Restaurants & Bars Open & Serving Alcohol or Not? The Farce that is Thailand's COVID Alcohol Restrictions

[mikosan]

OK, we all know that the sale of alcohol in restaurants, throughout Thailand, is legally banned and bars and pubs everywhere are closed.  However, I'm not sure what it's like where anyone else out there lives, but where I live, I won't name it, for fear that we will hereafter be targeted, the ban on the sale of alcohol in restaurants and the closure of bars, is producing a farcical scenario.

 

Many bars have turned into restaurants, mostly without a restaurant licence and are selling food, selected from the menus of genuine local restaurants and produced elsewhere, which is delivered to order.  At the same time they are clearly selling alcohol, even if it is concealed in a unmarked mug or cup.

 

Many restaurants are openly selling alcohol, without the requirement to order food, again in the obligatory unmarked mug or cup.

 

Far be it for me to criticise them, many are struggling financially, on the verge of financial ruin, many already ruined and closed and with families to support, what else are they expected to do.  My point is, what is the point?  If I go to a restaurant and eat food, I have to take off my mask, so if my mask is off and I am consuming food, what's the problem with having a glass of two of wine or a beer, or whatever other alcoholic beverage tickles my fancy.  I can drink a non-alcoholic drink, so I'm drinking, so what's the problem with that drink being alcoholic?

 

Bar and pubs are the same.  If I can sit in a restaurant and eat without a mask, why can't I sit in a bar and drink without a mask?

 

The farce is that the police mainly seem to turn a blind eye, be that (a) because they are being paid to do so, (b) the premises are owned by one of their own or another influential person, or (c) they simply can't be bothered.  Occasionally, they have an urge to collect some money, maybe the bills are due at home, or the missus needs a new dress, or the child needs a new iPhone, or maybe some conscientious (read jealous) member of the public has grassed on some restaurant or bar and this has been officially recorded, so they have to do something.  On these occasions they zealously raid said bar or restaurant, then, whilst they're out, also randomly raid a few others, but generally not those covered by (a) & (b) above, collecting whatever monies they think they can get away with and pocketing it without issuing a receipt.

 

So, if the laws are not going to be properly enforced, what is the point in having them?  Why is alcohol consumption being forced underground, a la prohibition in the US in the 1920's, into smoky enclosed spaces.  Surely that defeats the whole point of the exercise?  

 

Before the usual anti-alcohol brigade lay into me, as they surely will, let me firstly say that I do not drink alcohol, but have no issue with others doing so.  I also fully appreciate that alcohol loosens up inhibitions and could cause a slackening in COVID awareness.  However, if people are already drinking, regardless, then that argument is negated.

 

Whilst I appreciate that the solution is not opening up huge warehouse sized discos and nightclubs, to hordes of drunks, with politicians and hi-so's included in that group, with regards to pubs and bars, wouldn't a sensible idea be to restrict patronage by square meterage, with restrictions similar to that of restaurants.  Premises can at least then open their doors again and let a bit of fresh air in, which is acknowledged as better for preventing the COVID than enclosed spaces, families can be saved from financial ruin, people can be employed and we can get back to a semblance of normal life?

 

In conclusion, drinking alcohol is going on, regardless of the laws, it is ridiculous to think it is not.  Implementation seems to be mainly a way to get publicity that makes it appear that something is being done, generally following a complaint, or to feather the pockets of those supposed to be implementing the laws.  So, either enforce the laws absolutely, impossible in reality, or get rid of them, the preferable option, the current farcical situation is of no benefit to anyone, other than the MiB.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 28, 2021 by mikosan

[Kwasaki]

57 minutes ago, mikosan said:

so what's the problem with that drink being alcoholic?

Because govt think people will sit there longer if they serve alcohol which is a fact and the restaurant will get more people.

The distancing is still something they want to try and keep in place.

As for keeping bars close that again is obvious.

[Gaccha]

It's designed to create a "sludge effect" (opposite of a nudge). The aim is to annoy you into cutting the amount of social time. Has it made your social life worse? If yes, then it's working. If it cuts the spread by 10% then that is effective even if you barely notice at an individual level. 

 

Drinking inconspicuously is very different to the raucous drinking of the pre- pandemic times. Many bars are selling but the atmosphere is restrained and almost all of it is within social bubbles. Without the shouting and partying, the virus struggles to spread.

 

Delta has seemingly burnt itself out. Soon life will return to the bars and clubs, and you'll have a great story to dine off for years to come. Stay strong. 

[cclub75]

6 hours ago, Gaccha said:

It's designed to create a "sludge effect" (opposite of a nudge). The aim is to annoy you into cutting the amount of social time. Has it made your social life worse? If yes, then it's working. If it cuts the spread by 10% then that is effective even if you barely notice at an individual level.

Not only.

 

You can't analyse the very thai way about alcohol... if you dismiss its long history... the reasons, the forces etc.

 

It all started with Thaksin when this "outsider" prime minister, although very powerfull, had to "overdo" things in order to be accepted among the Bangkok Traditionnal Elite (he never succeeded of course, hence the multiple coups against him).

