We were out shopping in the Siam Square area yesterday and dropped into Hard Rock for some lunch and a cold beer, it was very warm.

 

As we sat down, it was 14.05, the lady who showed us to our table told us that they weren't able to serve any alcohol.

 

She later told us that local establishments in the area had been called into a meeting with the police and local officials and were advised that the laws forbidding sales of alcohol near a school between the hours of 14.00 and 17.00 were going to be strictly enforced, even when the schools weren't open, like yesterday.

 

She added that the local business owners had tried to persued the officials how stupid the rules were, citing yesterdays example that alcohol could not be served for three hours near a closed school and that on days that the school was open they couldn't serve alcohol to tourists when the kids were at school but as soon as the kids came out of school it was happy hour, she added that they wouldn't and couldn't sell alcohol to kids anyway.

 

She said that trying to reason with the local officials was pretty useless.

 

Oh, how I enjoyed my Coke Zero. 

i think you should go for ionized water, there is no anti oxidant like it,

best thing since fountain of youth

Does anywhere else in the world have similar licensing regulations.?

10 hours ago, rott said:

Does anywhere else in the world have similar licensing regulations.?

Pubs in the UK did, for most of the 20th century. 

29 minutes ago, lamyai3 said:

Pubs in the UK did, for most of the 20th century. 

And for similarly stupid and convoluted use of illogical thought processes.  

On 3/4/2018 at 10:06 AM, poanoi said:

i think you should go for ionized water, there is no anti oxidant like it,

best thing since fountain of youth

 

Water is usually ionized by using a UV lamp.  In less than a second after you cause ionization in water any ions produced react to produce ozone, which is a extremely poisonous oxidant.  This poisonous ozone kills bacteria just like chlorine but doesn't leave any residue.  Any remaining ozone quickly breaks down so by the time the bottle of water reaches the consumer it contains - only water plus a small amount of dissolved air.

 

Please try pulling my other leg with another fake science notion like homeopathy.

No alcohol would indeed make a tourturous visit to the Hard Rock  very difficult, my sympathies to the OP.

12 minutes ago, HarrySeaman said:

 

Water is usually ionized by using a UV lamp.  In less than a second after you cause ionization in water any ions produced react to produce ozone, which is a extremely poisonous oxidant.  This poisonous ozone kills bacteria just like chlorine but doesn't leave any residue.  Any remaining ozone quickly breaks down so by the time the bottle of water reaches the consumer it contains - only water plus a small amount of dissolved air.

 

Please try pulling my other leg with another fake science notion like homeopathy.

internet is stuffed with sites that support the theory that ionized water works as an

anti oxidant. do you have any source at all that support the opposite ?

11 hours ago, rott said:

Does anywhere else in the world have similar licensing regulations.?

Nope, every other Country in the world gives out free beer 24/7 , its just Thailand where you have to pay for beer and theres also a restricted time 

On 04/03/2018 at 9:20 AM, thonglorjimmy said:

that the laws forbidding sales of alcohol near a school between the hours of 14.00 and 17.00 were going to be strictly enforced, even when the schools weren't open, like yesterday.

 

As far as I'm aware near schools, even outside these hours alcohol can not be served, and the rest of the country no alcohol between 2pm and 5pm

Fuji restaurant's have been doing this regardless of proximity to schools for as long as I can remember

On 3/4/2018 at 9:20 AM, thonglorjimmy said:

She added that the local business owners had tried to persued the officials how stupid the rules were, citing yesterdays example that alcohol could not be served for three hours near a closed school and that on days that the school was open they couldn't serve alcohol to tourists when the kids were at school but as soon as the kids came out of school it was happy hour, she added that they wouldn't and couldn't sell alcohol to kids anyway.

She said that trying to reason with the local officials was pretty useless.

 

Although that does seem like a logical argument , but in the bigger picture, the alcohol restrictions are not in force JUST to stop school kids drinking , its to stop everyone else from drinking (the adults)

2 hours ago, The Deerhunter said:

And for similarly stupid and convoluted use of illogical thought processes.  

Not selling alcohol between 2 and 5 was introduced during, I think, WW2 to prevent those making ammunitions from getting drunk. Finally repealed at about the same time that Thailand introduced the same rule but for no reason at all.

It really is like living in a lunatic asylum here. Schools shut but can't sell anyway, and you can't buy a beer on a hot day in a tropical country.

On 04/03/2018 at 10:06 AM, poanoi said:

i think you should go for ionized water, there is no anti oxidant like it,

best thing since fountain of youth

My favourite lunchtime restaurant substitute for beer is a bottle of soda with a few slices of lime. Soda, ice, fresh squeezed  lime is the most refreshing thirst quenching drink in Thailand especially when hot hot hot. Dont order it premixed as they add salt and sugar and charge twice the price.

