Thailand: Is the party over for now? The effect of the curfew on tourism

As the military relaxes the nightly curfew imposed following last week's coup, Tom Vater reports on how strictly it is being enforced in Thailand's party hot spots

Elsewhere in the kingdom, the curfew has been patchily enforced 

The Telegraph | 28 May 2014 

  

Since the military coup on May 22, Thailand has been under a strict curfew. Initially, everyone was ordered indoors from 10pm to 5am. The curfew has just been relaxed however – allowing tourists and locals to stay out in the evenings – as long as they are off the streets between midnight and 4am. 

Naturally, visitor numbers are down and the industry is suffering. Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) President Piyaman Tejapaibul this week called on the military to lift the curfew entirely in tourist hotspots around the country. And while evidence suggests that this has already happened in some tourist areas, albeit highly informally, it remains to be seen whether restrictions will relax further over the weekend, and whether rules affecting holidaymakers will become more flexible or tighten up. 

Bangkok, night life capital of the world, has been feeling the squeeze the hardest. Five-star hotels are offering special rates for tourists and promotions to entice locals to spend the night after coming for drinks or dinner, and avoid rushing home for curfew. 

The city usually comes to life at night and glows with hedonistic abandon, but for the past few days, the Thai capital’s usually packed concrete canyons have been largely deserted, its countless bars, clubs, shops and restaurants closed in line with the military’s orders.

But life in downtown Bangkok has not altogether seized up. Establishments in the notorious red light areas like Nana and Cowboy have been opening earlier and closing within the curfew hours, and many smaller venues, especially those who managed to bribe the right people, have remained open until 2am as taxis clog lower Sukhumvit Road into the early hours. 

“Some bars are pushing through with all night lock-down parties,” said Chris Catto Smith, manager of CheckInn 99, a long running music venue in downtown Bangkok. “But we are clearly hurting. Innovative bar owners are keeping regulars happy with earlier entertainment. But if the curfew continues, some will go broke. And the staff employed by entertainment venues and restaurants are suffering loss of income.” 

Hans Van Dijk from Holland, a frequent visitor to Thailand, did not seem overly worried. “I get the impression most tourists don’t care so much. They stay in the bigger hotels and can carry on drinking there.” 

Around Sathorn Road and the Malaysia Hotel the streets feel very quiet after midnight. “The tourists have shifted their hours. The local convenience store is packed till curfew time, almost all snacks and alcohol has gone from the shelves and fifteen minutes later everything is closed,” Ian Cole, a Canadian ex-pat, said. “Ironically they couldn’t lock the place as it’s usually always open. They had to leave a guard and put newspapers on the windows.” 

On Khao San Road, the city’s backpacker ghetto, the curfew is also enforced strictly but many young travelers have been viewing the coup as adventure and improvising. “It’s inconvenient that tourists are affected but we don't want to judge local politics. 

“I’ll just party in my guest house and head down to the islands in a couple of days. Thai people are so gentle, I love this country," said Jane Reynolds from Birmingham while enjoying a last Mojito cocktail by the Chao Praya River, a bag filled with beer for her guest house party by her side. 

Elsewhere in the kingdom, the curfew has also been patchily enforced. According to the Chiang Mai City News, bars and restaurants in the northern city that defied the 10pm closing time earlier this week were sternly warned on May 26 by the Army 33rd Division to shut down on time or face severe consequences. 

But further south on the tourist islands in the Gulf of Thailand, things appear to be more relaxed. Night venues on Ko Samui, on the party island Ko Panghan and on Thailand’s scuba dive mecca Ko Tao have largely been doing business as usual. 

“There are no troops on Ko Tao, the clubs on Sai Ree beach operate as usual late into the night,” said Roberth Rhemrev, owner of Impian Divers on Ko Tao. 

“Last night I sat in a restaurant until midnight, no concerns at all. Things are pretty quiet but that’s not unusual for this time of year.” 

Phuket is also seeing very little effects of the coup, according to our resident expert Lee Cobaj. "There’s no military presence and everybody is going about life pretty much as normal," she said. "It’s low-season just now so tourism is on the quiet side anyway. 

"I think the larger resorts, like Patong, have been loosely observing the curfew but elsewhere most business are closing up around 10 or 11pm as they normally do at this time of year. I feel perfectly safe – for now." 

In Pattaya, Thailand’s tourist Gomorrah by the sea, bar closures have been strictly enforced and the highly visible aspects of the town’s notoriously thriving sex industry have ground to a temporary halt. A silver lining perhaps? 

The latest advice for tourists from the Foreign Office states that, while the Chief of the Royal Thai Army has said he intends to assure the safety of all foreigners in Thailand, "some anti-coup demonstrations are taking place in Bangkok and some other cities. 

"These may become violent. You should exercise extreme caution and remain alert to the situation. If you’re in any doubt about your safety, stay in your accommodation. You should avoid all protests sites, political gatherings, demonstrations and marches." 

It had received assurances that the curfew will not apply to those travelling to or from airports, but that departing or arriving travellers should have their passports and tickets with them. 

More than 40 countries have issued travel alerts, including the US and Hong Kong, which has advised citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Thailand.