Public Discouraged From Drinking But Booze Won’t Be Banned

[webfact]

Public Discouraged From Drinking But Booze Won’t Be Banned

By Teeranai Charuvastra, Staff Reporter

 

  

BANGKOK — The Department of Health has urged the public to refrain from drinking alcohol this week in honor of the Late King Bhumibol, a spokesman said Monday.

 

In a letter, the agency said alcohol should not be consumed from Oct. 25 to 29, during which the remains of the late monarch will be cremated in a much-anticipated ritual at the Sanam Luang.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2017/10/23/public-discouraged-drinking-booze-wont-banned/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2017-10-23

[darksidedog]

No alchohol ban? That's odd. I was in Makro this morning and they have a sign out saying no alchohol sales on the 26th. I can see confusion reigning here, as normal.

[mercman24]

it says NO DRINKING --  you can buy it and look at the bottle for a week,  thats about the same as buying a Thai a packet of fags and asking him not to open the packet   ha ha

[Andrew65]

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

No alchohol ban? That's odd. I was in Makro this morning and they have a sign out saying no alchohol sales on the 26th. I can see confusion reigning here, as normal.

Sounds like it's up to individual businesses. I'm sure many Thai business owners won't sell/open regardless, no doubt some of the BiB will try to benefit from ones that do.

[mark01]

Last Friday the bib decided drinking was banned and closed many bars.

A noticed was eventually circulated. Late!

They make this sh#£ up as they go along.

[heybruce]

My understanding it that all alcohol sales will be stopped on the 26th.  I don't know if it's all day on the 26th or just after 2pm, it is probably up to local police to decide (make it up).  I am assuming no alcohol sales anywhere on 26 October. This is the first I've read indicating it is not an official ban, but I'm sure alcohol sales will not take place in most of Thailand.  Maybe in some high-end hotel bars, but nowhere else.

 

I looks like alcohol is not officially banned on other days, but after the nonsense on 13 October I don't think anyone will be surprised if different police jurisdictions implement random restrictions.

Edited October 23, 2017 by heybruce

[BangkokNicky]

Just now, heybruce said:

My understanding it that all alcohol sales will be stopped on the 26th.  I don't know if it's all day on the 26th or just after 2pm, it is probably up to local police to decide (make it up).  I am assuming no alcohol sales anywhere on 26 October. This is the first I've read indicating it is not an official ban, but I'm sure alcohol sales will not take place in most of Thailand.  Maybe in some high-end hotel bars, but nowhere else.

 

I looks like alcohol is not officially banned on other days, but after the nonsense on 13 October I don't think anyone will be surprised if different police jurisdictions implement random restrictions.

better stock up before 7-11 and all other places shut then .. always got the small thai shops anyway even i can get a drink at 2/3 am in the morning .. 

[Orton Rd]

Small shops do not take any notice anyway, they tend to ignore what their 'betters' are always nagging them to do

[les Dennis]

Has a date been set for a Uturn on this rule yet ?

[JAG]

I must confess that I am expecting a defacto ban from the 25th to the 29th.

Not the end of the world for me, although I do enjoy a few beers on a Friday night...

[DM07]

This country amazes me all the time- and mostly not in a good way!

Things like these are announced ...or not...and then everybody is MEANT to understand!

This would be LITERALLY the one day, where I could understand an alcohol ban, although I am against bans of all kind, in general!

But of course, if there will be one, it will be announced in the afternoon of the 25th!

 

I am working in tourism and we got the announcement, that the Grand Palace will be closed for all of October, in the last week of September!

The right hand is not knowing what the left hand is doing!

Thailand is absolutely comical- even in mourning!

 

 

[Minnehaha]

44 minutes ago, DM07 said:

This country amazes me all the time- and mostly not in a good way!

Things like these are announced ...or not...and then everybody is MEANT to understand!

This would be LITERALLY the one day, where I could understand an alcohol ban, although I am against bans of all kind, in general!

But of course, if there will be one, it will be announced in the afternoon of the 25th!

 

I am working in tourism and we got the announcement, that the Grand Palace will be closed for all of October, in the last week of September!

The right hand is not knowing what the left hand is doing!

Thailand is absolutely comical- even in mourning!

 

 

I know what you mean.  

And I remember when I lived in Morocco the holidays we're near impossible to plan for because the Minister of Religion had to see the full moon or new moon to declare the holiday.  Problems happened when it was cloudy.  Tough to buy plane tix then.  

[phantomfiddler]

But without alcohol life has no meaning

[Golden Triangle]

8 minutes ago, phantomfiddler said:

But without alcohol life has no meaning

You are so right my friend        

[Thaidream]

Only day that has been formally announced as being a no alcohol day in both Bangkok and Chonburi that I am aware is the 26th of October- I have asked several Wholesale sellers and a few bars and they are planning closure on the 26th but  open all other days,

[Golden Triangle]

Yep Friday 13th, bars, restaurants had been open from early on serving Breakfasts followed by Lunch & then Dinner, the couple of bars/restaurants that I use were told to stop serving only from about 4 pm after about 9 hours of business, so don't be too surprised if a ban is announced sometime on the 25th for the duration to 29th Amazing Thailand.