1 minute ago, SunsetT said:

My favourite lunchtime restaurant substitute for beer is a bottle of soda with a few slices of lime. Soda, ice, fresh squeezed  lime is the most refreshing thirst quenching drink in Thailand especially when hot hot hot. Dont order it premixed as they add salt and sugar and charge twice the price.

agreed, i typically ask for some slices of manao when i have my fried rice,

which i squeeze into the glass.

thais for some reason like to add sugar & salt to the lemon water

The key phrase of the law is - cannot SELL alcohol between 2-5 in the afternoon. Do what the Thais do, e.g. at Big C food hall where beer is served, order as much as you want to last you for the afternoon, e.g. tall towers, and pay for it before 2pm. Same for restaurants that keep to the rules. 

 

One here in Chiang Mai  - as we are regular customers - keeps our jugs (paid for before 2pm) in the fridge until we want them. 

 

Simple, really.

54 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Not selling alcohol between 2 and 5 was introduced during, I think, WW2 to prevent those making ammunitions from getting drunk. Finally repealed at about the same time that Thailand introduced the same rule but for no reason at all.

It really is like living in a lunatic asylum here. Schools shut but can't sell anyway, and you can't buy a beer on a hot day in a tropical country.

It was WW1, for the reason.you mentioned - not changed till 70 years later. The Church of England wasn't amused. 

 

Ironically, I recall restaurants were the exception in the UK. In Thailand it's the opposite way round - in pubs here you can usually buy alcohol for consumption on the premises all afternoon. This law was on the books since 1975 I think but largely ignored, until Thaksin's favourite puritan Purachai decided it was to be revived and enforced back in 2004.

4 hours ago, lamyai3 said:

Pubs in the UK did, for most of the 20th century. 

20th century America had numerous States that had alcohol related 'Blue Laws' that restricted alcohol sales at certain times of the day and often no sales on Sunday.  It's back to legislating morality.  Anyway, this isn't just Thailand.  Even the USA still have some counties that ban alcohol sales completely.  However, when government legislate prohibitions, be it alcohol or drugs, they also create niche markets and black markets that are backfilled by cartels who are more than happy to make money from the restrictive laws, and then makes criminals out of normal citizens who don't wish to have prohibition force upon them. 
Out in rural Thailand, few shop owners give a rip about the 1400 to 1700 time period.  They start severing as soon as the locals get off work. 

47 minutes ago, lamyai3 said:

In Thailand it's the opposite way round - in pubs here you can usually buy alcohol for consumption on the premises all afternoon.

Not legally though

24 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Not legally though

The law concerns the Retail Business Act. Bar licenses supersede some of the conditions in this act, allowing them to serve on site without having to observe the afternoon closing rules that affect stores.

 

15 hours ago, rott said:

Does anywhere else in the world have similar licensing regulations.?

SaudiSiam.

No problems with such stupidity up here in the bush.

Alcohol served all day, every day except in Tesco, Big C etc. 

1 hour ago, Andycoops said:

No problems with such stupidity up here in the bush.

Alcohol served all day, every day except in Tesco, Big C etc. 

Unless you buy over a certain volume.  2 cartons of beer is OK to buy.  One carton is not. 

I found this out a couple if years ago when they wouldn't sell me a carton.  The Thai bloke behind me put his on top if mine,  I paid for both and he paid me for his after the checkout. 

18 hours ago, rott said:

Does anywhere else in the world have similar licensing regulations.?

SAUDIA

6 hours ago, HarrySeaman said:

Please try pulling my other leg with another fake science notion like homeopathy.

 

Mathematics tells us that the concentration in homeopathic concoctions is too low to possibly do any good, but more recent science is indicating that water molecules have a memory and can be different after going through a process, even after that process no longer exists.

 

I don't come down on one side or the other.  But to dismiss centuries of experience before we really understand what's going on is a little arrogant.  Even if it's just the placebo effect, which has been proven effective.

 

46 minutes ago, tryasimight said:

Unless you buy over a certain volume.  2 cartons of beer is OK to buy.  One carton is not. 

I found this out a couple if years ago when they wouldn't sell me a carton.  The Thai bloke behind me put his on top if mine,  I paid for both and he paid me for his after the checkout. 

 

I believe they changed that. But any shop apart from the big names/chains will sell you what you want in unlimited quantities at any time. Thais ignore laws that make no sense. The problem is that it leads them to have no respect for any laws, especially when they aren't enforced anyway.

I walk the dog between 2.30 and 5.00 and there are many small mom and pops shops that are happy to sell me a can for 40 baht to keep away the heat. They see me coming now and have one ready. When I had Tukkys left over puppy (since given to a mates girlfriend) I would swing by twice because the 2 together was like herding cats.

 

The italian restauranats in Australia used to get by those silly laws by saying "Here is a list of 'the wines and beers you left here last time sir" if they had a BYO licence.

7 hours ago, sanemax said:

Nope, every other Country in the world gives out free beer 24/7 , its just Thailand where you have to pay for beer and theres also a restricted time 

I suppose you have plenty of hair around you to help you talk like that.

Why between the hours of 2 and 5 ?

 

1 hour ago, rott said:

I suppose you have plenty of hair around you to help you talk like that.

What do you mean by that ?