Thai provinces ban alcohol sales ahead of New Year to curb coronavirus spread

[sandyf]

1 hour ago, Baerboxer said:

Suggesting alcohol brings on depression is a nonsense generalization.

It is a left over from historical alcohol related problems going back centuries. "Mothers Ruin" and depression have always been interrelated.

 

In 1720, the mutiny act was passed which stated that anyone who was distilling alcohol wouldn’t have to house soldiers in their home. These factors massively encouraged local gin production, so much so that in 1730 the number of gin shops in London exceeded 7000 which was one in every three public houses. By 1733, the average person was drinking 14 gallons of gin per annum, approx. 1.3 litres of gin per week. 1 in 3 structures in London produced or sold gin. At approximately 160 proof, this gin was highly intoxicating, not only was it strong but it wasn’t being sipped like a gin and tonic, in some cases it was being drank in vast quantities some were drinking around half a litre per day.

The gin obsession was blamed for misery, rising crime, madness, higher death rates and falling birth rates. Gin joints allowed women to drink alongside men for the first time and it is thought this led many women neglecting their children and turning to prostitution, hence gin becoming known as ‘Mother’s ruin’.

https://www.spiritofharrogate.co.uk/news/why-was-gin-nicknamed-mothers-ruin/

[cycolista]

8 hours ago, Chang_paarp said:

Can anyone offer a scientific reason for this decision?  I am struggling to understand the logic behind these bans. I know the "being seen to do something" reaction, but this does seem to be a little beyond the usual level of incomprehensible.

When people drink they drink in groups, therefore social distancing goes out the window. 

[bluesea]

There is no lodgic as to why small mum & Pop shops and business are really feeling the brunt of this Virus but look on the bright side at least many lives will be saved over the Songkran buy drunk drivers and stupidity.

[XB12X]

8 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

It is simply to try and stop parties and social gatherings over the Songkran period in order to help stem the spread of the virus. Nothing more and nothing less. Every other opinion is just based purely on lame conspiracy theories. 

You beat me to it. It amazes me that people on here can't see it, it's so blindingly obvious.

[Ireland32]

Good Release The Ganja , Keri everyone home  and Baked 

[Ireland32]

13 minutes ago, cycolista said:

When people drink they drink in groups, therefore social distancing goes out the window. 

And not Cautious with decisions and more domestic problems for Police 

[hotchilli]

9 hours ago, rooster59 said:

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Most of Thailand's provinces have banned sales of alcoholic beverages, heeding a central government call to discourage festive celebrations for the Thai New Year as the country seeks to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

So with the warning everyone goes out to stock up.... effectively achieving nothing, except empty shelves!

[dode57k]

8 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

It is simply to try and stop parties and social gatherings over the Songkran period in order to help stem the spread of the virus. Nothing more and nothing less. Every other opinion is just based purely on lame conspiracy theories. 

Of course this is the reasoning. It might not stamp ALL gatherings out but so simple to understand. ????

[Almer]

8 hours ago, Artisi said:

Scientific reason and logic should never be used in the same paragraph or even the same article where discussing anything Thai. 

How about to restrict movement, like when going out to by booze and with people finding money very tight spend what you have on food for the family

[cyril sneer]

rumours going round that the ban will be extended until June 1st

[Bangkok Barry]

8 hours ago, bangkokfrog said:

Tired of this old chestnut. Thailand has a number of alcohol free (banned) days every year, yet those of us who have been here a while (and especially those who have a basic command of the language) never have a problem in obtaining from our local mum & dad shops. Add to this the ready availability of Lao Khao for those prepared to disintegrate their liver, and few Thais outside the capital are likely to be affected.

Usually the case for sure. But none of my local mum & dad shops are selling this time.

[Bangkok Barry]

4 hours ago, sahibji said:

i really fail to see the possible efficacy of this decision. it would be better to let people relax and enjoy their drink. in any case those we really need to drink would have done forward purchases to cover this period of ban. so either way i do not see the ban working.

In my province, Kalasin, they sprang it upon us in the early morning village loudspeaker broadcast. Effective immediately. Fortunately my wife was tipped off the evening before by a friend in a LINE message and I sent her off to the local shop to get supplies in.

[chrissables]

9 hours ago, Chang_paarp said:

Can anyone offer a scientific reason for this decision?  I am struggling to understand the logic behind these bans. I know the "being seen to do something" reaction, but this does seem to be a little beyond the usual level of incomprehensible.

No.

 

The governments logic that people gather in groups to drink is flawed, ban group gathering. But that is too hard for them, so the easy option is ban alcohol.

 

Iv'e heard that that are banning somtam too as groups of Thai people gather together to sit on the dirty floor and share plates of it, with the nice healthy benefit of smashed up crabs, freshly plucked out from the buffalo <deleted> infested paddy fields.

 

Good job!

[OneeyedJohn]

Today is Sunday, I always start drinking early on Sunday in celebration of the old drinking hours in UK pubs on a Sunday - 12pm - 2pm.

We would normally squash at least 8 pints into those two hours.

 

In the 90's when I had a restaurant before they allowed all day drinking, the busiest period of the whole week was from 2pm Sunday til 7pm, because we could serve alcohol so long as you were eating hot food with a knife and fork.

[munchlet]

There are two reasons. 1. The Buddhist fundamentalist lobby who are killjoys. The military have to be seen to kowtow to them. 2. There is the thought that having alcohol around encourages boisterous behaviour and therefore destroys social distancing. However, it forgets that if you ban something, it immediately becomes MORE available than before. 

 

[Artisi]

27 minutes ago, chrissables said:

No.

 

The governments logic that people gather in groups to drink is flawed, ban group gathering. But that is too hard for them, so the easy option is ban alcohol.

