Thread: Campus Safety Zone Puts All Bars Within 1km of CMU at Risk

Chiang Mai Vice Governor, Chana Paengpibun, has announced a new ‘Campus Safety Zone’ around Chiang Mai University, ordering all pubs, bars, restaurants, stores, apartments and any other venues selling alcohol within a 1km radius of the campus grounds to sign an MOU to cooperate with the reorganisation of alcohol and cigarette control in the area.



It is yet unclear what the reorganisation will entail specifically. The 1km radius of CMU covers all of Suthep road up until the suandok park, the canal road, huaykaew road up to the Shell gas station and the entirety of Nimmanhaemin Road, Maya Shopping Centre, Sirimankaljan Road and their surrounding sois.

According to one survey, there are over 1000 venues that can sell alcohol within the 1km radius.

On August 13 Puttipong Sirimart, the deputy head of the board of the Campus Safety Zone, signed a document regarding new forms of penalties for any venues breaking any of the following rules:

1. Allowing underage people into the venue.

2. Selling alcohol to those underage.

3. Closing after hours.

4. Allowing guns, weapons, bombs and drugs in their venue.

5. Selling alcohol outside of the government designated hours of 11am – 2pm and 5pm – 12am.

If any venue is found breaking any laws, the venue will have its alcohol permit revoked and the venue will have to close down for five years.

Puttipong also added that bars that make too much noise will also be closed down for five years.

On October 6, Police Colonel Mongkol Sampawapon lead an investigation team of police to check pubs and bars in the 1km Campus Safety Zone. They found one venue selling alcohol without a licence, 7 venues selling alcohol to underage persons, two failed to provide a smoking area, and one bar to be playing music too loud.

As a result of the police investigation, 19 venues were closed down, had their alcohol permits revoked and ordered to close down for five years.

Chiang Mai CityNews - Campus Safety Zone Puts All Bars Within 1km of CMU at Risk

Did any journalist check with

Chiang Mai Vice Governor, Chana Paengpibun

to determine if he knew that the majority of students attending Chaing Mai University were over 18 years old ?

^ But not over 20, which is the minimum drinking age in Thailand.

[...] the entirety of Nimmanhaemin Road...

... Which is filled with upscale bars, bistros, and restaurants that are hugely popular with young and wealthy Thais.

*Tantrums imminent!*

Just curious as I don't know. Do Thai universities have on campus student union bars?
If there is a 1m raduis all establishments will move 1.5kms away? You can't stop young people enjoying their life. Responsibility and parental guidance etc. Oops I forgot where I am.

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

Do Thai universities have on campus student union bars?

Pretty sure CMU doesn't.

Actually the 7/11's etc around the campus haven't stocked or sold cigarettes and alcohol for years.

maybe if they can extend this to Hospitals , temples and government offices then hilarity will ensue

They should just build an out-of-town campus. Sorted, innit.

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

Just curious as I don't know. Do Thai universities have on campus student union bars?
If there is a 1m raduis all establishments will move 1.5kms away? You can't stop young people
enjoying their life. Responsibility and parental guidance etc. Oops I forgot where I am.

You beat me to it Vocal, but I was going to say move out 2km to give youself a buffer since they may increase the safety zone to 1.5km in another month or so. Next they will try to increase it to 5km and then you will see the fur fly.

Here's an article that looks at the whole tangled mess:

Chiang Mai Citylife Magazine - A Cocktail of Confusion: Thailand's Alcohol Laws

CM doesn't really have a city centre per se so it's all quite messy and confusing.

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

CM doesn't really have a city centre per se so it's all quite messy and confusing.

Well, it wouldn't be Thai if it weren't.

They'd fuck up a junkyard.

A good point, well made.