It's now confirmed Pattaya has approved extended bar trading hours making it unique in Thailand and cementing its position as the country's premier holiday destination (due in large part to Thai, not O/S tourism.)
The Mayor announced an Entertainment Zone (covering most of Pattaya from Walking street to Naklua and the beach to 3rd Rd) will have bar hours extended to 3 am (4.30 am in the centre) and that City Hall is giving "strong consideration" to 24 hour bar trading.

Let the party begin !

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I'll see you there, from 9:00am to 02:00am.

Otherwise, I'll be asleep.

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-- Very good, I'm sure; but when, on what date, is this set to happen?

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It was apparently approved by Pattaya City Council on 2nd Dec with immediate effect. However as many bars were already trading illegally late anyway you probably wont notice any difference! In reality its a recognition of a de facto situation .

For the moment as far as the gay bars are concerned, they still seem to be closing around 1 am - but by then they are running low on boys anyway. The main effect for the gay sector will be be to re-invigorate the disco scene with Dude Bar re-opening and others now trading legally.

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In a separate article, Quote ;
Also under discussion were three rules to be implemented throughout the city’s entertainment areas - no admission to those under age 18, a stricter control on the use of drugs, and a ban on the possession of weapons. These issues needed to be addressed prior to the possible implementation of a “Zoning Pattaya Model” allowing entertainment venues to stay open for 24 hours,

This means while BKK enforces an age 20 entry to bars and discos, Pattaya will allow 18 as the minimum. It has always struck me as bizarre than in BKK an 18 y.o. can work as a go go dancer /rent boy , but he 's not legally allowed into Telephone bar to order a Coke.

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Aren't they are also running low on patrons by 1am anyway because the tourist trade has taken a few hits from wider events?

Generally good news and I hope it reinvigorates the scene.

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Yes I reckon the farang gay visitors well down on last year, but the Jomtien bars surprisingly busy at night.

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I'll be back in a couple of weeks and will do my bit. But I have to say the later hours won't tempt me to stay out...

You know how it is... I need my beauty sleep even if it does not seem to work as well as it did in days gone by...

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-- And who will pay for 24hrs'. OPENING? Will places operating a 24hrs'.schedule run on two or with three shifts? Possible problems with obtaining, paying and retaining staff?

-- I well remember when I was in S. AUSTRALIA in the late 50s./early 60s., (Methodist PM. Playford.), there was then the notorious 'Six o'clock swill.'; pubs SHUT at 18.hrs. on week-days, so many patrons tried to drink as much as possible before CLOSING time - standing o'side. a pub. at 18.hrs. was not recommended with some drinkers spewing-out their guts onto the pavements.
- Beer was served in 1/3pint 'Schooners.' - the rationale being that a drinker would imbibe MORE beer in schooner-form than in the more conventional halves & pints!
- When extended OPENING hours were mooted we saw the unusual alliance between the Churches with their slogan of 'Down with the demon drink!' while the brewers were whingeing about the costs of INCREASED staffing levels and HIGHER wages' bills!

-- It will be interesting to see how Pattaya's owners will manage?

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I can't imagine that there will be much call for 24-hour bars or discos, but I'm some might choose to stay open from, say, 10:00pm to 10:00am.

We'll see.

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Spoken like a true Farang ! However as the Russian tourists' idea of breakfast is to add a dash of orange jiuce to their Wodka , you can see where the 24 hr push may be coming from

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