Songkran may escape booze ban - but it's jail for those that sell on election weekends

[webfact]

Songkran may escape booze ban - but it's jail for those that sell on election weekends

 

Picture: Manager

 

A leading public health official promoting a ban on alcohol sales on the main day of  the Songkran celebration has suggested that the ban may not be in place this year.

 

It may have to wait until next year. 

 

But he has reiterated that jail terms and fines await anyone selling alcohol for two twenty four hour periods on the weekend prior to the general election and on the election weekend itself later this month. 

 

Dr Khajornsak Kaewjarat told Manager that plans to ban alcohol sales on April 13th this year will go before a ministerial committee on March 15th for a decision. 

 

But he suggested even if the committee decides it is a good idea implementation for this year may be impossible due to lack of preparation time. He hopes the ban will be in place for next year, April 13th 2020, however. 

 

Dr Khajornsak fielded a question from Manager about the economic impact of having an alcohol ban at Songkran by saying that the traditional Thai New Year celebration is a seven day affair, not just a one day event. 

 

He said that the 13th should be set aside for families to make merit, a traditional aspect of Songkran. 

 

He said that the 13th has accident statistics that are "four times worse" than the 11th or 12th of April. 

 

Manager gave no figures to back up this assertion, notes Thaivisa. 

 

But Thaivisa research shows that while Dr Khajornsak's claims have some basis in reality his "four times worse" comment is not true. 

 

According to figures from the Road Safety Directing Center for 2017 the number of accidents on the roads at Songkran for 11th, 12th and 13th April was 408,586 and 747 respectively with 40, 55 and 88 deaths. 

 

In 2018 according to the same source there were 447,578, and 819 accidents with 48,72 and 90 fatalities on those three days. 

 

Dr Khajornsak further dismissed the idea that alcohol bans create economic trouble saying this is of secondary importance to public health and besides Songkran is a long holiday. 

 

He stressed that alcohol bans would be in place for the weekend after next and the election weekend and that people contravening the sales ban would be liable to a six month jail term or 10,000 baht fine or both. 

 

No alcohol can be sold from 6 pm on the 16th to 6 pm on the 17th of March. Sunday 17th is a pre-voting opportunity for those voting outside of their home province.

 

The actual election day is March 24th. A further booze ban will be in place from 6pm on the 23rd to 6pm on the 24th. 

 

Source: Manager

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-03-08

[malagateddy]

Stock up troops[emoji6]
What's the problem?

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[rkidlad]

If you think people aren’t going to drink at Song Kran because you ban it, you’re a ******* idiot. People will still get booze, many will still drive drunk and there will still be many injuries and fatalities. 

 

If you want people to be afraid of drink driving, punish the ones who do it accordingly. Ban, fine, prison sentences, etc. Until then, you’re just wasting time and inconveniencing normal people wanting to enjoy themselves, because the very people who should be doing their jobs are too feckless to do so. 

[RotBenz8888]

 

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

It may have to wait until next year. 

And we'll wait until next year to enforce the laws on the roads.

[JAG]

There you are - not all zealots have beards and black turbans...

 

And before the "can't you manage for a day without a drink brigade" chime in; I am not particularly bothered by bans on selling drink on Buddhist feast days, or polling days, but I am annoyed by swivel eyed zealots preaching that I should be going to a temple and making merit on days which he deems to be reserved for that. If I ( or my wife) want to go to a temple and make merit that is our business, I will even go with her to support her, although I am not of that faith. If we choose to have a drink because it is Songkran, that too is my business. If I drink and drive that is the business of the police and courts, and there is no excuse. It's neither his, nor his foundation's bl**dy business!

 

Grrr. This end of term exam marking and gradings makes me bl**dy irritable!????

[holy cow cm]

This guy is sure pushing on things. Perfect match as a NLA member.

Edited March 8, 2019 by holy cow cm

[Misterwhisper]

I never understood the reasoning why an election weekend has to be dry. Wouldn't it be better if people went to the balloting stations stone drunk so at least they would have an excuse later why they voted for the same corrupt swine as previously? As for me (and since I can't vote; nor would want to given the choices there are), I am going to spend the entire weekend draining my beer stocks -- and will enjoy every single minute of it.

[jvs]

The small shops  will still sell booze,they always have whenever there was a ban.

