue. The event at the Patong Bay Hill Resort was not closed to outsiders or a private function. The key issues here are that this venue has been operating illegally for over a year, that the police had been informed about a number of illegal activities, including noise, affecting other residents at the 'resort' and surrounding residential areas. And the lack of any police attention despite a number of reports. Whether we like the actions of the lawyer or not, he has done nothing wrong. And the demands of the protesters "we should be allowed to break the law because we need a job" is questionable, if not perhaps understandable.

Actually I was just quoting a line from the hotel or an anonymous hotel staff person's rap I read in the news. The person did say that his posting will have potential to bring ill or negative effect to the hotel by posting this content and this is where defaming comes in. Who knows as laws are made up and interpretated depending on who knows who.

 

[harry1]

obviously thailand isnt open for business contrary to what being said ,the effect on peoples livelihood has become of desperation  and hopelessness   

[MrNovax]

now if only the other bars, restaurants, hotels and other venues that rely on tourists would join in they may be able to affect some positive change.  better yet, if they all just open up in protest what can the thugs in costume really do?  

[Rookiescot]

16 minutes ago, MrNovax said:

now if only the other bars, restaurants, hotels and other venues that rely on tourists would join in they may be able to affect some positive change.  better yet, if they all just open up in protest what can the thugs in costume really do?  

You are encouraging people to break the law?

OK you go first the rest of us will follow you.

[LuckyStrike]

I went there in January. It's open air and quite safe. I was told someone important owned the place.

 

Not as safe as riding a motorbike with a mask and no helmet. Just saying.

[MrNovax]

23 hours ago, Rookiescot said:

You are encouraging people to break the law?

OK you go first the rest of us will follow you.

im encouraging peaceful protest

[Rookiescot]

1 hour ago, MrNovax said:

im encouraging peaceful protest

OK you peacefully protest the rest of us are right behind you tiger.

[Faz]

On 4/18/2022 at 7:42 PM, MrNovax said:

better yet, if they all just open up in protest what can the thugs in costume really do?  

Maybe show you different kinds of bars, 4'' apart.

[MrNovax]

35 minutes ago, Faz said:

Maybe show you different kinds of bars, 4'' apart.

yep, im well aware that kidnapping is a measure of first resort.  which is why it would be great to see others join in as it reduces the chance of being taken.  

or everyone can sit on their hands and allow the state mafia to put them in smaller and smaller boxes.  working great for those in Shanghai right now.

[Blogosopher]

You're barking up the wrong tree...go tell it to your government. And stop expecting special treatment

[vvdb.fr]

the concern is the noise in Patong which continues until 3am or 4 am. you are in a room 500m away and you hear everything. how to sleep peacefully? no standard? are the police deaf?

I rented a room from November 2021 to March 2022. November no noise... the end of the year has arrived and everything has deteriorated, at the beginning the outdoor concerts at the Hard Rock café then the others. ..

[Manu]

11 minutes ago, vvdb.fr said:

the concern is the noise in Patong which continues until 3am or 4 am. you are in a room 500m away and you hear everything. how to sleep peacefully? no standard? are the police deaf?

I rented a room from November 2021 to March 2022. November no noise... the end of the year has arrived and everything has deteriorated, at the beginning the outdoor concerts at the Hard Rock café then the others. ..

If you wanted to stay in a place with no noise, why on earth did you go to Patong? Did you not know what Patong is all about?