 

Iv'e heard that that are banning somtam too as groups of Thai people gather together to sit on the dirty floor and share plates of it, with the nice healthy benefit of smashed up crabs, freshly plucked out from the buffalo <deleted> infested paddy fields.

 

Good job!

However, the excessive chemicals applied negates the effect of the buffalo <deleted> infected paddy fields - so all's good. 

[Artisi]

1 hour ago, cycolista said:

When people drink they drink in groups, therefore social distancing goes out the window. 

99%, of the time I drink during my evening meal with only 2 members of immediate family present - this is not that different than any other people I know. 

[AJR3RD]

So, you can go to the same store.  You can buy everything else.  But not alcohol.

 

If there is anybody out there who actually believes this is only going to last a week, or that it has anything whatsoever to do with mitigating the dangers of the COVID virus, by all means, give me a call. I have a wonderful old bridge in Brooklyn for sale at a bargain price.

 

I have been to more than 100 countries.  I have lived in a dozen of them.  I have SEEN with my own eyes how crises, natural and otherwise, lead to authoritarian dictatorship, military intervention and Marshal Law.  

 

BEWARE.

[SEtonal]

5 hours ago, loong said:

Would have been nice to have a full list of the provinces.

The linked list in the first post shows 30 but the article states 47.

So I don't know if the ban is in force in Khon Kaen or not.

Edit: If Khon Kaen is number 59, the ban is from 12 April to 17 April.

Edited April 12, 2020 by SEtonal

[DrJack54]

Thailand is no different in some ways to many western countries. From top level government down to state/provience, every level of gov needs to show that they are Pro active. 

Just on eg NZ (think first country) introduced 14 day isolation for any entry. Including own citizens. AU followed 2 day latter. Then border controls in MANY countries. Thailand is catch up country.

And now booze control. 

Laughing stock country.

[digger70]

11 hours ago, Chang_paarp said:

Scientific reason for this decision

None, Thai Logic.     

[KhunBENQ]

19 minutes ago, digger70 said:

None, Thai Logic.     

Last time I checked there was a handful of countries worldwide with such a measure. And seeming none justifies it with health reasons.

All about "possible violence", "gatherings" and so.

 

Vladimir will never try that

Edited April 12, 2020 by KhunBENQ

[SunsetT]

11 hours ago, Canuck1966 said:

It's your typical use a grenade to kill a cockroach junta approach

 

Remember they banned all alcohol on trains forever, when a crazed drug addled scumbag employee of the Thai rail network raped and killed a young girl.

Rather than address their incompetence for hiring such a nefarious POS they decided to ruin a lot of people's enjoyment permanently

I used to really enjoy the night trains, have a few beers and a bit of food, then drift off into the land of nod

 

I havent taken a train since!

[digger70]

10 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Last time I checked there was a handful of countries worldwide with such a measure. And seeming none justifies it with health reasons.

All about "possible violence", "gatherings" and so.

 

Vladimir will never try that

The possible violence will be Worse for the Alcos who can't get there (Fix)

[nicerounderereinnit]

12 hours ago, Chang_paarp said:

Can anyone offer a scientific reason for this decision?  I am struggling to understand the logic behind these bans. I know the "being seen to do something" reaction, but this does seem to be a little beyond the usual level of incomprehensible.

Seems pretty clear to me.. take some preventative measures to at least try to greatly reduce the gathering of inebriated people, in these times of, er.. a continuing PANDEMIC.. and it would - surely - have to help.. no? Like I say, seems pretty clear TO ME.. but maybe that's just me.. and I suppose if you're gagging for your beer then you're just not going to see, or even consider, it.. just not 'scientific' is it, lol??.. You might even be so frustrated as to then call it 'incomprehensible'.. Er.. right. 

[madmen]

"eanwhile, unsurprisingly, the Thai Alcoholic Beverage Association has released a public statement that they do not agree with the decision to ban alcohol sales countrywide and that they believe it will merely move sales underground and encourage people to make potentially unsafe home made liquor and booze as well as allow a black market to sell alcohol without proper licenses and policies. They have also stated that pulling alcohol sales country wide for several weeks can cause dire health issues for alcoholics of which the country is believed to have hundreds of thousands and could cause them further health complications."

 

last few lines are very real. 

 

 

[Kalasin Jo]

10 hours ago, Guderian said:

Well if it's Songkran-related why is it going on until the 30th in many provinces? In most places Songkran spans just the 13th, 14th and 15th of April, and even in Pattaya it's finished by the 20th. It makes little sense, other than as a killjoy measure, to extend it to the end of the month.

An attempt to stop partying I agree with. But for such a long period? Especially since the holiday has been cancelled/ postponed anyway.

[hottrader77]

12 hours ago, Canuck1966 said:

It's your typical use a grenade to kill a cockroach junta approach

 

Remember they banned all alcohol on trains forever, when a crazed drug addled scumbag employee of the Thai rail network raped and killed a young girl.

Rather than address their incompetence for hiring such a nefarious POS they decided to ruin a lot of people's enjoyment permanently

I used to really enjoy the night trains, have a few beers and a bit of food, then drift off into the land of nod

 

i bet the general is washing down his ingenious ideas with 10 bottles of leo 

[hottrader77]

15 minutes ago, Kalasin Jo said:

An attempt to stop partying I agree with. But for such a long period? Especially since the holiday has been cancelled/ postponed anyway.

even the general will drink to that 

 

[DrJack54]

46 minutes ago, digger70 said:

The possible violence will be Worse for the Alcos who can't get there (Fix)

Get off your perch. "Alcos"?

What the f is that about. Many folk enjoy a quiet beer on regular basis.