King's Birthday

[Guest]

I have scheduled a trip to Bangkok. everything is set but then I realized my dates would be around the King's birthday. I would love to join Thais for celebrations; however, I worry if the p4p activities would be limited during this time. Would bars be asked to close early? would the police all the sudden see what's allowed year round as taboos? etc...
Thanks in advance!

[rxpharm]

The bars are almost always closed during the King's Birthday, and likewise with the Queen's Birthday as well. If you have some numbers collected you can contact the ladies for meetings when the bars are closed.

[Guest]

This is a disaster for me. Just that day or the surrounding days as well? my time in Bangkok would be 11/30 to 12/6? Thanks again!

[rxpharm]

No one knows for sure yet, but here is a thread that discusses it with a guess from a resident ex-pat. Public Holidays in 2352

[snapper]

(backtothegame32 @ Oct. 23 2009,10:09)   This is a disaster for me. Just that day or the surrounding days as well? my time in Bangkok would be 11/30 to 12/6? Thanks again!

It's a special birthday this year so all bars will be closed from 11/29 to 12/7 and all ladyboys will go back to Issan. The good news is temples have extended opening hours and the palace will remain open

[Ivor Biggun]

Oh yer bad  I'm always gutted when peeps feel that the traditions and customs of the country they are visiting  'spoil' their holiday!!! How dare he have his birthday when I'm on holiday!!!

[phoenix]

There is a flip side to this it will be a buyers market for The girls still in Pattaya

[JaiDee]

This question is asked literally every year .....just this year it's a bit early, his B-day is still 6 weeks away.

Answer; bars are closed, but depending on where you are things start happening again after midnight; IE, when his birthday is over!

[JaiDee]

(backtothegame32 @ Oct. 23 2009,10:09) Just that day or the surrounding days as well?
my time in Bangkok would be 11/30 to 12/6?

Only 12/5

[mardhi]

I think you will find bars are NOT closed on the Kings birthday - I am 99% sure its not been that way for a couple of years at least now. maybe I am wrong but I dont think so. They are deffo NOT closed on the Queens birthday. Under the law, the only days where alcohol sales is banned is actually Elections - Budhist holidays are not banned under the law however the police can and do ask 'entertainment venues' to be respectfull of the occasion (i.e close) but it tends not to affect restaurants or hotels except for elections where EVERYONE must not serve alcohol.

Cheers
Mardhi

[stonefre]

I was there a couple of years ago, either 2006 or 2007 but the bars in Nana were opened with the lights turned down outside if I remember correctly. I suspect they will be open.

[rossco]

King's Birthday
Pattaya last year. Bars stopped entertainment/lights and no alcohol served - but they served beer in cups.
Most clubs (including most LB venues) closed

Elections
Resort Hotels - business as usual. Served alcohol.
Most Bars stopped entertainment/lights etc but some served beer in cups.
Most clubs (including most LB venues) closed

[JaiDee]

I think, based on this thread and also from my own experiences, it differs from city to city [gee, BIG surprise in Thailand, eh?].

 as stonefre says; ''the bars in Nana were opened with the lights turned down outside''

I have seen that as well, and with no music or turned down very low, it's a creepy scene.


I have been around before on Patong and all the girls report to work, etc, but the bars are offically ''closed'' and don't serve anything more than water and cokes; at midnight it's funny as hell as they all re-open, it's like fireworks went off!

  Samui....same deal.

It's the alcohol they are trying to ban, not the actual bars themselves IMO.

  The original poster; don't worry about it man, it's only one night; and most likely you will have met someone before that and you can just call her and ask her to come over with you for 12/5.

[Guest]

(Ivor Biggun @ Oct. 23 2009,21:18) Oh yer bad  I'm always gutted when peeps feel that the traditions and customs of the country they are visiting  'spoil' their holiday!!! How dare he have his birthday when I'm on holiday!!!

hey, if I was complaining at all, I was complaining about my own poor attention to planning details.
Like my username implies, not the first time to los. Also like my username implies, it's been a while and I can't believe that I never ran into this situation.

The original poster; don't worry about it man, it's only one night; and most likely you will have met someone before that and you can just call her and ask her to come over with you for 12/5.

Thanks JaiDee! In fact, it'll be my last day in Thailand so it's not an issue at all. I was really worrying more about the days before 12/5. Now it's all clear, I am just gonna concentrate on having a good time!

[up2nothing]

after just now reading this thread, it looks like my first full day in patts could turn out to be a bit of a lonely one   .  

the thought of a national holiday didn't cross my mind   .

well, I'll make the best of anyway, as said before,  "it's only one day"

thanks