While the cafe remains open, the 50-seat theater, known for hosting Bangkok’s local films and special screenings, opened in September 2021. The owners took over the space once occupied by alt-cinema the Bangkok Screening Room, inside the Woof Pack Building on Sala Daeng Soi 1.

 

Despite screening for years, the showing of a film for 20+ viewers brought the authorities to the venue, and it was then discovered that the screening venue lacked the proper paperwork to screen films, according to the statement from Doc Club and Pun. 

 

“Even though we have been involved with films for a long time, we lacked sufficient knowledge on many things related to running a film screening business, which was something we had never done before. One of them was not knowing that this place still lacked a license to be a theater,” Doc Club and Pub stated in their social media post. 

 

 

After making appeals to amend the current laws, the authorities claimed officially that they had been operating a theater without a permit, and they were issued a fine or the choice of community service, which, unable to pay the fine, the venue claims they chose the latter.

 

“We have learned that the most important obstacle that makes it difficult for micro cinemas to emerge is not a matter of location, capital or even content, but rather the current Film Act and Ministerial Regulations,” the venue stated in their social media post. “It is interesting that in civilized countries, or even our neighboring country, Vietnam, they do not count these small theaters as ‘theaters.’”

 

However, with an outpouring of support from the cinema community, the closing of screenings at Doc Club and Pub has caused a wider conversation on Thailand’s film laws. Chalermchatri Yukol—director, screenwriter, and chairman of the National Soft Power Development Subcommittee in Film Industry, has commented in the wake of the Doc Club and Pub fiasco that the laws need to change.

 

 

 

“I will have to talk to the ministry about why this is such a serious problem for micro cinema in Thailand. Actually, there should be a clear format. In this regard, we may have to talk to the Permanent Secretary, the Minister, and all relevant officials to find the root of the problem,” Chalermchatri Yukol said. 

 

Similarly, Chalida Euamrungjit of the Thai Film Archive pointed out in an interview in Workpoint Today that Thailand’s Film Act was passed with commercial media in mind, not micro cinemas or small cinemas. 

 

The Thailand Creative Culture Agency also commented, saying, “We are committed to addressing this issue seriously, both in the immediate and long term, and we assure you that this issue will be addressed to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future.”

 

The laws, which would see Doc Club and Pub classified as a Type C cinema under Ministerial Regulation on Permission to Use Buildings for the Operation of Theaters, Types and Safety Systems of Theaters, and Fee Rates for Permission to Use Buildings for the Operation of Theaters B.E. 2550, are a serious problem for potential micro-cinemas around Thailand. 

 

For now, Doc Club and Pub will continue operating their cafe and are looking for a new building to show screenings.