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Shutdown of Phuket Bars looming
PHUKET CITY: Governor Udomsak Usawarangkura has revealed a
long-suspected but until now unstated reason for the new rules mandating 1 am closure of entertainment venues – the need to reduce prostitution. The Governor was responding to threats by entertainment business leaders in Patong to close their doors indefinitely from October 26 to protest recently introduced rules requiring venues in entertainment zones to close at 1 am, and venues elsewhere at midnight. Gov Udomsak told the Gazette, "[The government] believes that there are many advantages to having a 1 am closing time, such as reducing the problem of drugs. There's also the issue of human trafficking, which is the cause of too many women coming [from other parts of Thailand] to work in the ‘service industry'. "If there were no entertainment venues in Patong I don't think we would have thousands of women coming to work there. "If we want to solve the problem of human trafficking, then we should [enforce the 1 am closing time] because this may reduce the number of women in the service business." The Governor appeared unmoved by the plan by entertainment business owners to close indefinitely in protest at the 1 am rule. "If [they] want to protest by shutting down, what are they going to get from that? It doesn't matter if entertainment business owners want to protest or close their businesses. That's up to them." Sompetch Moosophon, President of the Patong Entertainment Business Association (PEBA) retorted, "Human trafficking is impossible in Patong. Women coming here from other provinces are adults. They know what they're doing. They have escaped from bad conditions at home, from poverty and problems that the government has never fixed. "I don't understand why the Governor has raised this matter. The statistics of drugs and under-age drinking can be checked with the police – there have been no reports of [these problems] in Patong. "As for naked shows, why don't they check if the police in the area are working properly? As long as I have been here, I haven't see any show like that. "The association and I will discuss this soon. The Governor should know what is truly happening in [areas under] his control. He must know the truth before he makes a decision. I do not know where he got the information that we are a source of human trafficking. Night venues threaten indefinite closure PHUKET CITY: Entertainment venues throughout Phuket are set to close their doors for an indefinite period on October 26 in protest against the government's new early-closing policy. Sompetch Moosophon of Patong Entertainment Business Association (PEBA) told the Gazette that PEBA members had decided to take the drastic decision to close their businesses at a meeting on Saturday at The Metropole hotel. According to the new laws, businesses within entertainment zones must close at 1 am, and businesses outside them at midnight. Business people in Patong have been particularly vociferous in their pleas to be exempted from the regulations, arguing that the tourists who comprise the bulk of their business hardly venture out before midnight, and that they have each lost hundreds of thousands of baht in revenue since the order was enforced. "About 50 business people attended the meeting," said K. Sompetch, "and we decided we had to do something to let the authorities know we are in trouble. "The Governor should realize that we are also citizens under his control, and that he should pay as much attention to us as he does to other people. We're in serious difficulties right now; why doesn't he look at this?" K. Sompetch said he was loath to take drastic action, but he believed the association members had no choice but to close their establishments. He said, "This high season, Phuket is going to lose the opportunity to earn more money; this policy will look ridiculous to many tourists in Patong." K. Sompetch denied that establishments in Patong had many under-age patrons – one of the government's reasons for the new early-closing laws – and said that he is confident there are no drugs or sex shows in Patong. If there were, he asked, why didn't the police simply close down the establishments concerned? "That would be much easier." K. Sompetch said the association would ask Governor Udomsak Usawarangkura to extend opening hours to 2 am, or even 3 am or 4 am. The 1 am closing policy was, he said, just an attempt by the government to make it look like it was doing something. He added, "There were people who wanted a ‘mob' protest, but I hope we can find a solution through discussion. We've passed all our information to the Governor; he has enough of that now. Everything is up to him now." -- Phuket Gazette 2004-10-19 |
#2
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Bummer, dude. The nerve of some people just wanting it to be a quiet peaceful
whoreless/pimpless/barless/drugless island again. What are they thinking : I mean do they want children playing in the streets for heaven's sakes ? People who oppose the legitimate needs of Night People for entertainment, excitement, and opportunities to get stoned, drugged, robbed, and contract venereal diseases with autonomously selected gender partner(s) should be sentenced to death or to Ph.D. programs in the "Deconstruction of Contemporary Literature" at American Universities ! ~o:37; |
#3
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Bummer, dude. The nerve of some people just wanting it to be a quiet peaceful
whoreless/pimpless/barless/drugless island again. What are they thinking : I mean do they want children playing in the streets for heaven's sakes ? People who oppose the legitimate needs of Night People for entertainment, excitement, and opportunities to get stoned, drugged, robbed, and contract venereal diseases with autonomously selected gender partner(s) should be sentenced to death or to Ph.D. programs in the "Deconstruction of Contemporary Literature" at American Universities ! ~o:37; |
#4
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This is amazing!! Is the boundaries of this human trafficking now being
extended to girls working in Patong and coming from Korat? What about girls working the bars in Patong coming from Nakorn Sri Thamaratt? People travelling (some independently on aeroplanes) from one province to another is human trafficking!!! My God, this will extend the work load of these NGO's... maybe they'll never have a chance to leave Thailand!! There's also the issue of human trafficking, which is the cause of too many women coming [from other parts of Thailand] to work in the 'service industry'. |
#5
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"OrangeMan" wrote in message om... PHUKET CITY: Governor Udomsak Usawarangkura has revealed a long-suspected but until now unstated reason for the new rules mandating 1 am closure of entertainment venues - the need to reduce prostitution. And Singapore is trying to do hte reverse, allow more sex nite life busoness to going into wee hours of the night. |
#6
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On Wed, 20 Oct 2004 19:15:16 +0700, "alexander"
wrote: This is amazing!! Is the boundaries of this human trafficking now being extended to girls working in Patong and coming from Korat? What about girls working the bars in Patong coming from Nakorn Sri Thamaratt? People travelling (some independently on aeroplanes) from one province to another is human trafficking!!! My God, this will extend the work load of these NGO's... maybe they'll never have a chance to leave Thailand!! I wonder if the authorities will start prosecuting the bus companies that bring these girls from the provinces under human trafficking for the purposes of prostitution. There's also the issue of human trafficking, which is the cause of too many women coming [from other parts of Thailand] to work in the 'service industry'. |
#7
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On Wed, 20 Oct 2004 19:15:16 +0700, "alexander"
wrote: This is amazing!! Is the boundaries of this human trafficking now being extended to girls working in Patong and coming from Korat? What about girls working the bars in Patong coming from Nakorn Sri Thamaratt? People travelling (some independently on aeroplanes) from one province to another is human trafficking!!! My God, this will extend the work load of these NGO's... maybe they'll never have a chance to leave Thailand!! I wonder if the authorities will start prosecuting the bus companies that bring these girls from the provinces under human trafficking for the purposes of prostitution. There's also the issue of human trafficking, which is the cause of too many women coming [from other parts of Thailand] to work in the 'service industry'. |
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