ID To Be Needed At Soi Cowboy Bars

[Stickman]

The following is an excerpt from my weekly column. This news was provided by someone who was at the meeting. This gentleman seemed to think the police are really serious about this.

 

I assume that ID wouldn't necessarily mean passport and drivers licence or other ID should be ok. But I don't know for sure and am only speculating. It will be interesting to see if this really does develop and become policy everywhere.

 

 

Last night there was a meeting at the Old Dutch between Thonglor Police and the bar owners of Soi Cowboy and several new measures are to be implemented more or less immediately. The first is that during the time that bars are operating, the soi is to be closed off to all traffic including motorbikes and vendors, making it a walking street. Second and more important is that bars will have to put up signs that all customers will need to have ID on their person when entering the bars. One establishment has already experienced a bust with 8 farang being fined and the bar in question was fined, the rumour mill having it that the fine was as high as 50,000 baht. These measures are apparently to be implemented nationwide and will have to be policed by the owners as the local police can do spot checks at any time without warning.

[Guest]

Did the police provide a reason for this new policy?

 

Or is that asking too much?

[..]

The first is that during the time that bars are operating, the soi is to be closed off to all traffic including motorbikes and vendors, making it a walking street. In *theory*, it has supposed to have been that for some time now. We'll see if they choose to finally enforce this. It would make me much more comfortable vis-a-vis terrorism considering that the South is heating up again, but I will miss the food carts (perhaps a registration sticker system to allow vendors could be consideded...naw, TiT, never work).

 

Second and more important is that bars will have to put up signs that all customers will need to have ID on their person when entering the bars. Once again, a law stating this is already on the books per Thai coppers that I trust implicitly. No, for you Doubting Thomas', I *cannot* be arsed to look it up. Disbelieve and take yer chances. I have in the past.

 

One establishment has already experienced a bust with 8 farang being fined and the bar in question was fined, the rumour mill having it that the fine was as high as 50,000 baht. Well, if it who I think is was, then he has been pissing the MiB off for nearly a year now and while he has calmed down a bit, I can just see him saying something to fuck it all up! Maybe happened, maybe not (I'll confirm with my sources when I get back next week) -- I do recall a piss test van on Cowboy a couple of weeks ago, but no farangs were involved at all in anything re: the MiB that night. But if so, TiT and things like that should not surprise you, na?

 

Kam-pai,

SD-san

[Guest]

 

So what's the fine for the farang imbibers? and as for ID acceptable to the bar, does it have to be the real thing, or will a photocopy be acceptable?

 

The argument about whether foreigners have had to carry iD on them has been running for a long time, and I still don't believe it is the law, although I do believe that some police believe it is, but if I can't get INTO the damned bar to begin with, I'll at least carry a photocopy.

[rickfarang]

"...I still don't believe it is the law..."

 

In cases like this, its what the police belive thats important.

 

This does not sound like it is a question about foreigners as much as whether people should have ID's when out and about. It has been a requirement for Thais for a long time. There is no apparent reason to belive non-Thais should be excused from the requirement.

 

As a reference point, in the U.S., people outside their homes are required to be able to identify themselves when stopped by the police. Nobody seems to have a serious probelm with that.

 

I've got to say that the rumor of a bar being fined 50K for having some customers without an ID comes as a surprise, yet, surprises at the seemingly illogical seem to occur with increasing frequency.

[Guest]

 

 

Why SC and not the soi 3-5 area? would have thought, although have no proof, that there are far many more oversatyers, illegals and crooks there than SC. But then thats another police area I think?

[SiLeakHunt]

I was down there last weekend, forget if it was Friday or Saturday and the girls in a popular bar who were performing an elaborate lesbian show scarpered off the stage like shit off a hot shovel.

The police had pulled up outside and had the table set up for urine testing, although I only saw one girl looking worried.

I later found out that a girl had hurled herself from the top floor of one of the bars (and survived) the previous night, hence the police interest on that particular evening.

 

Cheers

 

Mind you she was probably bullshitting.

[OCgringo]

I think if passports are required then the pickpockets will have a field day ,

At least with a USA drivers licence its the size of a credit card and fits in your pocket easily,

 

Making Soi Cowboy a walking street sounds great in practice , but how do the bars get supplies ? If security is the reason then they will have to inspect everything that comes in the Soi, which is not going to happen,

 

I hope its for security and not just to line their pockets

 

OC

[liquidflux]

OCgringo said:

 

I hope its for security and not just to line their pockets

 

OC

 

I'd say it's probably a combination of both.

[vegasdave49]

rickfarang said:

 

As a reference point, in the U.S., people outside their homes are required to be able to identify themselves when stopped by the police. Nobody seems to have a serious probelm with that.

 

 

I may be mistaken but there was a landmark case several years back that went to the supreme court. The court said that you do not have to have ID on you to be able to move around freely. That is a clearly defined right.

But there is currently a case working its way up that says you have to tell the police your name if asked. A man in Nevada was approached by police (I think he was on his own property) He was asked his name and he basicly told them non or your business. Of course he was instantly arrested for this. So far the guy is loosing in the lower courts. But I think it still has to go all the way up. I personaly agree it is non of their business. If the man had been suspect or commiting a crime they could arrest him otherwise f**k off. This guy was just standing up for his rights.

I know there are those that say things have changed since 911, indeed they have. We have had our rights usurped by our own government. Basicly giving the assholes who did it a decisive victory.

As far as this applying to LOS. Hey it is their country and they can do what they want.