Zoning, new entertainment operating hours begin March 1

Pattaya hopes to receive special tourism status and gain exemption from new regulations

Suchada Tupchai

The new entertainment laws and zoning regulations are scheduled to come into effect as of March 1. However, there is still much confusion among business operators as to where the zones are and what will be the final word from the government on the amended legislation.

Officials at the Banglamung district office announced that they will begin enforcing the new entertainment laws and zoning regulations beginning March 1. The shaded area of this map represents Pattaya’s entertainment zone.

Officials at the Banglamung district office announced that they will begin enforcing the amended legislation, announced on January 13, as of the first of the month, but there is hope for Thai business operators and employees to overturn the laws that would otherwise put them out of business and cause what they predict will be a major drop off in tourism numbers. They could gain recourse under a clause in the Thai constitution that allows the people to overturn government legislation with 50,000 signatures on a petition, giving them 60 days from the date of announcement to act. Whether it comes to that remains to be seen.

The legislation, proposed by Deputy Prime Minister Purachai Piumsomboom, would have entertainment venues tightly governed concerning operating hours. Under the amended laws, dancing venues or those that provide dancing inside the entertainment zone would be allowed to open from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., those outside the zone could only operate from 9 p.m. to midnight. Neither is totally acceptable to entertainment venue owners, as 3 hours a day or 5 hours a day is not deemed a sufficient amount of time to successfully operate any business.

Places offering service girls, such as beer bars, would only be able to open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. inside the zone. As for Traditional Thai massage venues in the zone, their hours would be restricted from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., whereas outside the zone they would be able to open at 6 p.m. and close at midnight.

Venues offering live music or shows inside the zone have slightly more leverage by opening at 6 p.m. and closing at 1 a.m., whereas outside the zone such places would close at midnight.

The zone boundaries are as previously outlined in the Pattaya Mail (issue 26, July 29, 2001), and are as follows: the areas on and around Beach Road, 2nd and 3rd Roads from North Pattaya through to Bali High Point in South Pattaya to be classified as an entertainment business zone. The boundaries of this zone would be the beach on one side, through to and including up to 50 meters west (towards the beach) of 3rd Road. The northern boundary of this zone would start 50 meters south of North Pattaya Road from the Dolphin Roundabout up to 3rd Road and in the Naklua area would be 100 meters to the west (ocean side) of Pattaya-Naklua Road through to 50 meters on the other side of Pattaya-Naklua Road from Dolphin Roundabout to Soi 13 (Wongamat). Entertainment businesses would be allowed to operate inside this 150 meter wide stretch of land.

Banglamung officials have questioned business operators as to the amendments to legislation, and most are saying that such stringent measures are inappropriate for Pattaya as a tourist town, particularly on the issue of operating times, with others pointing out that license registration fees are far too overpriced. Such implementation would effectively destroy their business.

One person, who prefers to enjoy the city’s nightlife told reporters, “Regardless of the social order campaign and the emphasis on impinging stringent rules on the youth, they will still do what they want, whether it be at home or at a hotel. The legislation doesn’t solve the problem they (the government) are aiming at. Crime inevitably remains at the same rate, if not higher. The zoning issue will just create traffic problems within the zone, the whole thing is ridiculous and will definitely affect tourism.”

Some parents are, however, in favor of the idea of keeping their children away from such places and bringing order to the populace.

Taking the matter from his position, Sontaya Khunpluem, minister for tourism and sports has approached the Interior Ministry to exclude major tourist centers around the country where large numbers of foreign tourists are known to visit. These include Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Koh Samui. The plea bargain is that these are major tourist centers and as such require special status.

The final outcome remains yet to be finalized. Perhaps in the coming weeks there will eventually be some decisions made on a business level not a puritanical one.

Buses to run 3 months, songtaews to run same route for following 3 months

Veerachai Somchart

City and traffic research officials have given in to pressure exerted by the Songtaew Cooperative and changed the planned time span for the free bus service, but will carry out the necessary studies, providing the co-op uphold their end of the deal.

