Thailand’s liquor vendors want 2-5pm alcohol sales ban revoked

[spidermike007]

It is one of Thailand's silliest laws, and was likely based on a sense of false purity, and notions of absolute control over the masses. How do you stop people from drinking, when they want to drink? I suppose it had something to do with ideas of preventing the population from being lazy in the middle of the day. Does not change anything, one iota. Scrap the law. Man up guys. 

[thailand49]

16 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

That was never the reason anyway , its just something that's often stated on forums and it seems to have become a fact on forums .

   Think about it ; Kids are in school at 2 PM and its illegal for them to buy alcohol anyway .

  Why would there need to be a law forbidding kids from buying alcohol at certain times, when there's already a law stating kids  cannot buy alcohol at anytime ?

Yes they state which is the honor system which doesn't work here for years whether forbidden kids in my Thai village even before covid just go into local store 8-10 and buy for their parents. I was at my daughter's in-law home last week drinking having dinner fat little brother 11 gets on motorbike when he could have walked to the Lotus Fresh came back with a box of Leo. Law is useless never seen a kid turn away.

[Heng]

This law has always had me drinking less (along with the ban of alcohol sales in gas station mini marts: drinking and driving less too) just because of the removed convenience.  

 

Right now currently in Iceland where the laws don't allow alcohol sales in supermarkets... haven't had a drink until dinner for a couple of weeks now.   By then all the school children are safely at home and it's too icy and windy to go out driving at night anyway.... 

 

IMO it's the relative benefits of these laws that matter. 

 

 

[alex8912]

6 hours ago, Skeptic7 said:

But didn't seriously start being enforced until sometime in past decade. Absolutely the most inane and vacuous law in a country which excels in both attributes. 

I remember just a couple years ago most of the 7/11's in Pattaya still sold alcohol they must not have had auto shut off. Then they stopped mostly but Family mart still sold. In BKK they did not sell 2-5. I o wondered how that worked in Pattaya and not elsewhere. It's a very odd law and no matter how many times I come here you just forget. 4:40 is a pain too. You have to literally wait till 5 .

[Skeptic7]

11 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

I remember just a couple years ago most of the 7/11's in Pattaya still sold alcohol they must not have had auto shut off. Then they stopped mostly but Family mart still sold. In BKK they did not sell 2-5. I o wondered how that worked in Pattaya and not elsewhere. It's a very odd law and no matter how many times I come here you just forget. 4:40 is a pain too. You have to literally wait till 5 .

When I lived in BKK on Sukhumvit Soi 19, for a couple years the 7-11 nearby sold between these times and Family Mart, just a minute away, didn't. Then 7-11 stopped and Family Mart did and continued until just a few years ago. Most other stores in the area wouldn't sell, so Family Mart did a bang up business between 2-5. ????

[zoltannyc]

Not only Thailand other countries/states have their strange laws regarding sales and consumption of alcohol.

Sales - Beer: 24 hours, Wine & spirits: 8 a.m. – midnight (Mon–Sat) Noon – 9 p.m. (Sun).
 

Off-premises sale of wine and spirits is only at liquor stores, and beer is not sold at liquor stores; it must be sold at supermarkets and convenience stores. 

Some counties may retain the Sunday morning beer prohibition which the state discontinued as of July 30, 2006. There are twelve dry towns, mostly in the western region of the state. Many counties have more restrictive off-premises hours, such as bans on beer sales overnight (hours vary).

All liquor stores must be owned by a single owner, who owns that store and lives within a certain distance of it—effectively banning chain liquor stores from the state.

New York City law does not allow open containers of alcohol in public. Can't drink in any city park unless inside of a restaurant.

Distilled spirits may not be sold within 200 feet of a school, church, synagogue or other place of worship.

[Jumbo1968]

13 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

Did you know that stores (in my experience 7-11s) near to schools are not allowed to sell alcohol? Not sure what the proximity limit is but there is a 7-11 in Soi 88, Hua Hin opposite a school that does not sell alcohol.

 

Two established 7/11s one directly opposite and one hundred metres from my sons school sell alcohol during the permitted hours, there was a Family Mart which also sold alcohol but it has since closed. A new 7/11 opened nearby the school before Covid but has since closed, it never sold alcohol, rumour was the franchisee was Muslim ?

