Electric Blue has returned to Soi Diamond as a high quality farang fast food and snack bar open 24/7 aimed mainly at the takeaway market but having about 25 seats inside.

It is now known as the Electric Blue Takeaway & Snack Bar as people know the name and location.

Banners have also gone up proclaiming the Walking Street Sports Bar. This is located in a narrow slot on Walking Street near the beach road end.

I am informed that this bar is no longer a part of the Nui's stable. Apparently it has been sold to a Japanese guy who has discontinued the popular shows and as a result the bar is no longer popular.

That's their excuse for the complete absence of punters anyway.

Smokers in Thailand will soon be banned from lighting up in nightclubs, pubs, and open-air markets, the Public Health Ministry has said.

The new ban, scheduled to take effect Feb. 17, will apply to all air-conditioned entertainment venues, toughening earlier restrictions that affected only air-conditioned restaurants, said Hatai Chitanond of the ministry's Health Promotion Institute.

Outdoor restaurants will be required to set up nonsmoking areas.

Smokers violating the ban will be fined 2000 Baht.

We expect some resistance from operators of nightclubs and pubs. They may fear it would hurt their business but it will be better for the health of their workers and their customers, Hatai said.

Far East Rock A-GoGo in Soi Post Office has made the UK news as it is listed as one of the assets of Angela Miller. She has been prosecuted for running brothels in the UK where Thai girls were working in semi slavery to repay ridiculous trumped up debts incurred to get a chance of working in the UK.

She was sentenced to 4 years and will serve more if she opposes the confiscation of her assets.

She had been extradited back to the UK after being on the run for 6 years in Thailand.

There were 2 GoGos closed around Walking Street last night.

Sakura Cub 69 on Soi 15 was closed due to a paperwork issue and is due to open as normal tonight.

VooDoo A-GoGo on Walking Street was also dark last night. No explanations so far. A general lack of custom suggests that the closure may not be short term

Update: Back

8th January

Sakura Club 69 re-opened presumably with paperwork sorted.

Voodoo re-opened but was operating with half the usual staff. Something is clearly up.

Muang District Chief Wisit Kurattanavej threatened to blacklist Phuket entertainment venues that do not follow the government’s request to observe the national mourning of HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana.

Wisit made the announcement at a meeting to discuss a ban on “entertainment noise” during the 15-day national mourning period, which began yesterday.

At the meeting it was announced that each District Office today began distributing a letter asking entertainment operators to not stage any live music performances and not use any sound systems during the 15-day period.

In the meantime, apart from the request for silence, entertainment venues can trade as usual. Normal noise levels on the island can resume January 17.

The Royal Household Bureau today asked for staff at all government offices, state enterprises and educational institutions fly the national flag at half-mast and to wear black for the next 15 days as a mark of respect for HRH Galyani Vadhana, who passed away early this morning.

An emergency meeting of the Cabinet today concurred the request.

The Cabinet also asked for all government officers to postpone or cancel any public celebrations or fairs already scheduled to take place during the national mourning period of 15 days.

They also asked government officers to deter any such merry-making events from taking place during the next 100 days while vigil is being kept over HRH Galyani’s body.

The Ministry of Interior asked for all private entertainment venue operators to also observe the national mourning.

The Phuket Governor’s Office this afternoon confirmed to the Gazette that at this time this was a request only.