The Ministry of Public Health is in the final stages of revising the Alcohol Control Act 2008. Minister Somsak Thepsutin announced that the House’s recent approval of the bill is part of efforts to liberalise a market expected to boost tourism and support smaller breweries.
"The Ministry will also manage further actions, including announcements about alcohol sales onboard trains and in designated areas....."
"Meanwhile, the Prime Minister will officially announce alcohol sales at Bangkok's Hua Lamphong railway station, taking into account the station's appropriate safety measures.
However, we will continue to ban alcohol sales at other stations and aboard trains."
So just how does banning alcohol aboard on trains and stations boost tourism? When the reason they banned it in the first place was because of the horrendous actions of one of their own (unvetted) staff by raping a young girl and killing her by throwing her off the train?