Thailand's 'draconian' alcohol laws in the spotlight

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Bangkok’s famous nightlife has made it one of the top tourist destinations in Asia for years.

 

But even as Thailand’s government works to bring international tourists back after the pandemic - curfews are still in place and bars are closed.

 

The move is drawing criticism from the food and beverage industry, but also highlights the nation’s strict alcohol control laws.

 

Al Jazeera's Scott Heidler reports from Bangkok, Thailand.

 

 

[bbko]

I lived in Thailand so long and became so used to it's alcohol laws that when I returned to the US I was actually amazed I could buy beer from 2-5pm. ????????

[DrJack54]

Open air bars should be open.

Very few patrons even if they are allowed to open.

The music can't really happen until the curfew is changed.

First step at least allow limited hours as first step back to new normal.

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, bbko said:

I lived in Thailand so long and became so used to it's alcohol laws that when I returned to the US I was actually amazed I could buy beer from 2-5pm. ????????

If you cross a county line on a Sunday! Alcohol restrictions in the USA are confusing!

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, jacko45k said:

If you cross a county line on a Sunday! Alcohol restrictions in the USA are confusing!

First time I ever heard a new term for me was an American guy and we were about to drive into town.

He asked if I wanted a "Road Coke". (Bottle of booze for the trip).

In Oz we call that a "Traveller" 

[ikke1959]

It is all about education. The alcohol laws should be reviewed. What is the use of an alcohol sell ban from 2-5?? If you want to buy alcohol and if you are over 21 no problem by doubt show id..Make bar owners bartenders responsible for serving too much alcohol and let the RTP work too in the evning and at night and check and do an alcohol test for everyone....Make Thailand an normal country

[RotBenz8888]

I bet there are plenty of speakesys out there. And if you wanna catch the manager, try with the free food handouts! 

[zzaa09]

5 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

It is all about education. The alcohol laws should be reviewed. What is the use of an alcohol sell ban from 2-5?? If you want to buy alcohol and if you are over 21 no problem by doubt show id..Make bar owners bartenders responsible for serving too much alcohol and let the RTP work too in the evning and at night and check and do an alcohol test for everyone....Make Thailand an normal country

They do miss the bigger picture.......or even the basic picture.

[ChipButty]

12 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

It is all about education. The alcohol laws should be reviewed. What is the use of an alcohol sell ban from 2-5?? If you want to buy alcohol and if you are over 21 no problem by doubt show id..Make bar owners bartenders responsible for serving too much alcohol and let the RTP work too in the evning and at night and check and do an alcohol test for everyone....Make Thailand an normal country

Thailand used to be normal

[dinsdale]

 

Thaksin brought in the 2-5 / midnight-11 law in 2004.

[NE1]

Wasn't the 2 - 5 ban brought in so children leaving school could not see people purchasing or drinking alcohol , as they thought it would be a bad influence on them.

[Mac Mickmanus]

4 minutes ago, NE1 said:

Wasn't the 2 - 5 ban brought in so children leaving school could not see people purchasing or drinking alcohol , as they thought it would be a bad influence on them.

It wasn't , no. 

[Farangdk]

Come on Thailand.. People must adapt to this Chinese virus. People need to learn to live with this virus. The virus will be around for a long time, maybe forever. Open Thailand. People need to start making money and get some food on the table, start to have a life, many lost their home and living on the streets. There is only one way for Thailand and that is to open Thailand. Bring in the tourists/ people who have already been vaccinated. Get more and more Thais vaccinated in a hurry and test all the time and lot more. 

Right now, it is a joke and Thailand is more or less falling apart.

All people can buy alcohol in the nearest 7/11 or in any store. But I cannot take my wife out for a nice dinner and get a glass of wine with dinner. Where is the logic? I know alcohol is to blame for many things, always has been and always will be, but blaming alcohol for being a factor in avoiding getting Covid is ridiculous.

 

And Thailand, please stop all your Mickey Mouse laws and regulations regarding expats and tourists.

[NE1]

5 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

10 minutes ago, NE1 said:

Wasn't the 2 - 5 ban brought in so children leaving school could not see people purchasing or drinking alcohol , as they thought it would be a bad influence on them.

It wasn't , no. 

Well why was it put in place ?

[Artisi]

39 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

It is all about education. The alcohol laws should be reviewed. What is the use of an alcohol sell ban from 2-5?? If you want to buy alcohol and if you are over 21 no problem by doubt show id..Make bar owners bartenders responsible for serving too much alcohol and let the RTP work too in the evning and at night and check and do an alcohol test for everyone....Make Thailand an normal country

It is normal, the hub of normal - the rest of the world just don't understand normal. 

[actonion]

46 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Open air bars should be open.

Very few patrons even if they are allowed to open.

The music can't really happen until the curfew is changed.

First step at least allow limited hours as first step back to new normal.

Yes they should be open ...Immigration offices have more customers  than any bar pre covid

[DoctorB]

20 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

 

Thaksin brought in the 2-5 / midnight-11 law in 2004.

 

16 minutes ago, NE1 said:

Wasn't the 2 - 5 ban brought in so children leaving school could not see people purchasing or drinking alcohol , as they thought it would be a bad influence on them.

 

12 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

It wasn't , no. 

Are you sure about that? I recall a whole associated hoo-haa about alcohol not being sold at all within 100 meters of schools etc., which groaned on for several months before being quietly forgotten. Probably it was more about stopping teenagers buying alcohol for themselves.

