April, The Month Of ‘Tidying’ Illegal Venues And Punishing Authorities

April, The Month Of ‘Tidying’ Illegal Venues And Punishing Authorities

The national police close down many illegal entertainment venues and reposition the police superintendents who fail to penalise these unlawful operations.

On 20th April 2011, the Commander of the National Police ordered all superintendents in Bangkok and other provinces to inspect and arrest any entertainment facilities that are operating illegally.
Many venues were convicted especially in Bangkok Metropolitan region which is growing economically. These facilities are convicted for either operating without a permit or accommodating underage children or endorsing gambling machines or distributing illicit drugs to youths.
The command specified that local police would be hold accountable if these convicted facilities are not penalised according to their offense.
Therefore many superintendent officers were punished for neglecting National Police’s order. As the results most of the officers were repositioned to a lower status or department.

20th April 2011: Police Colonel Paskorn Klanwan (Police Superindendent of Poh Keaw police station in Bangkok) was transferred to another position as a temporary Assistance Police Officer at Nakorn Patom Province. Col. Paskorn was repositioned because he allegedly received 500B per month for covering illegal operation at Full Moon Pub. The Crime Suppression Division (CSD) also arrested 20 other police officers convicted of the same crime. The pub operated without an authorised license and permitted entrance of underage teenagers.
21st April 2011: Police Colonel Rungsan Pradit (Police Superintendent of Don Meung police station in Bangkok) was relocated to another position as temporary Assistance Police Officer at Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) for 30 days. The reposition occurred after the CSD discovered four karaoke restaurants and gambling venues operating without a permit in Don Meung area.
22nd April 2011: Police Colonel Poothapong Poopienlert (Superintendent of Bangplat Police Station in Bangkok) was transferred to Metropolitan Police Bureau working as a temporary Assistance Police Officer for 30 days. The relocation took place after The Sodiac pub was closed down when police unit team raided the facility on Sirindhorn street, near Tang Hua Seng superstore.
23rd April 2011: The Narcotics Suppression Division (NSD) and Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) inspected Red Seed pub and closed it down after they discovered that the bar permitted entrance of several underage customers who also had guns. As the result, Police Colonel Surachai JetPee Nong RoumJai (Superintendent of Phasee Jaren Police station in Bangkok) was transferred to work as temporary Assistance Police Officer at Metropolitan Police Bureau for 30 days.
24th April 2011: The NSD and PACC also inspected Night Speed Special pub in Bangkae area and shut it down for illegal operation. Police Colonel Teerapong Klaikeaw (Superintendent of Pet Kasem police station in Bangkok) was reposition to Metropolitan Police Bureau as temporary Assistance Police Officer for 30 days. Five more officers were suspected of being involved in the crime and hence will be interrogated by the police board.
25th April 2011: Police Colonel Manot Rattanachot (Superintendent of Pra Kanong police station in Bangkok) has been repositioned as temporary Assistance Police Officer at Metropolitan Police Bureau for 30 days, after the local pub Flip Pub was inspected and closed down by an external police unit team.
Pattaya pubs, night clubs and other entertainment venues open through the night, where children enter and exit these facilities illegally without fearing the law. Consequently crimes occur every night in these facilities throughout Pattaya.
25th April 2011: a former boyfriend shot the girl’s new partner in front of her friends before walking out of Kor Tor Mor Pub and restaurant freely.
29th April 2011: At 7:30 a.m. the police team from Region 2 closed down T & T pub in South Pattaya after discovering that the venue opened all night, past permitted time. The police also found a large number of adolescents, less than 20 years old. Illegal drugs were also distributed to customers at this pub.
1st May 2011: At 3.30 a.m. Pattaya police squad raided Jupiter Pub & Karaoke in South Pattaya after discovering that the venue operated and selling alcohols without a permit.

Pattaya is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Thailand. Hence there are a vast number of entertainment venues, pubs and bars throughout the area to accommodate for the demanding population. The police officers are outnumbered, as indicated by the increasing crimes and criminals in Pattaya.
The Commissioner of Region 2, Police Lieutenant General Tha-Ngai Prasajak Sattroo states that he has passed on the order to local police stations in 8 Eastern provinces of Thailand, after he received the instruction from the Commander of National Police.
Pattaya is the most difficult area to clean up because there are so many pubs opening secretly in the side-streets, General Tha-Ngai comments.
He adds that it is too much for Pattaya authorities to handle.
According to General Tha-Ngai, the convicted pubs must be closed down permanently as a warning to others.
In addition, Genearl Tha-Ngai encourages local people to report any illegal operation in Pattaya, via his direct contact number: 08-1887-8563 or his office at 038-274-066.
The ‘clean-up’ operation of pubs and bars should be carried out all the time, in order to discipline the Superintendent Officers in performing their duties, Tha-Ngai comments.
He believes that this is one of the ways the country can protect the future of Thai children.