[Borzandy]

Close to my home, they started to drink on Friday evening, and still drunk........

[brewsterbudgen]

It's encouraging to see some common sense finally being applied. Hopefully it will last.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Happyman58]

2 hours ago, JAG said:

I must confess that I am expecting a defacto ban from the 25th to the 29th.

Not the end of the world for me, although I do enjoy a few beers on a Friday night...

Me to jag I like to have a drink on Friday night so i can recover all week-end Older you get the more it takes to get rid of hangover

[Skeptic7]

Why are we surprised? Always confused? Nothing is consistent here. This is the place where the first response to any Immigration question is...'to which Immigration Office are you going"?  The rules and regs should be the same Kingdom wide! But the sad and stupid truth is...they're not and we just have to grin and bear it.

 

Case in point...10 days ago on the 13th @ 4:30 pm, inquired at 7-11 in Asoke area if could buy beer. Girl answered could buy at 5 pm. Jing jing? She confirmed with another girl that at 5 pm they would be selling as normal. Went back at 6 pm and same 2 said 'Mai dai'! Had just bought a bottle of Scotch @ Topps 10 mins earlier, no problem. Another 7-11 right beside Terminal 21 also said NO. Went into Gourmet Market, basement Terminal 21 and bought 4 large bottles of beer, no questions asked.

 

Remember...T.I.T. where consistency is unheard of. No hard and fast rules/regs. Everything is left up to the interpretation (whim) of the person/business/government office or official one is dealing with. 

 

 

Edited October 23, 2017 by Skeptic7

[natway09]

Having just  read that alcohol sales not banned the Commissioner of Lumpini just said all bars to close 

25,26, 27 th. (except the ones that I allow to open ) for monetary reasons.

You are right, the left foot has no idea what the right foot is doing

[JAG]

10 minutes ago, Skeptic7 said:

Why are we surprised? Always confused? Nothing is consistent here. This is the place where the first response to any Immigration question is...'to which Immigration Office are you going"?  The rules and regs should be the same Kingdom wide! But the sad and stupid truth is...they're not and we just have to grin and bear it.

 

Case in point...10 days ago on the 13th @ 4:30 pm, inquired at 7-11 in Asoke area if could buy beer. Girl answered could buy at 5 pm. Jing jing? She confirmed with another girl that at 5 pm they would be selling as normal. Went back at 6 pm and same 2 said 'Mai dai'! Had just bought a bottle of Scotch @ Topps 10 mins earlier, no problem. Another 7-11 right beside Terminal 21 also said NO. Went into Gourmet Market, basement Terminal 21 and bought 4 large bottles of beer, no questions asked.

 

Remember...T.I.T. where consistency is unheard of. No hard and fast rules/regs. Everything is left up to the interpretation of the person/business/government office or official one is dealing with. 

 

 

2

You may well find that between you asking the girls in 7/11, and returning to buy the stuff some character (probably wearing a tight uniform) had strutted in and ordered them not to sell alcohol.

 

As you said " Everything is left up to the interpretation of the person/business/government office or official one is dealing with.", and don't they just love issuing the orders...

[ChrisY1]

A 5 day holiday and a "please don't drink".......the 7/11s in Cha Am wont be able to keep up with demand for Hong Thong and Regency.....!

[JAG]

7 minutes ago, natway09 said:

Having just  read that alcohol sales not banned the Commissioner of Lumpini just said all bars to close 

25,26, 27 th. (except the ones that I allow to open ) for monetary reasons.

You are right, the left foot has no idea what the right foot is doing

There will now probably be a nationwide "I'm sadder than you" contest amongst those with the authority t tell everyone what they can and can't do...

[ronrat]

For the last few days and in the next couple evry time I go to Tesco Lots etc I buy a couple of beers and put them in the fridge. I have enough contingency stock unless the girl friends family lob and drink me dry. I might secrete a few large Singha bottles with the bloke across the sub soi. I trust a german more to safeguard beer than a Thai brother in law.

[DrTuner]

Judging from the Thai crowds at Jomthien yesterday half of Bangkok will head down to Sin City for a tipple during these holidays.

[uffe123]

If you are caught drinking, you be be sent for an attitude adjustment.

[metisdead]

An off topic post has been removed as well as the replies. 

[Golden Triangle]

Went to visit the GF's family a week or two ago when the last dry day occurred, end of Buddhist Lent I think, 5th October rings a bell, so didn't travel on the Thursday 5th and made the trip on the 6th, got settled in to the place we were staying at and then decided to pop into 7/11 to get a couple of cans for later only to be told that no cannot sell, the day after ? 

 

Drove around the corner and found a Tesco Express, bought 4 small cans no problem, it seems that 7/11 have their own rules on this sort of thing. 

[observer90210]

Why let all the fuss work one up?.....plainly stock enough of your favorite booze, mixers and whatever, to last a few weeks and problem is solved !???