Many bars have been shut by the police in the last few days for supposedly not having the correct licence

2 bars in soi 7 including the big one with all the TVs in opposite Happiness bar and Streamline bar

4-5 bars in soi post office including Coops bar and Kittens and 1 of the blow job bars

and many more round Pattaya

They are having to close for 30 days

Update: A New Type of TV Licence

From Pattaya Secrets

There is a new license that you need for showing video's, DVD's etc, its a government license that isn't the same as the copyright one, once you get it its listed on the company papers.

If you play thai or farang CD's etc then you will still need the copyright license too which is an independent setup.

Update: Yamato Ghost Town

29th January 2008

Soi Yamato & Soi Post Office have taken a hit with temporary bar closures including:

• Moulin Rouge
• Coopers
• Monkey Bar
• Jungle Bar
• Nice 'n' Eazy
• Yates
• office Girls
• George+Dragon
• Spricey Bar
• Gothia

Update: Main Licence

30th January 2008

Thanks to Paul

A call to the powers that be reveals that the bars mentioned above were closed because they didn't have the required main licence. Nothing to do with TV licences.

Pattaya Tourist Police made a sweep of Walking Street during the evening of January 16, bringing in a team of volunteers to clear the area of beggars and touts.

The officers and volunteers arrested or moved on all those who were considered to be making a public nuisance of themselves, following a number of complaints by visitors that they were continually being harassed in and around Walking Street.

Amongst those arrested was a gang of six Cambodian beggars, consisting of two men, two women and a young boy and girl.

Five touts who were drumming up business for live sex shows were also arrested, as was a man who was offering to take photographs of tourists with a captive loris.

A youth selling dried marijuana to tourists was also netted by the police.

Fun Room A-GoGo on Soi 15 was dark last night.

The reasons are not yet clear. Perhaps the new Japanese owner is doing the traditional remodelling exercise. Or perhaps he is cutting his losses.

Champagne A-GoGo on SOi LK Metro has started a new happy hours promotion.

From 7pm to 9pm every day some drinks are 2 for 1. A good point is that one gets the second drink after finishing the first,  they don't come together. 2 for 1 does not apply to draft beer though.

The show bars, currently Top Girls and Tramps, employ touts to drum up trade. Anyone arriving at these bars escorted by a tout will be required to pay an entrance charge (which includes the first drink). A portion of the entrance charge will then make up the touts commission.

Anybody, or at least any farang, turning up without a tout in tow will be granted free entry.

Now it seems that other bars are catching on to this rather discriminatory pricing. There have been forum reports of Peppermint charging entry to non farangs.

The latest is a report of 600 Baht entrance to Hot Girls (which may have been for 2 people). Again it includes the first drink.

But there is also a possibility that the entrance charge may become a double whammy. By coughing up at the door, customers are also identifying themselves as newbies and may then fall easy prey to hassle for tips and lady drinks. The girls and staff will surely try it on anyway.

A disturbing incident occurred on Walking Street in the early hours of Sunday Morning which was initially dealt with by the Tourist Police based on the street.

Three men from Estonia made a complaint at the Tourist Police Mobile Unit regarding a confrontation with three Thai Men in Soi 15. It is thought the men were being ushered into a Show Bar but decided at the last minute that they did not want to go. The Thai men became angry and a fight ensued.

The men were told to make their way to Pattaya Police Station to make a report, however they decided to take matters into their own hands and went back to confront the Thai men. It is thought that more than 15 men set-upon the three Estonian Men.

One managed to run away, a second was hit over the head with a steal pole and a third man was stabbed in the leg with a broken bottle. A major artery in his leg was severed and he was rushed to Hospital. Later on Sunday he died from the injury according to medical staff at the Pattaya Memorial Hospital.

The incident, which is now a murder investigation, occurred only meters away from the Tourist Police Unit and is now being investigated by Pattaya Police and the Tourist Police as the hunt for the attackers continues.

We understand that as of Monday Afternoon, no arrests had been made in connection with the attack.

This coming Wednesday, Jan 23rd Hammer Disco along with After Dark Magazine will hold a real dance contest. Girls from 12 clubs including:

Secrets
Champagne
Dollhouse
Taboo
Living Dolls Showcase
Lollipop
Magic
Galaxy
Heaven Above
Angelwitch
And More

Competition actually begins at 1am on the 24th. Get there earlier because it will be packed. Hammer is located on Walking Street on the water side, across from Soi Diamond.