[Mac Mickmanus]

Just now, DoctorB said:

 

 

Are you sure about that? I recall a whole associated hoo-haa about alcohol not being sold at all within 100 meters of schools etc., which groaned on for several months before being quietly forgotten. Probably it was more about stopping teenagers buying alcohol for themselves.

Teenagers are not allowed to buy alcohol , having a law stopping them from buying alcohol at certain times would be pointless , because theres already laws stopping them from buy alcohol at any time of the day 

[ChipButty]

3 minutes ago, DoctorB said:

 

 

Are you sure about that? I recall a whole associated hoo-haa about alcohol not being sold at all within 100 meters of schools etc., which groaned on for several months before being quietly forgotten. Probably it was more about stopping teenagers buying alcohol for themselves.

You are right about the 100 meters rule, 

[cyril sneer]

40 minutes ago, NE1 said:

Wasn't the 2 - 5 ban brought in so children leaving school could not see people purchasing or drinking alcohol , as they thought it would be a bad influence on them.

thats what i heard

 

now they just opt for weed, tramadol and cough medicine

[pattjock]

10 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Teenagers are not allowed to buy alcohol , having a law stopping them from buying alcohol at certain times would be pointless , because theres already laws stopping them from buy alcohol at any time of the day 

Are you saying there are no pointless laws in Thailand??

 

The law restricting time for alcohol sales were actually brought in to stop children for buying alcohol. And yes it is pointless.

[DoctorB]

11 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Teenagers are not allowed to buy alcohol , having a law stopping them from buying alcohol at certain times would be pointless , because theres already laws stopping them from buy alcohol at any time of the day 

So why was the 2 to 5 ban brought in? Just plain virtue signalling and a desire to interfere in other peoples' lives??

[The Fugitive]

36 minutes ago, Farangdk said:

 

Come on Thailand.. People must adapt to this Chinese virus. People need to learn to live with this virus. The virus will be around for a long time, maybe forever. Open Thailand. People need to start making money and get some food on the table, start to have a life, many lost their home and living on the streets. There is only one way for Thailand and that is to open Thailand. Bring in the tourists/ people who have already been vaccinated. Get more and more Thais vaccinated in a hurry and test all the time and lot more. 

Right now, it is a joke and Thailand is more or less falling apart.

All people can buy alcohol in the nearest 7/11 or in any store. But I cannot take my wife out for a nice dinner and get a glass of wine with dinner. Where is the logic? I know alcohol is to blame for many things, always has been and always will be, but blaming alcohol for being a factor in avoiding getting Covid is ridiculous.

 

And Thailand, please stop all your Mickey Mouse laws and regulations regarding expats and tourists.

Magnificent post! 100% correct. We knew a poor Thai lady who took her own life because of financial worries caused by lack of tourists.

[Mac Mickmanus]

1 minute ago, pattjock said:

Are you saying there are no pointless laws in Thailand??

 

The law restricting time for alcohol sales were actually brought in to stop children for buying alcohol. And yes it is pointless.

No it wasn't  that law was bought in to stop people from drinking all day long , to stop people from having a beer in the morning /afternoon and then keep drinking all day 

[Mac Mickmanus]

19 minutes ago, DoctorB said:

 

 

Are you sure about that? I recall a whole associated hoo-haa about alcohol not being sold at all within 100 meters of schools etc., which groaned on for several months before being quietly forgotten. Probably it was more about stopping teenagers buying alcohol for themselves.

That restriction was also for Temples and that was the main reason , to stop bars from selling alcohol close to Temples because the Monks couldnt sleep due to the noise from the bars

[bbko]

6 minutes ago, DoctorB said:

So why was the 2 to 5 ban brought in? Just plain virtue signalling and a desire to interfere in other peoples' lives??

I heard it was to help cut down the amount of drunk drivers when the kids were getting out of school.

[JonnyF]

It's all about the government appearing virtuous and puritanical.

 

You know, the same government that stole power in 2014 via the barrel of a gun and has a convicted drug trafficker amongst their ranks.

[DoctorB]

5 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

No it wasn't  that law was bought in to stop people from drinking all day long , to stop people from having a beer in the morning /afternoon and then keep drinking all day 

 

3 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

That restriction was also for Temples and that was the main reason , to stop bars from selling alcohol close to Temples because the Monks couldnt sleep due to the noise from the bars

These are fascinating retrospective justifications. The second one about the monks I have never heard before and is truly original. But I followed the whole saga at the time, along with Purachai's efforts to get the night entertainment industry closed well before midnight, and certainly recall the school argument being used. After all, you can't have a decent moral panic without dragging kids into it.

[jacko45k]

23 minutes ago, cyril sneer said:

thats what i heard

 

now they just opt for weed, tramadol and cough medicine

And recently legalized kratom? 

[Mr Meeseeks]

1 hour ago, dinsdale said:

 

Thaksin brought in the 2-5 / midnight-11 law in 2004.

After he and Purachai brought in the 2am closing which I think happened in 2001 iirc. 

 

Then there were the continuing raids on non-Police owned venues throughout the country in particular Bangkok, where venues deemed immoral were arbitrarily shut down. They had the pee-test bus rock up and test all the ladies, occasionally if they didn't like the look of you they may make a foreigner take a test too. 

 

Things certainly changed for the worse under Thaksin from the glory 'anything goes' days of the 90's and before.