Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing opening hours for entertainment venues. Specifically we are discussing this within sort of the broader context of just entertainment, tourism sector here in Thailand. Another theme that goes along with this is unfortunately, again and I keep having to point this out, the media seems to routinely either, and I have got some other videos on this as well, but they either seem to recently especially be completely sort of spinning things in such a way that it sounds definitive. I am just trying to figure out if the media is out there intentionally putting out information that isn't quite accurate or if it's just a product of the speed with which folks have to get news out or just a misunderstanding of where things stand with regard to overall policy procedures. Let me explain why I am talking about this in the context of something that doesn't sound like something that should concern, it should raise concerns about information and reporting.

A recent article from the Bangkok Post, bangkokpost.com, the article is titled: Night venue hours "won't be extended". I am going to go ahead and read some of this, let me go ahead and read the preface, sort of the first paragraph of this article. For those who are watching this, go read this article in detail, a lot going on in there. I'm going to talk about one specific sort of part of this that kind of concerned me. Quoting directly: "Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Monday moved to ensure concerned civics groups, saying the Ministry is firmly opposed to the proposal that would see the opening hours of night entertainment venues extended by two hours." Now yet again, this is one of those situations where it is now out there, this is me talking, that it's sort of a foregone conclusion that this extended opening hours this 2am to 4am extension is done, has been scrapped. This is being reported as if this is a fait accompli. But let me quote further, and show that in fact it isn't quite the fait accompli that it initially appears to be depending on the media outlets you are reading. So quoting further, same article: "Currently, the law allows alcohol sales in two periods 11am- to 2pm and 5pm to midnight for vendors and until 2 am for night entertainment venues. The proposal will be reviewed by the National Alcoholic Beverage Policy Committee headed by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Dec. 22." So this hasn't even been reviewed and I am not poking at the Bangkok Post specifically here or exclusively here. I have seen other outlets do this as well that "oh the night venue thing is all done", "the decision has already been made, it is not going to go till 4am." That may be true, the folks involved in this may have already made up their mind, I don't know. But I haven't seen anything in the press to suggest that other than, yes there are some people on one side of the issue and there are other folks on the other side of the issue. The long story short is a decision has not been reached and will not be reached until the 22nd so as usual we will keep you updated on this channel as the situation evolves.