You are not allowed to sell but are allowed to drink,someone did not really think enough.

 

Edited March 8, 2019 by jvs

[holy cow cm]

13 minutes ago, Misterwhisper said:

I never understood the reasoning why an election weekend has to be dry. Wouldn't it be better if people went to the balloting stations stone drunk so at least they would have an excuse later why they voted for the same corrupt swine as previously? As for me (and since I can't vote; nor would want to given the choices there are), I am going to spend the entire weekend draining my beer stocks -- and will enjoy every single minute of it.

When they do the annual pick black or red for the military conscripts here in CM, all the kids are drinking in groups outside getting drunk. So odd and understandable to see. Funny, that you will even see kids in different groups ( gangs) all getting along s well on these 2 days. Don't figure!

 

Would gather it is the same in most other areas?

[Thechook]

Why the weekend before the election?  You can still have a glass or 2 on Monday to Friday leading up to the election weekend but not 7 days before

[dcnx]

The local mom and pop next to where I live will not only sell booze, but there will be several police hanging out there drinking in uniform. It’s that way every holy holiday and booze ban. 

Edited March 8, 2019 by dcnx

[Dodgydownunder]

One of the many stupid laws in Thailand.....on a par with the red number plate restrictions for new cars.

[ChipButty]

He sounds like he'd be the life and soul of the party cant see any Thai taking notice of banning drink on Songkran

[HLover]

7 hours ago, malagateddy said:

Stock up troops
What's the problem?

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

The problem is: pre-planning and business sense are two alien topics.

[ChipButty]

Fire up the BBQ

[essox essox]

7 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

 

And we'll wait until next year to enforce the laws on the roads.

this will never happen here........

[bdenner]

1 hour ago, Thechook said:

Why the weekend before the election?  You can still have a glass or 2 on Monday to Friday leading up to the election weekend but not 7 days before

A large number of absentee votes are cast a week prior to the main election date.

[lordblackader]

Quote

 

Dr Khajornsak fielded a question from Manager about the economic impact of having an alcohol ban at Songkran by saying that the traditional Thai New Year celebration is a seven day affair, not just a one day event. 

 

He said that the 13th should be set aside for families to make merit, a traditional aspect of Songkran.

 

 

 

38 million tourists in Thailand a year, possibly over 40 million this year.

 

**** them, right ????

 

Muslim countries like Malaysia have less alcohol restrictions than Thailand. Speaks volumes as to how Thailand is slowly turning into a nanny state. 

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, Dodgydownunder said:

One of the many stupid laws in Thailand.....on a par with the red number plate restrictions for new cars.

and so on.

[johng]

Fire up the BBQ

Put another shrimp on the barbie...and get some more beer in [emoji481]

[SweetStickyRice]

I was in the Philippines a few years ago when something important was going on (don't remember exactly what), and there was an alcohol ban. When I asked why the booze section in a shop wasn't closed off I was told that only foreigners were allowed to buy and drink on that day, no Filipinos. Something for Thailand to learn and consider. 

[hotchilli]

Hammer the hell out of the people that drink & drive, but allow the sensible ones who don't to enjoy their holidays as normal human beings!

[nong38]

What sort of people have got into the position of being able to come up such ridiculous ideas as this, its like Monty Python is running the place! Do they ever wonder what other countries think about them behind their backs?

I do hope that official or unofficial observers of the World's greatest ever General Erection have already had their pencils and notepads out.

[sjaak327]

These kind of people should grow a brain. Nobody likes party poopers and people that try to shove some kind of nanny state through other people's throat. 

 

There is absolutely no reason to ban sale of alcohol on any day, it just doesn't make any sense. Neither does the ban on sale of alcohol during certain hours. 

 

An ban on alcohol on Songkran, for crying out loud, that is just sheer madness. 

[Denim]

17 minutes ago, sjaak327 said:

These kind of people should grow a brain. Nobody likes party poopers and people that try to shove some kind of nanny state through other people's throat. 

 

There is absolutely no reason to ban sale of alcohol on any day, it just doesn't make any sense. Neither does the ban on sale of alcohol during certain hours. 

 

An ban on alcohol on Songkran, for crying out loud, that is just sheer madness. 

Not so much a nanny state as a godfather one.