On 10/18/2021 at 5:01 PM, snoop1130 said:

The day traditionally also brings a 24-hour total national alcohol sales ban, although it has not yet been officially announced but is nearly certain to happen. Although bars and entertainment venues remain closed nationwide due to Covid19 and only a few sandbox areas like Phuket can sell alcohol at restaurants, this will also extend to store sales on the 21st.

There are never holidays at Grandma Poon's Backwater Country Store. 

On 10/19/2021 at 8:33 AM, HaoleBoy said:

There have been raids on bars / restaurants in CM.

 

Now there are hidden cameras you must go show yourself to to get in.  Must also text some staff inside so they know to look at the camera ...

 

Other places have secret knocks to get inside after 8pm or so ....

 

Then there are places that have been open since the ban was enacted thus must be paying off the BiB.  Some places know when the raids are happening thus won't serve on those evenings ... places right across the moat weren't told and got hit.  It's all about the money ...

The era of the Speak-Easy has once again returned!  Where guys and dames can sidestep the G-Men' morality crusades against the average, thirsty citizens.  Welcome back (100 years later) to The Roaring 20's!

20 minutes ago, connda said:

There are never holidays at Grandma Poon's Backwater Country Store. 

Nor at Uncle Tuks elite emporium shop bar,  lao Khao distillery, pharmacy, petrol station and snooker hall (round the back)

i would imagine he has  attained  such a state on enlightenment so cannot be bothered with mere Buddhist laws

28 minutes ago, connda said:

There are never holidays at Grandma Poon's Backwater Country Store. 

And thousands more similar - 

On 10/18/2021 at 6:25 PM, overt2016 said:

Can you buy No-Alcohol beer then?

It really isn't a silly question. Some people give up alcohol and drink alcohol free beer to be sociable'

Then there are Thai laws that ALCOHOL drinks are banned from sale on certain days.

So the question is: If you buy alcohol free beer on one of those days [or election days] you are not breaking the law. Or are you?

On 10/19/2021 at 8:44 AM, clivebaxter said:

But it's not really Buddhism is it, amulets, superstition, fortune telling, statues of giant dogs, zebras and chickens etc Wats looking like theme parks and monks up to all sorts, including the ones I saw betting at a muay Thai match. Not a lot to respect really, and most of them could not tell you what the 4 noble truths are or the 8 fold path, they seem more interested in for ever building more and more onto Wats and giant statues.

Correct, unfortunately for many monks and Thai people, Thai Buddhism is about as close to what Buddha was teaching as Christianity is to paganism.