News Forum - Police suddenly began raiding Patong bars selling alcohol

[Thaiger]

While it’s been illegal for bars to open in Thailand and the selling or consumption of alcohol in public is forbidden, police have been looking the other way as patrons sneak beers in bars in Patong, the famous entertainment and nightlife district in Phuket. But after over a month of this occurring under the radar, police have begun raiding and shutting down venues that have been bypassing the provincial order that bans the sale of alcohol. Bars on the famous Bangla Road have been selling alcohol to customers, many of whom are part of the Phuket Sandbox which has weathered […]

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[Johntucker]

That sends a clear message to the few who were considering to come to Phuket.

[JamesE]

1 minute ago, Johntucker said:

That sends a clear message to the few who were considering to come to Phuket.

The message being: "Now there will be even fewer drunks on the road."

[gazmo16]

I do hope they wont be expecting anymore brown envelopes from these Bars when they can open for real later on.  

[Lowseasonlover]

Them bars have been pushing it for a while it was common knowledge it was all over FB

[Stardust]

They shut down businesses without compensations and leave them on top of it on the running costs like rents and sallaries and nit only at the entertainment and restaurant businesses, it is in all fields. The only one who never lost their sallaries are the government staff who destroyed and shut down businesses without paying compensations. 

[Malc-Thai]

 "police say that they just learned in the news that secret alcohol sales and consumption are occurring right under their nose. They claim they were unaware that bars were reopened in Phuket and that tourists were enjoying beers."

Maybe the keystone cops could have learnt faster when they were taking the brown envelopes! ..

the envelopes were actually just to pre  warn the bars when they were going to be raided!

[Barrie]

Strangely more civid is spread through the markets. Where bars are closed for weeks, markets are only closed for 3 days?

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

1 hour ago, Thaiger said:

police have been looking the other way as patrons sneak beers in bars in Patong,

It’s the size of the big brown envelopes getting in the way of their view! Ditch the brown envelopes and you then will see the bars selling alcohol!

[Graham]

555 christ I nearly fell off my seat with that comment from BIB (they didn't know that bars were open and selling alcohol), these must be the bars that have BIB shareholders if they hadn't been targeted yet, or maybe they didn't know because they couldn't see from the comfort of the police station, let's face it, why would they risk going out after dark.

TIT.

[Malc-Thai]

8 minutes ago, Graham said:

555 christ I nearly fell off my seat with that comment from BIB (they didn't know that bars were open and selling alcohol), these must be the bars that have BIB shareholders if they hadn't been targeted yet, or maybe they didn't know because they couldn't see from the comfort of the police station, let's face it, why would they risk going out after dark.

TIT.

Police would had to have walked past all of the other bars selling alcohol to tourists to get to sweety bar selling alcohol to mostly Thais !.. 

[AlexPTY]

should read "police start dong their jobs" Nobel prize assured

[NorfolkandChance]

Not Patong but a Hotel ( Mafia run ) in Korat Provence. Out to dinner last night. Several tables occupied with Thais and expats all having a beer. In walks a police man, waits for his Takeway smiles and walks out. Big outtake of breath and carried on. I’ll give it a miss for a few days just in case they comeback in force.

[MrStretch]

Just another dagger in the heart of tourism.

All of these raids are terrible publicity for Thailand and its tourist locations.

They just don't get it.

[Lowseasonlover]

6 minutes ago, NorfolkandChance said:

Not Patong but a Hotel ( Mafia run ) in Korat Provence. Out to dinner last night. Several tables occupied with Thais and expats all having a beer. In walks a police man, waits for his Takeway smiles and walks out. Big outtake of breath and carried on. I’ll give it a miss for a few days just in case they comeback in force.

A while ago I was having a beer in a bar/restaurant around 5 pm I was the only one there but soon after the place filled up with farang all having a beer I thought right away it's time to get out of here if the police were to drive by and all these farang sitting here, I paid my bill and left and sure enough a couple of hours later the police turned up, Im not getting fined over a bottle of beer, stay home better

[Lowseasonlover]

3 minutes ago, MrStretch said:

They just don't get it.

Did they ever?

[richard]

The only way to get back to normal is to see if normal works. What's normal for some like going to a bar for a few beers or normal for others like not going to a bar for a few beers dosn't really matter. What's normal for Phuket is what matters.  All these ever changing rules and etc does no good for those who want to come back but are unsure, if the rules change again whilst they are on the plane. 

[Bob]

Police not aware alcohol was on sale and only learnt it was going on right under their noses from reading the news. Haha. Police office right at the bottom of Bangla road with the bars in full view.

[Bluesofa]

4 minutes ago, AdvocatusDiaboli said:

It’s the size of the big brown envelopes getting in the way of their view! Ditch the brown envelopes and you then will see the bars selling alcohol!

It's a well-known fact that manilla envelopes cause sight impairment. As long as they're large enough, they prevent the police seeing past their noses.

Manilla in the Philippines, where the envelopes come from.

[Guest1]

"police say that they just learned in the news that secret alcohol sales and consumption are occurring right under their nose. They claim they were unaware that bars were reopened in Phuket and that tourists were enjoying beers"

No one believes, that the BiB didn't know!

but how can W. K., the President of Patong Entertainment Business Association (PEBA), think, he can play the police this way? To tell openly to every one, that the police is "blindly" working in Patong. Isn't the raided bar one of his?

Edited September 23, 2021 by Guest1

[DFPhuket]

When I went down Bangla two nights ago I counted 15 bars open, all serving something in paper cups. Odd that the police, who are always stationed at the entrance, didn't notice drinks being served for the past month or so. It's also odd that the raid only found one bar serving alcohol. 

This evening, one day after the raid, I was sitting on Patong beach road enjoying what was obviously an alcoholic beverage. I guess some of the bars still didn't get the memo about no alcohol sales being allowed.  

[BIGGLES]

15 hours ago, Graham said:

555 christ I nearly fell off my seat with that comment from BIB (they didn't know that bars were open and selling alcohol), these must be the bars that have BIB shareholders if they hadn't been targeted yet, or maybe they didn't know because they couldn't see from the comfort of the police station, let's face it, why would they risk going out after dark.

TIT.

That would be the Police Station that's on the beach and looks up Bangla Road. I can see how they would miss seeing the booze sales because of the people getting in the way.

[Clifton101]

I went through the entire process of qualifying for the COE. After being approved, I quickly realized what a waste of time and money to go there where I would have to hide, duck, and dodge like some wanted criminal or drug addicted addict just sit in a bar and sip on a few beers. Decided that's a game I wasnt interested in playing and canceled my trip. One can only imagine how grateful I am to have listened to the voice of reason and common sense!

[ace035]

That's why the Phuket Sandbox is a major disappointment.

[Lowseasonlover]

2 minutes ago, ace035 said:

That's why the Phuket Sandbox is a major disappointment.

Tell us why in your words Im sure all of us would like to know your version