PATTAYA, Thailand – People’s Party MPs are urging the government to fast-track amendments to Thailand’s entertainment venue law, warning that most nightlife businesses across the country operate without licenses and are forced to pay bribes to multiple agencies.
Speaking at Parliament on April 22, Phanthil Nuamjerm, Parames Vithayaraksan and Jorayut Jaturapornprasert said the proposed amendments to the Entertainment Venue Act had already been submitted during the previous parliamentary term but were interrupted by the dissolution of parliament.
Phanthil said the current law is outdated and no longer reflects the reality of Thailand’s nightlife industry. He noted that many of the definitions in the existing law, such as traditional dance halls and tea houses, are no longer relevant, while modern venues such as cafes that serve alcohol and stay open until midnight often fall into legal grey areas.
He claimed that between 80 and 90 percent of entertainment venues in Thailand operate illegally due to the difficulty of obtaining licenses under the current system. Many operators are forced to apply for multiple permits from different agencies, creating confusion and leaving them vulnerable to corruption and demands for unofficial payments.
According to Phanthil, zoning rules are one of the biggest obstacles. In many parts of Bangkok, there are no clearly designated nightlife zones, leading to widespread unregulated venue openings.
He said local administrative organizations should be given the authority to set zoning rules, issue licenses and collect fees, arguing that local authorities are more familiar with the needs and concerns of residents than central government agencies.
The MPs also called for a “one-stop service” licensing system to simplify the process and reduce the burden on business owners, while helping the government collect more revenue and bring underground businesses into the legal system.
Parames said areas such as Khao San Road and Silom have become major nightlife destinations that generate large amounts of money for the economy, but stressed that the impact on nearby residents, especially noise pollution, must also be addressed.
He said many businesses currently register as restaurants serving alcohol even though they are bars or pubs, using loopholes in the law to avoid stricter regulations. He said the new law would create clearer definitions and stronger controls over operating hours, noise and other social impacts.
Jorayut said MPs had visited major tourist destinations including Pattaya and Phuket, where they found that many unlicensed venues reportedly have to pay bribes to as many as 10 agencies each month.
He pointed to Khao San Road as an example, claiming there are around 100 venues in the area but only six hold proper licenses.
“Licensed venues do not stay open beyond legal hours, but unlicensed venues continue operating until 3 a.m., 4 a.m., or even until morning,” Jorayut said. “If we do not protect business owners who follow the law, they will not be able to survive.”
