Laos shuts down three night clubs in Vientiane

Don Chan Palace Hotel whose nightclub and karaoke bar are under close eyes due to overtime operation//Supalak Ganjanakhundee

Another nightclub in Xaythany district has made the independent decision to close its doors following an agreement with authorities before entertainment.

The Deputy Head of the Committee for Entertainment Venues Management in Vientiane , Mr Somsanith Phengkanya, said yesterday the committee had issued orders to the Xaysana and RCA nightclubs in Chanthabouly district to stop business and close down.

The Xaysana club was given 60 days to close, while RCA was ordered to cease business immediately and the Phonpasong nightclub in Xaythany district agreed to close on July 8.

Mr Somsanith who is also Head of Cultural Affairs Division of the Vientiane Information and Culture explained that the Xaysana nightclub, which is located inside the Xaysana Hotel, was too close to two temples, considered sacred worshipping sites for Lao people.

The club's patrons had also been using the grounds of the Inpeng and Ongteu temples as car parks, and the committee had considered the proximity of scantily-clad club-goers to Buddhist monks inappropriate, he added.

"According to the entertainment business regulations, entertainment venues must be located a certain distance from community facilities such as schools, hospitals and temples," he said.

He said the owner of Xaysana nightclub had appealed to the committee to be granted a delay of 60 days before closing down, as he needed to sell off stocks of alcoholic beverages before altering the building to accommodate another type of business.

"We agreed with this condition, but the fact is that the nightclub will inevitably have to close," he said.

Mr Somsanith said the committee had also ordered the closure of the RCA nightclub because it had been operating without an entertainment licence.

He said the committee had found some time ago that the RCA nightclub only had a licence to operate a restaurant, which did not extend to a venue where customers can drink and dance.

"The committee had previously issued warnings to this club to adhere to the conditions of its licence by only serving food, but the owner ignored these warnings. The committee had no choice but to order it to close," he said.

He added that Chanthabouly district authorities had revoked the restaurant licence from the owner of the RCA nightclub, effectively removing the possibility of their continuing to operate.

The other closure announced recently was that of the Phonpasong nightclub, located in the Phonpasong Hotel in Khamhoung village, Xaythany district, on the Phontong road near the National University of Laos.

Mr Somsanith confirmed that this nightclub's owner had cooperated with the committee, and made the independent decision to close down on July 8.

He said the Phonpasong nightclub had become a gathering place for people under 18, and that there had been several incidents of young people having fights.

He said that the owner' decision to close down for improvement and repairs was a preferable option to a forced closure, because it meant the club would have the option of reopening once the owner had determined a way to improve services and impose age restrictions on its patrons.

Mr Somsanith also warned that other entertainment venues, including the nightclub and karaoke bar at Don Chan Palace Hotel, would need to be careful to adhere to the regulations regarding closing times, as all owners had signed agreements with the committee to follow all entertainment business regulations. //

Vientianetimes/Asia News Network