Plan to ban alcohol on Thai New Year

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Plan to ban alcohol on Thai New Year

By The Nation

 

 

No alcoholic beverages will be sold on April 13, the traditional Thai New Year, if the Alcohol Control Committee’s (ACC) proposal is approved.

 

The ACC passed a resolution to ban the sale of alcoholic drinks on the national holiday, but it will have to get the green light from the Alcohol Policy Committee before it takes effect.

 

“We will present it to the Alcohol Policy Committee next month,” said ACC deputy chair Dr Sukhum Karnchanapimai, who is also the permanent secretary for Public Health, after the meeting. 

 

He said the ACC passed a resolution because statistics show road casualties are highest on this day every year. 

 

April 13 marks the traditional Thai New Year and is a part of long Songkran holidays when millions of people hit the roads for home-province visits or vacations. Revellers often celebrated Songkran with alcohol. 

 

In Thailand, drunk driving is a major cause of road accidents.

 

“Records show between 50 and 60 per cent of adults get behind the wheel even after drinking. The percentage is even higher among those aged younger than 20 years,” Sukhum said. 

 

He said the ACC had pushed for the alcohol-sale ban to prevent people from the danger of drunk driving. 

 

“Even if we don’t drink drive, there is risk of accidents if others drink drive,” he said. 

 

He said the ban on the sale of alcohol during five important religious holidays proves effective in reducing road accidents. These days are Makha Bucha Day, Visakha Bucha Day, Asharnha Bucha Day, the Buddhist Lent Day, and the End of Buddhist Lent Day.

 

“The latest resolution … applies to April 13, 2019 only. But if evaluation shows good results, we will propose the ban on alcoholic sale on April 13 of every year,” Sukhum said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30364207

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-02-15

 

 

[Denim]

So...........huge sales on the 11th and 12th and everyone hung over on the 13th.

 

Way to go.

[darksidedog]

A smarter move would be to ban alchohol sales across the country, on the days in which water is being thrown about, as its the combination that is responsible for so any deaths. That would mean no alchohol in Pattaya for about ten days of course.

It is shocking to read that 50-60% of adults drink drive readily, so targeting that long term would probably be a fairly good place to start on stopping accidents all year round.

[scorecard]

8 minutes ago, peter14 said:

Guys.. cancel all ticket to Thailand... it becoming  Singapore state

 Reality is that Thailand would do well to be a bit closer to the Singapore model in terms of respect for the law.

[emptypockets]

This thread should run for 30 pages once the alkies see it.

[Tilacme]

This is precisely why a beer fridge is an essential.

[trainman34014]

Won't work, nothing works because Thai's ignore all rules and Police don't enforce laws; end of !

[Samuel Smith]

14 minutes ago, Denim said:

So...........huge sales on the 11th and 12th and everyone hung over on the 13th.

 

Way to go.

Can Thais plan that far ahead?

[stanleycoin]

Just now, Samuel Smith said:

Can Thais plan that far ahead?

No

[Moti24]

Banning alcohol and banning the sale of alcohol are 2 different things.  If the ACC thinks it's going to make a difference, then somebody in ACC has seriously lost the plot.

 

18 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

He said the ACC passed a resolution because statistics show road casualties are highest on this day every year. 

Bunch of idiots!  Casualties are high on every ****in day of the year!  What they need to ban is the Songkran water festival, and make everybody go to the temple on the 13th to pay respect to their elders, instead of touring the roads and causing mayhem to the law-abiding citizens; I'm sure there must be some law-abiding citizens somewhere.

[RotBenz8888]

29 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

But if evaluation shows good results, we will propose the ban on alcoholic sale on April 13 of every year,” Sukhum said.

And if the road deaths are unchanged, we scrap the ban, and people can get on with their drunk driving as usual.

[KhaoYai]

Watch this space......... they've gone just about as far as they can get away with on smoking - drinking is next. Same in the UK - you'll all be going to church on Sundays again soon ????.

[ThomasThBKK]

I hope this comes into effect. 

A perfect way none of the youth will vote for the current guys in the election... 

 

Tourists will for sure love it, coming here to see songkran and not beeing able to get a drink. 

