Tourism minister questions Thailand’s 2pm-5pm alcohol ban

[BananaGuy]

6 hours ago, steven100 said:

what came after ?

 

That

[Bobydog]

6 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Wow! An honest Thai politician. Now we just need the rest of them to admit they have no idea about many of their other policies either.

Nice to see some common sense, but the ban was in place to regulate "Sales" not the drinking of alcohol or did I get that wrong...

[orchidfan]

6 hours ago, tomacht8 said:

This Rule is still in order and means no alcohol for 24 hours in school zones, same for shops on gas stations. The 2pm - 5pm nonsense is a extra horse.

 

Just wondering how exactly they define a "school zone "?

Two new 7~11 shops have opened conveniently close to our moo Baan. 

Both (although a fair way apart from each other) and not permitted to sell alcohol anytime because os this crazy rule.

The only schools I know of, remotely in the local area, are both Primary schools !

Have they thought of requiring ID from any "younger" person trying to buy alcohol, like they do in most of the rest of the world ???

[jmurch]

How smart is it for him to say this? This has been in effect for many years and he's just now saying something. It just should show how ignorant the government is to the needs of the people. 

[Bangkok Barry]

6 hours ago, tomacht8 said:

7 hours ago, inactiveposter said:

Years ago someone told me it was to stop students buying alcohol after school. I offer no opinion. ????

This Rule is still in order and means no alcohol for 24 hours in school zones, same for shops on gas stations. The 2pm - 5pm nonsense is a extra horse.

It is only about control of the people, nothing else. Those suspected of being underage should be asked to show ID, as happens anywhere else in the world. And the 2-5 thing has no practical relevance to anything, and was dreamed up by one of Thaksin's ministers who also wanted pubs to close at 10 and nightclubs at midnight. The ban in gas stations is to discourage drink driving. Instead, motorists have to buy in a 7-11 before or after going to the gas station. That works brilliantly, as we know.

[Bangkok Barry]

9 minutes ago, orchidfan said:

Have they thought of requiring ID from any "younger" person trying to buy alcohol, like they do in most of the rest of the world ???

Clearly not, because for Thais there is no rest of the world. Or what happens in the rest of the world is either wrong as it isn't Thai, or irrelevant as it isn't in Thailand. Thailand is its own little universe, with no relevance at all in anything outside of its borders. Thailand is only important to the Thais, no-one or nowhere else.

[yimlitnoy]

7 hours ago, tomacht8 said:

This Rule is still in order and means no alcohol for 24 hours in school zones, same for shops on gas stations. The 2pm - 5pm nonsense is a extra horse.

 

The Thai government could have made 300% in taxes on those sales that did not proceed.  They are shooting themselves in the foot.  Where I come from (Quebec, Canada) they only close for 1 hour at 3 AM in order to clean the premises then they are open again for a full 23 hours/day and all are happy. 

 

This incomprehensible Thai rule came from Thaksin era ban on alcohol for religious motives.  Its was aimed at cutting down on the number of first-time drinkers. This has left business owners confused, leaving people out of work and the owners waiting for clarification on the new law until today.   In those days, there was the Thaksin war on vices and drugs, nobody complained as I presume nobody wanted to get shot... 

[tomacht8]

14 minutes ago, orchidfan said:

Just wondering how exactly they define a "school zone "?

Two new 7~11 shops have opened conveniently close to our moo Baan. 

Both (although a fair way apart from each other) and not permitted to sell alcohol anytime because os this crazy rule.

The only schools I know of, remotely in the local area, are both Primary schools !

Have they thought of requiring ID from any "younger" person trying to buy alcohol, like they do in most of the rest of the world ???

On 6 February 2008 they made the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act to countrywide law. See section 27

 

On July 22, 2015, the Office of the Prime Minister of Thailand issued an amendment to the country’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Act

Under the amended Act, alcohol may not be sold “within 300 meters of the ‘fence’ of universities and colleges, both public and private.

 

That is law history.

Do not ask me if that make sense.

 

[Cake Monster]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

He told Thai Rath it was like "lying to yourself" about reality.

And there speaks a Man who knows all about " lying to yourself about reality" 

[Skeptic7]

He's only questioning it NOW??? I been questioning it since Day 1. ????

[Surasak]

7 hours ago, steven100 said:

it was originally put in place and ordered for businesses within school zones and then it was placed on all shops and stores.  

 

 

 

The afternoon ban has been in place for more than 30 years to my knowledge. And that was at a time when it was not compulsory for kids to attend school.

[Surasak]

7 hours ago, overherebc said:

Students as well??

Might just as well, they don't learn much.

[Surasak]

6 hours ago, JonnyF said:

There are lots of good things about living here. But for me, nonsensical laws that are arbitrarily enforced by corrupt officialdom is not one of them. Each to his own though, whatever floats your boat.

I need plenty of water to float my boat. ????

[Derek B]

So it seems no one knows why the specific restriction of 2-5 pm is in place.

So religion, health & wealth of the masses has been ruled out. 

 

Perhaps it is just a quite time of the day to allow double parking to re-stock.

 

 

[itsari]

1 hour ago, Bobydog said:

Nice to see some common sense, but the ban was in place to regulate "Sales" not the drinking of alcohol or did I get that wrong...

The statement about opening times is not made by a politician.

[Derek B]

2 hours ago, toolpush said:

Purachai claimed it was to stop school kids from purchasing alcohol during school hours.

So why do make them produce ID at the check out desk.