[UTH001]

13 hours ago, Meat Pie 47 said:

Well I have news for you try any normal shop or 7/11 in Oz to buy alcohol is a no no you can only buy alcohol in bottleshops but they are open all day not in supermarkets but some have a bottleshop attached but not in a supermarket or 7/11

What's that got to do with the topic at hand? Australia has had a history of very weird alcohol laws, mostly copied from the UK. I remember the days when being a 'bona fide' traveler, you could drink as much as you liked on a Sunday afternoon and then drive home...

[cyril sneer]

it's designed to make people panic, stock up, start earlier, then drink more than they usually would

 

this generates more tax money

 

 

[SAFETY FIRST]

13 hours ago, Meat Pie 47 said:

Well I have news for you try any normal shop or 7/11 in Oz to buy alcohol is a no no you can only buy alcohol in bottleshops but they are open all day not in supermarkets but some have a bottleshop attached but not in a supermarket or 7/11

Funny thing happened to me a few years back.

 

My company sent me back to Australia to get a visa for a country I had to work.

My mate came to visit me, at the hotel I was staying in. After a few hours he was heading off, I asked if he would give me a lift to the 7-Eleven down the road, he asked what I wanted from 7-Eleven and I said beer, he laughed saying they don't sell alcohol at the 7-Eleven stores.

 

I completely forgot about it, we're lucky here in Thailand. 

 

He gave me a lift to the bottle shop. 

[sirineou]

6 minutes ago, cyril sneer said:

it's designed to make people panic, stock up, start earlier, then drink more than they usually would

 

this generates more tax money

 

 

If that was the case wouldn't  Thailand’s liquor vendors also be happy? 

[thecyclist]

That law was introduced by the Thaksin administration. There was no such law in the seventies, eighties and into the nineties. Thaksin's minister Purachai(the pure one) was spearheading efforts to make Thailand pure again. Strictly no prostitution(so unpurachai/pure) either back then.

[PETERTHEEATER]

14 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

Did you know that stores (in my experience 7-11s) near to schools are not allowed to sell alcohol? Not sure what the proximity limit is but there is a 7-11 in Soi 88, Hua Hin opposite a school that does not sell alcohol.

A school that does not sell alcohol? What's  the world coming to.....????

[mtls2005]

20 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Sixteen entertainment establishments are calling on the government to scrap a law, introduced by a military junta in 1972, which bans the sale of alcoholic beverages between 2pm and 5pm.

 

Are entertainment establishments restricted from selling during these  hours? I thought that it was only retail establishments?

 

Can't say there'd be a big push for this change? Unless retailing giants like Charoen Pokphand Group and Central get behind it. I mean if they want it, they can get it.

 

 

 

 

 

[Jumbo1968]

Been for walk along Soi Bukhao in Pattaya alcohol is being openly sold between 2 & 5 in the majority of bars not a Policeman in sight, the Police do tend to be around at 11pm though.

[metisdead]

An offensive troll post has been removed.

[Jimbo53]

15 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

Did you know that stores (in my experience 7-11s) near to schools are not allowed to sell alcohol? Not sure what the proximity limit is but there is a 7-11 in Soi 88, Hua Hin opposite a school that does not sell alcohol.

 

All that means is that the 14/15 year old students have to travel further on their multi passenger motorbikes without wearing helmets to get their beer after school ????.

[BadSpottedDog]

23 hours ago, howlee101 said:

Agree on being a strange law.  Growing up in middle Georgia, our town was beer only but not on Sunday (can't fight the Southern ????).  I lived in NW Florida during my military days....couldn't buy alcohol until noon on Sunday (the church thing again).  The restricted hours are a joke.

My extended family lived in a dry county (no booze at all) in the deep south USA. I always thought it odd. Since religion was driving this law, everyone (including preachers) would drive either 1 hour north or 1 hour south to get booze and then travel back (hopefully) with it in the trunk of the car. But maybe not? 
This seemed to increase the risk of drunk driving. 
UPDATE: The county is still "dry".

[howlee101]

11 minutes ago, BadSpottedDog said:

My extended family lived in a dry county (no booze at all) in the deep south USA. I always thought it odd. Since religion was driving this law, everyone (including preachers) would drive either 1 hour north or 1 hour south to get booze and then travel back (hopefully) with it in the trunk of the car. But maybe not? 
This seemed to increase the risk of drunk driving. 
UPDATE: The county is still "dry".

