Thailand clamps down on nightlife

Thailand’s entertainment industry is reportedly reeling from a decision to clamp down on its famous nightlife. According to a report in the Thai newspaper The Nation, some 90% of nightspots in the capital Bangkok will be forced to close at midnight, with many bar and club owners predicting that they will go out of business. Under the new rules, which were agreed by the country’s government yesterday and will come into effect on 1 March, bars inside designated entertainment zones will be allowed to stay open until 2pm, pubs until 1pm, while those outside the zones will have to shut at midnight. The president of the Association of Entertainment Business Operators reportedly said: “We are preparing to go out of business. Owners like me can easily find new jobs but I take pity on the waiters, parking valets and taxi drivers who do not have many choices.” And one bar owner reportedly told the newspaper that moving the closing time would be a setback for the country’s tourism industry, adding: “Even now when we have to close at 2pm, tourists ask me ‘What for?’ I simply do not know the answer.” Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad