People in Thailand reduce alcohol consumption to prevent COVID-19 contraction

[Jonathan Fairfield]

 

A recent survey, conducted by the Center of Alcohol Studies, shows that Thais have generally cut down their consumption of alcohol, to protect themselves from COVID-19.

 

Center Director Prof Dr. Sawitri Assanangkornchai said a telephone survey was conducted on 1,555 samples, aged 18 and above, in 15 provinces from April 24 to 28.

 

In the survey, 41.9% of respondents had reduced their alcohol intake after the COVID-19 outbreaks, while 28.1% cent were drinking as usual and 1.6% had started drinking more.

 

Prof Dr. Sawitri explained that those who have stopped or reduced their drinking say they are afraid of contracting COVID-19 and want to save money. Those who are drinking as usual or have increased their consumption say they can either not give up drinking or are being pushed to drink by their peers.

 

This survey also showed that measures to control drinking, such as the temporary closure of entertainment venues and banning alcohol in restaurants, have affected people’s drinking behavior.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-06-06

 

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[jacko45k]

Not because all the bars are closed then?

[BritManToo]

I drink 3x as much since the COVID lockdowns because there's nothing else to do.

Can't go cycling or walking without a mask ...... so I don't bother.

Can't go swimming ........ pools all closed.

Holidays and trips ........ no guarantee of being allowed back, even if I could go in the first place.

 

I just sit around the house getting drunk every day.

Edited June 6, 2021 by BritManToo

[ThailandRyan]

So Covid is attracted by alcohol...hmmm.

[Disparate Dan]

1 minute ago, ThailandRyan said:

So Covid is attracted by alcohol...hmmm.

Glad I am not the only one to whom this comes as news. Does that mean if we give it up altogether we are immune?

Or does it mean this reported 'survey' is [deleted]?

[ThailandRyan]

Just now, Disparate Dan said:

Glad I am not the only one to whom this comes as news. Does that mean if we give it up altogether we are immune?

Or does it mean this reported 'survey' is [deleted]?

Soda water is next up to be banned.

[Disparate Dan]

Just now, ThailandRyan said:

Soda water is next up to be banned.

I gave that up for Lent already.

[madmitch]

Typical NNT article.

[ikke1959]

yes , sure.... all the alcohol bans in bars, restaurants, we don't count. Even so that a lot are in quarantine and are not able to buy alcohol or beer, and sitting with friends and family is not allowed.. But no not all of this. It is because they want to save money  ( hahahahaha) and are afraid to catch Covid. ????  Never seen any covid in a bottle of wine or beer or liquor but alas

[actonion]

Nothing to do with  unemployment, = no money ?

[petermik]

7 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I drink 3x as much since the COVID lockdowns because there's nothing else to do.

Can't go cycling or walking without a mask ...... so I don't bother.

Can't go swimming ........ pools all closed.

Holidays and trips ........ no guarantee of being allowed back, even if I could go in the first place.

 

I just sit around the house getting drunk every day.

I,ll be round in a minute......????

[RotBenz8888]

I have my doubts about this survey, crisis and unemployment often leads to more drinking. Or maybe people have swapped to drugs? 

[petermik]

7 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

  Never seen any covid in a bottle of wine or beer or liquor but alas

It`s because you are farang....Thais can see covid same as they can see ghosts.....????

[Litlos]

Lies, damned lies, and statistics. Author unknown

So using the same group of statisticians it was determined that by the amount of rockets fired during Songkran, and the distance covered that statistically speaking Thailand has already sent a rocket to the moon, and back. Bonuses for all involved to be deducted from the latest slush fund state loan.

 

Cheers

[ThailandRyan]

2 minutes ago, petermik said:

It`s because you are farang....Thais can see covid same as they can see ghosts.....????

So the alcohol they don't drink now is in a ghost bottle....nice to see...lol

[holy cow cm]

I call BS on the I'm scared about getting CV-19 theory, but for money related maybe and then the other one is no entertainment venues are open. But for sure a real fact here is that alcohol is way too expensive overpriced and the alcohol producers just get richer laughing all the way to the bank..

[BritManToo]

5 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

I call BS on the I'm scared about getting CV-19 theory, but for money related maybe and then the other one is no entertainment venues are open. But for sure a real fact here is that alcohol is way too expensive overpriced and the alcohol producers just get richer laughing all the way to the bank..

Would point out many Thais are happy to drink Lao Kao at 10bht/red bull (M150?) bottle from mom and pop stores.

 

What you thought all those Thais you saw were actually drinking Red Bull?

Edited June 6, 2021 by BritManToo

[Saltire]

I see no change in drinking habits in my village since Covid.

 

The majority of the local population still get sh*tfaced from morning till night every day of the week.

 

As for me I would say I am actually drinking more, as by 6 PM I am so bored that a beer or 3 is the only alternative to a night of Netflix.

