Instead of parking, drugs or porn, April’s cyclical police crackdown will be: nightlife.
Authorities are considering heavier fines and criminal penalties to punish venues which stay open past closing hours, according to police Maj. Gen. Adul Narongsak of Bangkok’s Metropolitan Police.
Instead of various regulations which can make closing time fall anywhere from midnight to 2am, police officials are proposing all venues – whether restaurants, bars, massage parlors or nightclubs – must close by 1am.
About 2,000 establishments operate without a license, he said, which should be punished by more severe penalties: THB120,000 to THB400,000 and three to five years in prison for offenders.
Currently the fine for illegally operating is less than THB60,000 and one year in jail, according to Thai PBS.
The proposed changes to the legal code will be taken up by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and other relevant agencies on Monday, who will forward any final recommendations to the (caretaker) cabinet for consideration.
Photo: Pittaya Sroilong
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