The bus service, which began on Valentines Day and was scheduled to run until August 13 this year, was reviewed after baht bus drivers protested that the service was damaging their livelihood.

The first compromise was changing the running times for the free bus service from 24 hours a day to 18 hours, between 6 a.m. and midnight. The trial period for the buses would also be reduced to 3 months, with songtaews taking over the route for remaining three months of the trial.

On Friday, February 20, Bunjerd Kaewtongdee, Songtaew Co-op chairman presented a formal request to the relevant city officials charged with implementing and maintaining the trial project. Their requests featured 8 main items:

One: The bus service only run until the end of February, or continue, but under certain changes, including;

Two: The bus service begin charging after one month, with the prices, as suggested by Sittiparp Muangkham, city engineering director, set at 5 baht for children and 10 baht for adults.

Three: Use no more than four buses and make no further additions to the program.

Four: For the trial not to increase the number of routes that the bus service currently operates.

Five: Inform the co-op that after the research period is over so that they be allowed to continue with the service without the need for approval, providing that residents support the idea. However, if the city does not wish them to do so, the co-op will inform its members.

Requests six and seven regard having the city inform the governor and provincial transport department that they acknowledge the co-op’s protest on the bus service issue.

Eight: Ensure that the buses only stop at the designated points to pick up and drop off passengers, since a number of songtaew drivers have protested the fact that this does not occur in some cases.

Sittiparp Muangkham, city engineering director, commented on the matter by saying that the purpose of the bus service was to develop a plan by using this research method in order to reduce traffic problems in Pattaya, adding that in the larger picture, the songtaew drivers must improve their behavior and manners, because there have been numerous complaints from residents, Thai and foreign tourists, and exhibit similar attributes to those of taxis.

“Songtaew drivers in turn must also adhere to the pick up and drop off points already placed around the city and follow the specified routes as part of the research program. They must also improve their image, act more responsibly and follow the guidelines, not say that they don’t know the route,” said Sittiparp on the issue of songtaews taking part in the second three months of the program.

Prof. Dr. Tawatchai Laosirihongtong, director of the transport research and development department at the King Mongkut Institute of Technology, informed those present that the research program has been reviewed and altered to the point where the bus service would run for free until the end of March, after which a charge for the service would be incurred. The following 3 months would see the songtaew follow the same route under the same conditions and that during the free period they would receive their part of the 800,000 baht budgeted for the trial as compensation.

“In the interests of keeping the conditions the same, the Songtaew Co-op must adhere to the guidelines of the study to compare the results in a standard manner. As of March 1, the transport research and development department would publish a timetable of services. We must focus on the development of a public transport system and as such, bus stops would be denoted in Thai and English. Once complete, a further press conference would be held to inform the public through the various media,” said Prof. Dr. Tawatchai.

Surapol Tiensuwan, Banglamung district chief, added his comments to the issue, “The songtaew drivers are the criminals in this case, specifically after the numerous complaints against them in the press, by residents or Thai and foreign tourists concerning their reprehensible behavior. There is a strong ill feeling among tourists against songtaew drivers. Pattaya will continue with its development in tourism. Are you part of the problem or part of the solution?”

“The songtaew co-operative would benefit if they cooperate and open their hearts, acknowledge there is a problem and say that it would be better to cooperate in the project for the development of the city and an effective public transport system. They should not harass or threaten the free bus service drivers or those using the service,” concluded the district chief.

The meeting concluded with the first two requests by the co-operative being dismissed as inappropriate; in issues 3 through to 8 there was some form of agreement.

It was agreed that the operation times of the bus service would be reduced to run from 6 a.m. to midnight, secondly that the service would operate 45 days free of charge, followed by a fare structure, as previously mentioned since project directors refused to withdraw the service.

The issue of the bus service traveling other routes was not ruled out because it was necessary to ascertain the big picture and with the opening of the new Suwanbhumi Airport the possibility of a direct service to and from Pattaya is likely as part of the city’s long term transport scheme.