Patong entertainment businesses: Longer hours is solution to corruption
The Patong Entertainment Business Association has weighed in on the local bribery scandal, insisting that the issue will never be solved unless the laws are changed – specifically changes to allow them to stay open longer.
The President of Patong Entertainment Business Association, Weerawit Kruasombat, said that the law should be changed and the entertainment avenues should be allowed to close at 4am to undermine bribes paid by the businesses in order to extend their closing time.
“This has happened for a long time. We have called for a change many times but our requests for longer opening times are being ignored. This is the weak point of law enforcement that creates bribe opportunities.” The bribes are not limited only to police, instead extending to many government sectors around the island, he said.
“It is not difficult to solve the bribe problem,” said Weerawit. The core problem remains if reforms are limited to transferring police to inactive positions or to other provinces. Instead, he said, extend closing times for businesses “and increase the punishment of the government officers who solicit and accept bribes”.
“Changing the law is the real solution. The operators should be able to open until late which will satisfy the demands of tourists, especially in Patong”.
Meanwhile, Chairat Sukkaban, a business operator in Patong says: “For example, the venues that open longer hours than others should be paying more taxes; this will allow them to work legally and the money also goes to the government to develop the country. This way, when there’s illegal action such as underage customers, weapons or fights, police can enforce the law properly.”