The move came after Phuket Deputy Governor Romdon Haji-Awae, representing Governor Chotinarin Kerdsom, received a petition from the Phuket Entertainment Business Operators Association and local entrepreneurs calling for the expansion of the island’s designated entertainment zones, Bangkok Post reported.
Many entertainment venues are unable to obtain operating licences because they are located outside the island’s limited entertainment zones, despite being willing to comply with the law.
At present, designated entertainment zones are confined to parts of Phuket Town and Kathu District.
However, operators say the island’s tourism boom has driven hotels, restaurants and nightlife businesses into other areas to cater to rising numbers of visitors, The Phuket Express reported.
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Tourists relax along Patong Beach in Phuket, Thailand. Photo by AFP |
The association said many businesses, including both members and non-members, want to operate legally but are prevented from doing so because their premises fall outside the officially approved entertainment zones.
Provincial authorities have agreed to formally study proposals to expand the designated zones, a move that operators say would better align regulations with Phuket’s evolving tourism landscape while supporting the island’s hospitality and entertainment sectors.
Thailand received 17.36 million international tourist arrivals between Jan. 1 and July 18, down 3.05% from the same period last year, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports reported on July 20.