 

The idea was to caress the specific elitist anti alcohol groups (visualize the pooying women with the ridiculous hairdressing)... old "rombières" like we say in France, but highly regarded. USA had the same groups before Prohibition (linked to christian groups). Anyway.

 

Thaksin started the war against "nightlife" too (with the "drugs" war among other)... Closing bars and clubs early. It was a war against fun, because Elite doesn't like fun.

 

Then we had the insane laws regarding timing of sales (in supermarket, restaurants etc). It's okay to buy from 11 AM to 2 PM and after 5 PM.

 

You wan't a beer with your late spanish meal at 2pm01 ?  "no sir, can not". You can drink to death at 1pm50 but not 2pm03...

 

Again : the idea was to please those groups.

 

But it was not enough. It's never enough.

 

Then : we had alcohol ban during... budhist days... and during elections days !!!

 

To the point where a foreigner, a tourist, can not order a beer in a freaking restaurant or a big hotel in Bangkok because it's "election day"... !

 

-"But sir, i'm not thai, i can not vote... so why this law applies to me ? Why do you care ?"

-"Do not ask question". ????

 

Add to this, the military coups (anti fun by essence)... add the 20 years or so of those stupid and insane regulations (hence habits)... and voilà the thai situation.

 

Now it's engrained. You have a new virus ? Any "emergency" ? Paf ! Ban alcohol !

 

Alcohol is the convenient ennemy. The scapegoat. For everything and for any politician and/or military officer and/or civil servant without any talent and imagination but who want to "do something".

 

It's easy to do, it's virtue signalling.

 

The obsessed groups are still there. Now they are younger, and they have military clothes... And it's even more perverse than elitist and/or religious groups : because most of them drink themselves... but the idea is pure control : "i can but you can't".

"Why ?"

"Because."

 

Pure evil.

Edited September 28, 2021 by cclub75

[Swiss1960]

Dear @mikosan: Could not agree with you more! On top of that, the people in power in BKK think that tourists will fight each other to get plane tickets to Thailand in November, making up for all losses over the last 18 months... No tourist will be interested to visit a country, where he can not LEGALLY enjoy nightlife with a beer or good food with a glass of wine. The elites in BKK are just to stupid to realize that.

[ronster]

I’m still going down the route it’s partly to do with Pm getting his nose out of joint when he asked the large beer company owners for cash to help people struggling and they said no and then went and helped people themselves and left him to his own devices . 
It’s going to be amazing when they realise that no matter how many people have had vaccines that people will still get it even if vaccinated. They don’t seem to be grasping this and are just sticking the spread on bars and restaurants and think by keeping them closed covid will magically disappear ! ????

[Pedrogaz]

The authorities in Thailand have a weird relationship with the idea that other people can have fun drinking alcohol. It's is a Neo-puritanism, where anyone having fun must be doing something wrong or evil, and therefore what they are doing should be banned. Like earlier brethren Puritans, many of the people closing the bars are hypocrites.

Small quantities of alcohol do little but lower inhibitions of people allowing them to enjoy the company that they are in. However alcohol taken to excess is a monster leading to wife beating , road accident, fights etc. 

For COVID control alcohol is not really helpful.....a small amount of alcohol leads to people being amorous, kissing and more....all of which helps to spread COVID. Larger amounts of alcohol make these problems even worse.

Another relevant issue is the British disease where Brits seem unable to have a good time unless they are drunk out of their minds, shouting loudly, attacking each other or innocent bystanders, groping women, and generally being vile people. Thailand could do without this sort of ruffian, but I suspect that if TAT were to give some truthful numbers and analysis, they would see that this ugly Brit-type tourists spend at the high end of the scale and are the source of riches for tourism owners  in Phuket and Pattaya.

[3STTW]

I think that the government's attitude is understandable. Thais have a very different relationship with alcohol compared to westerners and their behavior under the influence can be reckless - and ruinous to their families. I have seen this all too often.

 

Then you have the marauding bunch of farang nutters who seem to think that getting sh!tfaced, behaving like animals and attacking police is an inalienable right.

 

What the government doesn't see are the overwhelming majority who go out for a few beers, maybe a pizza and watch some sport, then get a taxi and go to bed with a smile on their face.

 

As always with government policy, it's so much easier to punish the few at the expense of the many.

[MRToMRT]

I just want a drink with friends in a place that is not my back garden, the sods have killed all my plants by peeing in the pots. Keeps next doors cat at bay though.

 

 

Edited September 29, 2021 by MRToMRT

[zzaa09]

The local mafias and police can't be too happy about this whole whimsical policy. 

The whole affair appears to be contradictory in nature as it applies business as usual and the historied influence from the power lords. 

[Tropposurfer]

During a pandemic it's not unreasonable at all to restrict social gatherings. Why are people getting so twisted up about not being able to go out and drink ... do it at home for goodness sake?*!?#@?