I didn't have any proof to my short short....but seems like every few years a vote would be on the ballot to allow liquor sales in our county.  The churches were the biggest voice to vote against passing the proposal.  And (supposedly) the biggest donors to the churches were the liquor stores of the surrounding counties.  Not all, but the churches were sometimes the biggest hypocrites...party on Saturday night, go to church on Sunday to condemn the sinners. ????

[zzaa09]

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

It is one of Thailand's silliest laws, and was likely based on a sense of false purity, and notions of absolute control over the masses. How do you stop people from drinking, when they want to drink? I suppose it had something to do with ideas of preventing the population from being lazy in the middle of the day. Does not change anything, one iota. Scrap the law. Man up guys. 

A bit of a public loss of face would be in the works as well - never would they concede that they were absolutely wrong enacting these silly draconian measures. 

 

Like many proposed or practiced mandates, has little to do with the intent of the population's well being, but instead grafted from their intuitive desire to egotistically repress. 

 

No such beast as intelligent bureaucracy - 

[popabear]

Are you sure Bro you need a drink. Fancy needing a drink when on holidays , "oh" maybe we go down to the beer bars and drink , ''what '' they are closed to . Regards Popa

[RobU]

I can't remember when it was rescinded but the same law applied in the UK in the 80's specialist 'Off Licences' were the only places you could buy alcohol outside a pub and they were always closed in the afternoon, as were pubs. Thailand adopted many UK systems (e.g. civil service) and laws but has not progressed them in the same way as the UK 

[Kalasin Jo]

On 3/17/2022 at 8:10 PM, Mac Mickmanus said:

It must be annoying for the cashier , to keep telling you that you cannot buy alcohol after 2 PM , she must be thinking "How many times do I need to tell him before he remembers"

We know. There are signs up. What is annoying for them and us is that this law exists at all and is only enforced by the chain supermarkets and of course 7/11.  It doesn't stop anyone drinking between 2 & 5pm anyway. It's irritating to drive 30km to do a shop, as I must, then to arrive at the checkout in good time, but perhaps have to wait in a queue, then unload my purchases only to find I'm out of time, which the cashier can do nothing about. The tills in Big C will simply not let her/him ring it up. Happened a week ago. Less than a minute too late, although my venerable timepiece said otherwise. Sigh, smile and move on.

I've decided to buy my wine and beer online now, whilst if I just want a Chang the village shops are happy to sell at any time, day or night.

[Seeall]

2 hours ago, BadSpottedDog said:

My extended family lived in a dry county (no booze at all) in the deep south USA. I always thought it odd. Since religion was driving this law, everyone (including preachers) would drive either 1 hour north or 1 hour south to get booze and then travel back (hopefully) with it in the trunk of the car. But maybe not? 
This seemed to increase the risk of drunk driving. 
UPDATE: The county is still "dry".

Bull .....   love drinking with old timers usa ... Jack... always drink me under the table... I still up for it but, bring it!!!

[Mac Mickmanus]

5 hours ago, Jimbo53 said:

All that means is that the 14/15 year old students have to travel further on their multi passenger motorbikes without wearing helmets to get their beer after school ????.

No, under 20 year olds cannot buy alcohol in Thailand  

[Mac Mickmanus]

9 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

It is one of Thailand's silliest laws, and was likely based on a sense of false purity, and notions of absolute control over the masses. How do you stop people from drinking, when they want to drink? I suppose it had something to do with ideas of preventing the population from being lazy in the middle of the day. Does not change anything, one iota. Scrap the law. Man up guys. 

The law is intended to stop people drinking all day .

Like is someone has a beer at lunchtime, they could very well continue drinking all day 

[Jimbo53]

2 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

No, under 20 year olds cannot buy alcohol in Thailand  

And????

[pomchop]

9 hours ago, thecyclist said:

That law was introduced by the Thaksin administration. There was no such law in the seventies, eighties and into the nineties. Thaksin's minister Purachai(the pure one) was spearheading efforts to make Thailand pure again. Strictly no prostitution(so unpurachai/pure) either back then.

The OP says the law is 50 years old...Taksin was PM 2001-2006 so ...about 15-20 years ago.

[Mac Mickmanus]

35 minutes ago, Jimbo53 said:

And????

....................and that means they won't be travelling further to buy alcohol 

[Jimbo53]

7 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

....................and that means they won't be travelling further to buy alcohol 

R u for real?