Edited June 6, 2021 by Saltire

[Geoffggi]

40 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Prof Dr. Sawitri explained that those who have stopped or reduced their drinking say they are afraid of contracting COVID-19 and want to save money.

The afraid of contracting COVID-19 is absolute BS, as has already been pointed out numerous times above the reason for a reduction (still to be verified) if any, in alcohol consumption can be put down to bars closing and people out of work due to shut downs so no money QED 

[BobBKK]

another nonsense survey - like:

"Thais have sex less because all the soapy's are shut"  - OBVIOUSLY!

[zoltannyc]

A direct correlation does not always mean causation for example:
Since the world has less pirates the average global temperature is going up - pirate shortage causing global warming.

All heroin addicts drank milk at some stage of their life - milk causes drug addiction?
As Thai people eat more western food the number of traffic accidents is going up.

etc etc.

[toofarnorth]

27 minutes ago, Saltire said:

I see no change in drinking habits in my village since Covid.

 

The majority of the local population still get sh*tfaced from morning till night every day of the week.

 

As for me I would say I am actually drinking more, as by 6 PM I am so bored that a beer or 3 is the only alternative to a night of Netflix.

With you there all the way Saltire ,zactly the same. Beer on the patio at 6 whether 'er indoors is making dinner or me then Netflix at 7 ish.  Sometimes thaivisa but usualy finished with by 7.  Bloody hot today yet again but I will have to go out to get a beer or 2 for 6pm.

[BobBKK]

45 minutes ago, Litlos said:

Lies, damned lies, and statistics. Author unknown

So using the same group of statisticians it was determined that by the amount of rockets fired during Songkran, and the distance covered that statistically speaking Thailand has already sent a rocket to the moon, and back. Bonuses for all involved to be deducted from the latest slush fund state loan.

 

Cheers

 Twain I think... but yes thailand love their BS

Edited June 6, 2021 by BobBKK

[ThailandRyan]

37 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Would point out many Thais are happy to drink Lao Kao at 10bht/red bull (M150?) bottle from mom and pop stores.

 

What you thought all those Thais you saw were actually drinking Red Bull?

Damn the price has gone up, the drunks in the village I used to live in in Wang Sam Mo would buy it for 5 baht, drink two of them, jump in the bed of a pickup and head off to the fields for work with their sticky rice, moo, and another full bottle with that perfect blue and red label....Return from the fields at 5 and grab some more hooch before passing out lying in front of the small shop...

[internationalism]

it's the opposite to what's happening in the west, with true statistics of sale and from hospital reports.

so probably thai tend to lie when talking about bad habits.

Even during prohibition the last year, lasting for a month (some places over 2 months), people find ways to buy alcohol.

I bet lack of disinfectant alcohol was partly due to being cleaned and for consumption.

surely cheap bootleg booz was (and is still) coming in through porous borders - as it was always the case.

 

also drugs are getting cheaper, because they are not exported from thai laboratories as much as before pandemic, so they have to end up in domestic market. Probably now is cheaper to get high on drugs than alcohol

[holy cow cm]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Would point out many Thais are happy to drink Lao Kao at 10bht/red bull (M150?) bottle from mom and pop stores.

 

What you thought all those Thais you saw were actually drinking Red Bull?

Yes the drink of choice on low income budgets. Back in the day when was in the country side drinking with Thai folk I did drink a little here and there, but take a full pass on it now. I like to call it rot-gut. Nothing worse than having a Thai guy who has ingested a bunch of Lao Kao start blabbering to you, and he doesn't even need to be more than 3ft away permeated polluted waft to get that smell of OMG. You know exactly what it is from the first burst. Oh, BTW, a 10 baht shot of Lao Kao to them in money is actually maybe comparable to a 120 baht beer for us.

Edited June 6, 2021 by holy cow cm

[holy cow cm]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

What you thought all those Thais you saw were actually drinking Red Bull?

Nope. I used to go out and about into every type of crevice and drink with the commoners when younger living in no where land. 

[Rookiescot]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

I drink 3x as much since the COVID lockdowns because there's nothing else to do.

Can't go cycling or walking without a mask ...... so I don't bother.

Can't go swimming ........ pools all closed.

Holidays and trips ........ no guarantee of being allowed back, even if I could go in the first place.

 

I just sit around the house getting drunk every day.

 

You said that like its a bad thing.

[starky]

47 minutes ago, zoltannyc said:

A direct correlation does not always mean causation for example:
Since the world has less pirates the average global temperature is going up - pirate shortage causing global warming.

All heroin addicts drank milk at some stage of their life - milk causes drug addiction?
As Thai people eat more western food the number of traffic accidents is going up.

etc etc.

Gee I didn't know we were having a pirate shortage. 

[ripstanley]

I am a member of the 1.6%