![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Ruchuchai Potha, Chiang Mai Employment Office, Department of Work Permits, explains that his department and the immigration police both have the power to arrest for on-the-spot employment breaches. While naivety can be claimed as a defence, it will not hold up in court. Immigration police are trying to uphold the law whilst musicians, claiming to be unaware of immigration laws, may be risking their freedom and could end up in jail. And in fact, there is nothing illegal about that act, since they tend to be one-off occurrences. Tourists cannot reasonably be expected to understand that they may be caught up by the police should they stand up on stage to play a song. And if musicians play regularly in a venue, it can be argued that they are increasing the sales for that business, even though they are not remunerated, therefore they should have a work permit. Business owner Toni of Happy Pizza (Chiang Mai-Hod Road, Hang Dong) has been forced to put his pizza and pasta restaurant up for sale, “since the recent musicians arrests in Chiang Mai, I can no longer sing and play music in my own restaurant, this is the reason why I am selling,” said Toni.īasically, the law states that without a valid work permit foreigners can not earn money for a living. The recent crackdowns are not only affecting foreign musicians in Chiang Mai, but also businesses and local tourism – though to what degree depends on your standpoint regarding this issue. If Chiang Mai is to be internationally recognised as a creative city, would it not be in our interest to promote creativity through music, art, poetry…or even karaoke? On the other hand, the law of the land surely must also be upheld and enforced. He also explained that a large number of foreign musicians have cancelled their gigs out of fear of being arrested by immigration, and a growing number of foreign musicians who have settled or retired in Chiang Mai are leaving as they feel that the city no longer offers what was once a creative hub for performers.Ĭhiang Mai is currently asking United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to grant the city ‘Creative City Status’, a city where cultural and creative activities are an integral part of the city’s economic and social functioning. One of the arrestees at Guitarman was in Thailand for just a short time when he was arrested just for jamming, although some of the musicians playing at various venues in Chiang Mai have admitted that they were paid for their services, thereby undoubtedly violating the law.Īn anonymous musician from a popular foreign band based in Chiang Mai told Citylife that his regular venue is now virtually deserted with no music being performed anymore, “Open mic nights are done, musicians in Chiang Mai are done”, he said. Questions have been raised as to what is exactly illegal concerning playing live music. Since the arrests, the expat community, musicians, bar owners, as well as music aficionados, have been voicing their opinions, though mostly in the shadows, debating the issue of whether the arrests were just and in accordance with the law, or whether it is yet another attempt to intimidate foreigners out of money and how much affect it will have on Chiang Mai as a whole. The arrests, which the immigration police have said were an action against people working without the requisite work permits, has created confusion and a small void at a time when Chiang Mai was fast becoming a creative nexus for foreign musicians. A number of arrests were made during the months of March and April at Guitarman and Northgate, nightspots that have gained cult status within the foreign community, among local Thais as well as tourists. Chiang Mai’s fledgling music scene has suffered a setback of late due to the crackdown on foreign musicians playing live music in the city. ![]()
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