Government campaigns for alcohol break during Buddhist Lent

 

FILE photo

 

BANGKOK, 3rd July 2018 (NNT) – The government has called on people to refrain from drinking alcohol during the three-month Buddhist Lent. 

Before the cabinet meeting started on Tuesday (July 3rd) at Government House, Bangkok, the Deputy Prime Minister, Gen. Chatchai Sarikulya, the Public Health Minister, Dr. Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn, the Director-General of the Department of Disease Control, Dr. Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai, and the Manager of ThaiHealth, Dr. Supreeda Adulyanon, led a team of staff to meet the Prime Minister, Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha, to present a campaign to promote alcohol abstinence during the Buddhist Lent this year. 

Dr. Piyasakol said a cabinet resolution in 2008 made Buddhist Lent Day a national no-alcohol day. He said alcohol abstinence is considered a worthy act, as it keeps people in good health and complies with the Buddhist principle. 

The Prime Minister urged members of the public to join this alcohol-free campaign throughout the Buddhist Lent period.

 

-- nnt 2018-07-04

Johnnie Walker Black to be locked away in the Officers Mess for three months then?

3 minutes ago, JAG said:

Johnnie Walker Black to be locked away in the Officers Mess for three months then?

Johnnie Walker Black should be locked away and forgotten about.

"...refrain from drinking alcohol during the three-month..."

 

Thai men staying off the Lau Cao for 3 months? This guy needs to sober up. 

Edited July 4, 20188 yr by jaltsc

Not everyone drinks. Why not opt for compulsory fasting or a blanket ban on driving during songkran instead?

I think Chakchai has been drinking too much himself.

Wanting people t stop drinking for 3 months, hells teeth some of them cannot stop drinking for 3 hours, let alone 3 months.

My wife thinks this is another part of the web for southern Islam to try and repress/take over from Buddhism as the national religion. Something to do with certain high ranking government officials have Muslim wives.

Vietnam which is predominantly Buddhist doesn't use reasons like Lent to try to discourage alcohol consumption. They virtually have no restrictions and as a result people have a more liberal attitude toward alcohol.

This is government initiated nonsense using Buddhism as an excuse to try to impose their sanctimonious and moralistic attitudes on people. 

The government should instead use Lent to discourage bad monks from criminal practices and immoral behaviour.

7 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

My wife thinks this is another part of the web for southern Islam to try and repress/take over from Buddhism as the national religion. Something to do with certain high ranking government officials have Muslim wives.

It's a bit early to be this drunk, isn't it? ?

Yeah, I can really see the majority of drinkers buying into this.

 

Why don't they concentrate on the real issues?

3 minutes ago, chippendale said:

It's a bit early to be this drunk, isn't it? ?

Might have to as you don't have to listen to it every other day. 

 

By the way you do know what a Strawman is don't you?

Edited July 4, 20188 yr by VocalNeal

6 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

Might have to as you don't have to listen to it every other day. 

 

By the way you do know what a Strawman is don't you?

Of course I do, as you have just used a strawman argument. It goes down well with your morning whisky.

the new '' Not Happy Hour''

Sorry, but when the number 2 in this country rocks around wearing million baht watches, which on paper he couldn't ever afford, yet they are blantently his, this 'government' has no right to tell anyone about what's right and wrong.

 

Refrain from corruption for a day. How about that?

29 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

Vietnam which is predominantly Buddhist doesn't use reasons like Lent to try to discourage alcohol consumption. They virtually have no restrictions and as a result people have a more liberal attitude toward alcohol.

This is government initiated nonsense using Buddhism as an excuse to try to impose their sanctimonious and moralistic attitudes on people. 

The government should instead use Lent to discourage bad monks from criminal practices and immoral behaviour.

Vietnam strictly enforces their laws, and there is no tea money. Get caught driving drunk. Lose your vehicle for an extended period and pay a hefty fine. The main reason you see everyone who rides a motor bike wearing a helmet is that they get fined 10 times the amount of the helmet if they are caught without one.  It has nothing to do with morals. It's about safety, and it appears that Vietnam values the lives of its citizens more than Thailand values Thai lives. 

4 minutes ago, jaltsc said:

Vietnam strictly enforces their laws, and there is no tea money. Get caught driving drunk. Lose your vehicle for an extended period and pay a hefty fine. The main reason you see everyone who rides a motor bike wearing a helmet is that they get fined 10 times the amount of the helmet if they are caught without one.  It has nothing to do with morals. It's about safety, and it appears that Vietnam values the lives of its citizens more than Thailand values Thai lives. 