 

Must be a TAT approved plan. 

[Sir Charles]

Quote

 

Just one day, why not one week especially in Pattaya? 

[from the home of CC]

57 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

A smarter move would be to ban alchohol sales across the country, on the days in which water is being thrown about, as its the combination that is responsible for so any deaths. That would mean no alchohol in Pattaya for about ten days of course.

It is shocking to read that 50-60% of adults drink drive readily, so targeting that long term would probably be a fairly good place to start on stopping accidents all year round.

and a mandatory jail sentence for first offence..

[AGareth2]

this will decimate the party that proposes it

what a vote loser

[johng]

Watch this space......... they've gone just about as far as they can get away with on smoking - drinking is next. Same in the UK - you'll all be going to church on Sundays again soon [emoji3].

Soon the "faties" then maybe the internal combustion engine drivers and possibly those who wear the wrong clothes or vote for the wrong party.

[Spidey]

4 minutes ago, Sir Charles said:

Just one day, why not one week especially in Pattaya? 

Because Songkran is a second high season to Pattaya. A lot of farang tourists come specifically for the Songkran party atmosphere. No booze, no tourists. Would hit bars and hotels heavily. Even a one day ban will have an effect.

[LucysDad]

12 minutes ago, Spidey said:

Because Songkran is a second high season to Pattaya. A lot of farang tourists come specifically for the Songkran party atmosphere. No booze, no tourists. Would hit bars and hotels heavily. Even a one day ban will have an effect.

 

 

That is true....... but at least Pattaya has 6 more days of Songkran in which to recover.

[Spidey]

1 minute ago, LucysDad said:

 

 

That is true....... but at least Pattaya has 6 more days of Songkran in which to recover.

The poster that I was replying to was suggesting no alcohol for a week in Pattaya.

[CanuckThai]

Ahhh yes.  Condoms are next....to curb prostitution and casual sex.  You know, because banning condoms will help in the prevention of unwanted pregnancy and STD's..............????

[LucysDad]

1 minute ago, Spidey said:

The poster that I was replying to was suggesting no alcohol for a week in Pattaya.

 

 

Yes... THAT would be a distater - but I was replying to YOUR comment about 1 day having 'an effect'.

[Spidey]

Just now, CanuckThai said:

Ahhh yes.  Condoms are next....to curb prostitution and casual sex.  You know, because banning condoms will help in the prevention of unwanted pregnancy and STD's..............????

I wouldn't know. I'm a baptised Catholic and banned from using them.

[Rally123]

Anyone with a brain will buy a box o'beer, or 3, before the cut off date. Are they completely dumb? Not that it matters anyhow as some outlet won't abide by the rules.

[roo860]

Watch this space......... they've gone just about as far as they can get away with on smoking - drinking is next. Same in the UK - you'll all be going to church on Sundays again soon [emoji3].

What's happened in the UK besides smoking ban?

Sent from my SM-G920F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[3MagicBeers]

Instead of banning alcohol outright, why can't the BiB do their job and have a heavy concerted effort nationwide on Songkran to check, stop and ban drunk drivers? 

[Spidey]

14 minutes ago, 3MagicBeers said:

Instead of banning alcohol outright, why can't the BiB do their job and have a heavy concerted effort nationwide on Songkran to check, stop and ban drunk drivers? 

I always have a drink before I drive. I wouldn't want to be involved in a serious accident if I was stone cold sober. Alcohol numbs the pain.

[Spidey]

22 minutes ago, roo860 said:

What's happened in the UK besides smoking ban?

Sent from my SM-G920F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Bars can get 24 hour drinking licences now. The reason I left. I was permanently pissed.

[roo860]

Yeah, I didnt understand what the poster meant about the UK, perhaps he's pissed.

Bars can get 24 hour drinking licences now. The reason I left. I was permanently pissed.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[overherebc]

1 hour ago, KhaoYai said:

Watch this space......... they've gone just about as far as they can get away with on smoking - drinking is next. Same in the UK - you'll all be going to church on Sundays again soon ????.

????????

Well at least in some cases you'll get a wee sip of wine.

????????