National —
The Thai Ministry of Interior on Wednesday approved the extension of the closing time for nighttime entertainment venues from the original 2 AM to 4 AM.
Traisulee Traisornkul, the ministry’s Secretary-General, announced on October 25th that the Interior Ministry has granted permission to extend the service hours of Thailand’s nightlife until 4 AM. This decision comes after the Cabinet approved on Tuesday a proposal to allow nightlife businesses to operate for an additional two hours in order to stimulate the domestic economy.
Traisulee added that the initiative aims to boost tourism and spending during the high season. Regarding the areas where the extension will be applied, Traisulee stated that all areas with tourism potential are allowed to individually request an extension if they meet the Interior Ministry’s specified conditions, which have yet to be released.
She further mentioned that the ministry did not want to pick the areas themselves to avoid claims of discrimination.
“If any area or province is ready and able to comply with the conditions set by the Ministry of Interior, they can submit a request through the ministry. The Prime Minister will then announce the approved areas based on their readiness,” Ms. Traisulee said.
The exact conditions, however, were not released to the public.
The extension will undergo a final review at the next Cabinet meeting. Subsequently, the Minister of Interior will endorse the initiative before it is published in the Royal Gazette.
Some members of Thai Parliament have urged stricter laws and more study before any extensions take place, however.
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