[dinsdale]

8 hours ago, inactiveposter said:

Years ago someone told me it was to stop students buying alcohol after school. I offer no opinion. ????

Yep. Thaksin. 2004. It came in my 1st year here. Completely absurd.

[connda]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand's tourism minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan admitted to Thai media yesterday that he hadn't any idea why the country bans drinking from 2 pm to 5 pm in the afternoon. 

Because that's how you keep the "little people" and commoners in line.

[connda]

Just now, connda said:

Because that's how you keep the "little people" and commoners in line.

Here's the one I love! 
"It to keep school-aged children and teen-agers from buying alcohol during lunch breaks."  ????

[ifmu]

8 hours ago, peter zwart said:

Then fire them.

and send the tourist home that dont like the rule

[chilly07]

7 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Correct, one of the reasons was to stop schoolkids buying alcohol after school and getting drunk before they got home in the evening.

Or buying it at lunchtime drinking steadily throughout the afternoon and finally getting paralytic by 5pm and stocking up again. Always wondered how they got so many kids on a bike!

[brucegoniners]

It should be questioned. It's idiotic!

[johng]

30 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Yep. Thaksin. 2004. It came in my 1st year here. Completely absurd.

I think the law was  on the books from before Thaksin era  but yes he did bring it back

for  a shortish while before it being largely ignored again until the latest  bunch came along.

 

Remember also that Thaksin  ordered the overnight closure of supermarkets and petrol stations  as an energy saving measure ? not quite sure if I remember the reason correctly or not....too much beer perhaps

[Caldera]

That silly 2pm to 5pm sales ban should be limited to school zones, or even better, binned outright.

[Notout]

I remember being told about this and being shown the the small signs saying so, not only on the fridges but at the cashier as well. I don't know if anyone else read the fine print on those little signs but it did say you could buy 10 litres or more during those hours. Forget the six pack or bottle of wine, they were absolutely forbidden but buying 10 litres was OK.

Anyone else read it or was I sober at the time?

(Serious question as to anyone else reading or knowing about it)

 

[tomacht8]

Thailand even has a research institute.

CAS

Center for Alcohol Studies www.cas.or.th

 

But not that anyone thinks that Booze will be tested all day there. 

????

Rather the opposite.

It is about the general alcohol restriction strategy for Thailand.

 

Small pdf attached, with the timeline of the measures.

 

Interesting e.g. from their own survey, 96,7% of the respondents said that they are able to get alcohol within 7 minutes.

 

They actually provide evidence that their purchase restrictions are ineffective. TiT

Alcohol-Control-Policies-in-Thailand.pdf

[thailand49]

If any of the comments are true then this country leaders are backwards.  When I first got here I met a guy who has been living here for 35 years I still remember what he told me about the word

"Backwards"  that is being too kind.

 

Thailand has a million rules but very few are ever enforced it seems they like to copy and be part of the in crowd. This month favor " Green " but the burning will continue regardless, no plastic bags at major stores but the majority of bags are being sold at the local markets no shortage if you ever been to one. Rules all in place enforced by the honor system the problem there is no honor!

 

If the ban is to stop drinking during working hours then maybe prior to be hired if caught the consequences? 

Has it even dawn on them to even ask business like 7/11 to ask for an I.D.?  has it dawn on anyone to do some sting checkup when the rules are in place to the mom and pops, Thai wholesalers, not to sell to minor if caught fined continue you are out of business, really end of story!

 

Has it dawn on them that business who continue to serves liquor to a patron when he or she is clearly drunk that they need to be made responsible to a point.

 

As for the 24/7 ban purposed around school, here in Chon Buri it was abandon days after the government admitted they had no idea how to enforce it, wasn't it like 300 meter or something from the school that would basically put majority out of business.

 

A major element of enforcement is putting doubt here you have to ask what is it?  there isn't enough manpower in any country to enforce a rule but you got enforce it not sit in their A/C offices and think up this stupid stuff that goes no where!  The Honor system doesn't work never have and no matter how many times one visit the Temple nothing is going to change until you get you ass out of the office and enforce the idea!  The minister spoke the truth what he didn't do was cross the line and tell it like I just did!

 

Drinking here culture call it whatever people want to call it, but the acceptance thinking is a epidemic it will take like driving decades of education, enforcement for Thais to drink responsibly and that is what it is about for most things. Nothing will ever change no rule put in place is going to do it because those who can change it hasn't be educated themselves. they come from the same swamp to change you need to lead by example and here that isn't going to happen in my lifetime with these leaders and the corruptions that goes on.

 

None of my comments has anything to do with government being a Nanny State there are times when one lives in a society there are rules for the greater good it really is that simple!????????

 

[Isaan sailor]

TG for the local markets.  They’ll sell beer (as long as it’s bagged) anytime between 2 and 5 P.M.  They also offer credit to those in need.  Whatever it takes to survive.

[shaff]

I was stopped at big C at 10 minutes to 11 oclock saying I need to wait at the cashier up to 11 sharp to buy the bottle of wine! I just left it! never came across such a situation in my life

[Mac Mickmanus]

2 minutes ago, shaff said:

I was stopped at big C at 10 minutes to 11 oclock saying I need to wait at the cashier up to 11 sharp to buy the bottle of wine! I just left it! never came across such a situation in my life

Errrmmm , you can buy wine at 11 AM , 10.50 AM is out of the buying time .

   What made you think that you would be able to buy wine outside of the time zone restrictions ?