When drinking alcohol our capacity to control our behaviours are impaired e.g. not remembering or if we do not caring about distancing, talking loudly (therefore dispersing moisture droplets from our mouths as we do so), and as we move towards further impairment even more unsafe behaviours as far as a virus sharing is concerned.

As to the bans on drinking out of pandemic times, these restrictions are rather Calvanist in imposed piety, but when in Rome as they say.

For me unless I am using a taxi or a designated driver, drinking when out is simply not on as I have to drive or ride and that I do not do ever do after drinking (even one drink). For my own safety and that of others.

If you are one who takes advantage of the lack of policing and enforcement in LOS by going out, drinking and driving riding, then I implore you to stop doing that.

I drank and drove a great deal as a young man in Australia before the 'breathalyser' came into being, and I was incredibly irresponsible - a lot! I thankfully never hit, injured, maimed, or killed anyone (although I did hit stationary objects a few times).

Safe sober driving friends ☺️????

[zzaa09]

On 9/28/2021 at 4:09 PM, cclub75 said:

Not only.

 

You can't analyse the very thai way about alcohol... if you dismiss its long history... the reasons, the forces etc.

 

It all started with Thaksin when this "outsider" prime minister, although very powerfull, had to "overdo" things in order to be accepted among the Bangkok Traditionnal Elite (he never succeeded of course, hence the multiple coups against him).

 

The idea was to caress the specific elitist anti alcohol groups (visualize the pooying women with the ridiculous hairdressing)... old "rombières" like we say in France, but highly regarded. USA had the same groups before Prohibition (linked to christian groups). Anyway.

 

Thaksin started the war against "nightlife" too (with the "drugs" war among other)... Closing bars and clubs early. It was a war against fun, because Elite doesn't like fun.

 

Then we had the insane laws regarding timing of sales (in supermarket, restaurants etc). It's okay to buy from 11 AM to 2 PM and after 5 PM.

 

You wan't a beer with your late spanish meal at 2pm01 ?  "no sir, can not". You can drink to death at 1pm50 but not 2pm03...

 

Again : the idea was to please those groups.

 

But it was not enough. It's never enough.

 

Then : we had alcohol ban during... budhist days... and during elections days !!!

 

To the point where a foreigner, a tourist, can not order a beer in a freaking restaurant or a big hotel in Bangkok because it's "election day"... !

 

-"But sir, i'm not thai, i can not vote... so why this law applies to me ? Why do you care ?"

-"Do not ask question". ????

 

Add to this, the military coups (anti fun by essence)... add the 20 years or so of those stupid and insane regulations (hence habits)... and voilà the thai situation.

 

Now it's engrained. You have a new virus ? Any "emergency" ? Paf ! Ban alcohol !

 

Alcohol is the convenient ennemy. The scapegoat. For everything and for any politician and/or military officer and/or civil servant without any talent and imagination but who want to "do something".

 

It's easy to do, it's virtue signalling.

 

The obsessed groups are still there. Now they are younger, and they have military clothes... And it's even more perverse than elitist and/or religious groups : because most of them drink themselves... but the idea is pure control : "i can but you can't".

"Why ?"

"Because."

 

Pure evil.

Oh dear.

Lovely, but all of your wacky sociological/historical analysis is highly Bangkok-centric........which has little to do with the rest of the country and how things work. 

 

 

[Sydebolle]

Yet another proof of absolute brainlessness of those 1d1ots running this country. Either it is a Buddhist reason - only applicable in Thailand as Buddhists in Burma/Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam have no such booze ban on any Buddhist holiday. Or they pack it up behind "health" issues like the present virus desaster! 

To prevent more infections, Thailand has banned booze - quite obviously the virus is an alcoholic! 

Are these people for real? 

[mikosan]

On 9/30/2021 at 7:14 AM, Tropposurfer said:

During a pandemic it's not unreasonable at all to restrict social gatherings. Why are people getting so twisted up about not being able to go out and drink ... do it at home for goodness sake?*!?#@?

When drinking alcohol our capacity to control our behaviours are impaired e.g. not remembering or if we do not caring about distancing, talking loudly (therefore dispersing moisture droplets from our mouths as we do so), and as we move towards further impairment even more unsafe behaviours as far as a virus sharing is concerned.

As to the bans on drinking out of pandemic times, these restrictions are rather Calvanist in imposed piety, but when in Rome as they say.

For me unless I am using a taxi or a designated driver, drinking when out is simply not on as I have to drive or ride and that I do not do ever do after drinking (even one drink). For my own safety and that of others.

If you are one who takes advantage of the lack of policing and enforcement in LOS by going out, drinking and driving riding, then I implore you to stop doing that.

I drank and drove a great deal as a young man in Australia before the 'breathalyser' came into being, and I was incredibly irresponsible - a lot! I thankfully never hit, injured, maimed, or killed anyone (although I did hit stationary objects a few times).

Safe sober driving friends ☺️????

I think you missed my point.  The fact is that regardless of the ban, alcohol is still being served, often behind closed doors, thereby defeating the object of the ban and potentially making the situation worse.