Bars Closed For Buddhist Holiday
\I discovered that the majority of the bars and nightclubs in Bangkok at least are most likely to be closed on Friday, July 15 and Saturday, July 16.
This is due to two important Buddhist holidays, namely Asarnha Bucha Day and Buddhist Lent Day. These are among the biggest Buddhist holidays on the Thai calendar and therefore, they are treated with high reverence.
It is a shame that this month, the government elections have coincided with two Buddhist holidays, because some bars will lose four nights revenue. It’s even more of a shame if you’ve come to Thailand to experience some of the legendary nightlife!
The majority of bars were ordered to close last year and it is thought that this year will be no exception to the rule. So, I thought I should inform you, so you and your friends will be aware of this Buddhist holiday. In particular, these bar closures (usually) apply rigorously to Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket and Koh Samui. The only exception tends to be the Silom area in Bangkok (notably Patpong), which is controlled by Bangrak’s finest. The boys in brown down there are often more lenient than their counterparts in other districts of the Big Mango. Unfortunately, we cannot do anything about the bar closures on Buddhist holidays and government elections. The Thailand nightlife industry just has to learn to absorb it.
My advice is to go out, enjoy yourselves during the week, and consider making Thursday, July 14 your custom-made ‘Friday’ night. I will personally be enjoying the long weekend and may use it as an excuse to head south for some sun, surf and sand. Koh Chang and Koh Samet are both fairly close to Bangkok, cheap weekend excurisions and easy to get to.
I am thankful that I live far from the expat venues of alcohol, smoke, drugs, prostitution, and of course violence which is always nearby to such vibrations.
By “far” I mean in a part of Thailand that is steeped in tradition and not distorted by westerners. In my nearby smaller city there are no bars–only 3 karokae clubs that I know of. So the holiday closure is not even noticed.
Its a shame people live on and only for alcohol some days this is a product of democracy
sad people only have this in mind .. no wonder Christ was crucified .. you are all the off spring from him 
)
Thanks for the insight. ~_~
I just ask Dave, the manager of the Tex Mex place Charley Brown’s in Suk Soi 11, and he told me that they can serve alcohol , but not too Buddhists
so we ll go on as usual 
Just read this as I’m heading to Bangkok for a wild weekend – well, let’s turn this forum into a discussion of where the best private bunga bunga parties are this weekend…
Staying here in Pattaya you can actually experience 8 days of bar closures within a month. Feel sorry for the bar owners and workers since they are struggling already with low season and political uncertainty.
end of June: 2 days closed for pre election
3/4 July: 2 days closed for main election
9/10 July: 2 days closed for Pattaya local elections
15/16 July: 2 days closed for Buddhist events
I can live with this, but this is certainly not helping tourism!
thaisabai
Hi Steve,
“hackney” should be spelt “Hackney”. It’s a low-cost (some say lowlife) area of London, just outside the City. I think the poster is referring to you as a working class stiff.
Thanks eyebee and I suppose I’ll take it as a compliment since I am a working class stiff. Although I think the poster may have been thinking more harshly than that.
Great writing , Steve
Tonsak resort on Koh Samet is really nice,
and White Sand Resort is nice too…
enjoy …
Thanks Dave. White Sand Resort was nice last time we were there. Haven’t tried Tonsak, but maybe its time we do.
We have a wine event in Bacchus, Saturday 16th and the Thai management assured me that they will be open and serve wine.
Gee
The Bangkok Wine Club
can you underline a few more keywords so that i can fully understand? a more cliche ridden article you could not wish to find. stating the obvious as with all thai musings …. yawn? you may wake up one morning to find that golf is really a 7-iron that you have been sleeping with a in a hackney council flat ….
i wish you all the best, sir – but a career in journalism is out of the question. best sticking to what you know best …..
ATB – the spoon
Thank goodness then that I am not considering a career in journalism. And I am from the US sir…what is a “hackney council flat”? Some sort of UK spa resort?
A spa resort??? You must be joking!!! Help me up somebody!!
LOL, glad you appreciate my sense of humor
Bit harsh there Spoon. Maybe not the most original article, but I think it served it’s purpose, awareness that the bars would be closed. Everyone isn’t up to date with all the Thai/Buddhist holidays you know. Maybe the entirety of the article should have been “All Bars in Thailand will be closed on July 15th and 16th in observance of Asarnha Bucha Day and Buddhist Lent” but that isn’t very exciting either.