Sidetrack if you choose. I wasn't referring to drunk driving or helmets or fines; that is a separate issue. Please try harder to keep on subject or if you prefer open a new topic on road safety comparisons between the two countries.

I was referring to alcohol availability in both countries and Thailand using Buddhist Lent as an excuse to get people to minimise their intake. Just as the headline said:

   "Government campaigns for alcohol break during Buddhist Lent" 

 

Edited July 4, 20188 yr by Cadbury

7 minutes ago, jaltsc said:

Vietnam strictly enforces their laws, and there is no tea money. Get caught driving drunk. Lose your vehicle for an extended period and pay a hefty fine. The main reason you see everyone who rides a motor bike wearing a helmet is that they get fined 10 times the amount of the helmet if they are caught without one.  It has nothing to do with morals. It's about safety, and it appears that Vietnam values the lives of its citizens more than Thailand values Thai lives. 

Good post. The problem in Thailand is that there is neither carrot nor stick when it comes to law enforcement. Hence the level of  corruption, road carnage and the rest.

So if a law is introduced to prohibit the sale of alcohol during lent, production of a document showing you are not buddhist will be enough to allow alcohol purchase then?

And then I woke up...

 

Definition:  "Thai law" - a recommendation only, easily circumvented by a one-off payment.

 

51 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

My wife thinks this is another part of the web for southern Islam to try and repress/take over from Buddhism as the national religion. Something to do with certain high ranking government officials have Muslim wives.

This would be the last place in the world to fall to ANY ideology other than the status quo. 

Having said that,  there's no shortage of religious diehards worldwide wanting to impose their rules on the rest of us.  In most cases, those rules are warped interpretations of what their religion itself has to say on the subject.

This government 'request' seems to fit that bill.

Religion is part spiritual succour, part social control that predates modern concepts of police and justice. 

All in all it's just a 'nother brick in the wall. 

1 hour ago, VocalNeal said:

My wife thinks this is another part of the web for southern Islam to try and repress/take over from Buddhism as the national religion. Something to do with certain high ranking government officials have Muslim wives.

And the really unlucky ones have three or four Muslim wives...

 

3 minutes ago, MrJohnson said:

Good post. The problem in Thailand is that there is neither carrot nor stick when it comes to law enforcement. Hence the level of  corruption, road carnage and the rest.

Yes it is a good post and an almost factual one at that. Except it has nothing to do with the subject of using Buddhist Lent to try to prohibit sales of alcohol.

Like I suggested earlier perhaps you could open a new topic on comparisons of road safety policies and practices of the two countries. That might be a worthwhile expose of the shortcomings of the Thai government.

58 minutes ago, BobbyL said:

Yeah, I can really see the majority of drinkers buying into this.

 

Why don't they concentrate on the real issues?

This is the whole point. The 'real issues' are those that buttress the power play ponzi scheme that keeps everyone in their place. The central tenent of Bhuddist thought is that those at the apex deserve to be there. And one must otherwise accept their lot. The rest is just western thought pollution. 

With the current unlikeable P figures and regime in charge of Thailand, doesn't surprise me that yet another complete boot licking suggestion comes out of the woodwork. Wouldn't they figure the peoples tolerance is way higher of them with alcohol opposed to without? Oh that's right, it doesn't matter because they don't care about what people think, only care about them and their upper echelon cronies. 

4 hours ago, evadgib said:

Not everyone drinks. Why not opt for compulsory fasting or a blanket ban on driving during songkran instead?

I think rather than an outright ban (not good for business), instead make extra harsh penalties for drink driving/riding.  Boost taxi business, keep shops alive.  Maybe even earn credits against compulsory service in military for showing social responsibility and restraint(?).  I'm sure there are 100's of better incentives than those off the top of my head, but why not have a competition in schools and universities?  I'm sure those who have lost someone would have a lot to contribute.

Every morning when i ride my bike i see four Thai blokes sitting outside a small eating/drinking place all with bottles of Chang and Leo at 8am. They are there every day of the year through all the drinking 'bans' that occur as the year passes.   I would put a considerable bet on them being there throughout a three month 'alcohol break' or any other dumb idea the Junta has !

3 months!?

Can I have 100 Baht worth of what they are taking?

That will sure knock me our for 3 months!

Idiots!

I call for alcohol breaks in the morning and afternoon at the office to replace tea breaks and to raise staff morale. 

Ina separate news item booze is also to be banned next Ramadan!!

8 hours ago, chippendale said:

Of course I do, as you have just used a strawman argument. It goes down well with your morning whisky.

Is that early ,early or just early morning?

Yes alcohol breaks during any religious insanity is a good idea, I propose gin tonics every day 5 PM.