Fun police out in force
Beyond the need to maintain social order, the Prayut Chan-o-cha government’s new royal decree, which bans issuance of new business licences for a range of entertainment venues including pubs, bars, nightclubs and massage parlours in 22 small provinces, does not explain other reasons. The royal decree, which takes effect on Nov 22, does not make sense to many. And that is why the wisdom of issuing it has been questioned on social media in the past week, especially among young people whose lifestyle could be pretty much affected by it.
While Bangkok and 54 other bigger provinces have seen new entertainment venues spring up in past years, creating jobs and income to local people, why is the same liberty prohibited in those smaller provinces?
In fact, the ban was initiated 16 years ago. The new regulation inherited the wisdom of two royal decrees, issued by the Thai Rak Thai government of prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2002, which banned the establishment of new entertainment services venues in 26 provinces.
The ban was then part of the “new social order” campaign, a social engineering and authoritarian effort spearheaded by then interior minister Purachai Piumsombun. During his tenure, Pol Capt Purachai imposed limits on entertainment areas and closed down those open after 2am or let those aged under 20 getting into them. He was often seen leading police raids at nightlife venues being accompanied by TV crews.
As an effort to restore traditional Thai values, his policy gained approval from conservatives and parents who were worried about where their children hung out after dark. But it did little to tackle the root causes of social ills such as illicit drug use, human trafficking, forced prostitution or underage drinking.
The two royal decrees had been kept intact since then prior to being superseded by the latest royal decree which is issued because the military regime wants to lift the prohibition in four provinces — Kanchanaburi, Si Sa Ket, Nong Bua Lam Phu and Ayutthaya. However, it still maintains the ban in the other 22 provinces.
Such social engineering is not an effective means to prevent crime or solve social problems, as it is shown in the short-lived new social order campaign. So why does the regime want to keep the regulation that also does not fit with the time? The ban is discriminatory in nature, depriving the smaller provinces economic opportunities enjoyed by their peers.
It is true that entertainment venues, like other types of business, can harbour a range of problems — from disturbance to residential areas to various illegal activities. But there are existing laws that can be enforced to counter and prevent these problems. Authorities just need to better enforce them, not turn a blind eye to them.
The 1966 Act of Night-time Establishments, for example, prohibits entertainment venues from being located close to residential areas, temples and schools. It also bars underage people from entering them.
The fact that despite the ban there have been new pubs and bars in some of these banned provinces, such as Nonthaburi, speaks volumes about how effectively this regulation has been enforced.
Like it or not, pubs, bars and nightclubs are places where local people and foreign tourists go for their leisure, relaxation and simply to have fun. And they are entitled to do it as long as they are not underaged. They are also places where local musicians can launch their career. The government has no duty to limit their rights. More importantly, allowing the issuance of licences could have created job and businesses opportunities for entrepreneurs and local people.
Instead of keeping the ban on such a discriminatory basis, the government should let the people decide for themselves what kind of business they want to run and what kind of leisure they want to enjoy. What the state should do is ensure that relevant authorities enforce existing laws effectively, transparently and honestly. It should not mess with people’s lifestyles and behave as a nanny.