Thai Public Health Minister “deeply concerned” about alcohol drinking during Songkran leading to covid spread, looking at possible stricter control rules

[webfact]

PHOTO: Facebook 'Like Anutin'

 

By Adam Judd

 

Bangkok, Thailand-  The Thai Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, is reportedly deeply concerned about alcohol drinking during Songkran and parties and is reviewing the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act for ways to potentially control the consumption of alcohol stricter during the upcoming festival in mid-April.

 

Songkran, or the Thai New Year/Water Festival, is traditionally the biggest holiday of the year for Thais, falling in mid-April. Although some activities are allowed this year compared to the past two years of basically cancellation, the world-famous water fights and alcohol-fueled parties, dancing, and festivals that go with it have been banned for a third year in a row nationwide, with Anutin citing the concern of Covid-19 spread as the reason.

 

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However, Mr. Charnvirakul stated today, March 30th, 2022, he remains “deeply concerned” about drinking parties and circles leading to a greater spread of Covid-19.

 

As a result, he said relevant agencies were reviewing the Alcoholic Beverage Act from 2008 to potentially enforce and enact stricter rules during the festival, including for advertising, promotion, and consumption.

 

Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2022/03/30/thai-public-health-minister-deeply-concerned-about-alcohol-drinking-during-songkran-leading-to-covid-spread-looking-at-possible-stricter-control-rules/

 

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[Thaiwrath]

Mr. Charnvirakul also urged people not to drink and drive during Songkran

 

During Songkran ?

This should be 'urged' all year round, and strictly enforced, with severe penalties for offenders, and is one of the main reasons for the horrific road death toll.

And this clown wants to be the next P.M. ! 

[daveAustin]

That’s it, take away any sort of happiness from the people while the rich thieves live it up with their own private parties. Wishes to Insert appropriate four letter word. 

[it is what it is]

37 minutes ago, Thaiwrath said:

Mr. Charnvirakul also urged people not to drink and drive during Songkran

 

During Songkran ?

This should be 'urged' all year round, and strictly enforced, with severe penalties for offenders, and is one of the main reasons for the horrific road death toll.

And this clown wants to be the next P.M. ! 

look guys, we're relying on you not to drink and drive because to be honest the police aren't going to be around to stop you. so, you just don't do it, ok?

 

note to self; songkran drink/driving problem solved. next?!

[Geoffggi]

Easy cancel Songkran celebrations outside of home environment - Job done ...!!!

[Skeptic7]

Thought it was endemic and time to learn to live with it? More neverending Covidiocy and double talk by the dolts in charge. 

[vandeventer]

So what's with the alcohol? Is it because people get closer when they drink? Well how close do they get when they throw a bucket of water on your head?

[Nicholas Paul KNIGHT]

Mr anutin, drinking and parties etc, It is called Thainess, drink,drive, have accidents , die, why stop the people enjoying themselves and dying.

You know make ANY LAW Thais will break it , live with it just have plenty of SOBER RTP and Ambulances standing by 

[grubman]

Maybe they should just make Alcohol illegal and let the population smoke weed legally, Problems solved ????????????

[Paul Henry]

A government with an obsession with alcohol for the people. They want the tax they want the benefits bestowed upon them by the brewers and distillers. They want their private parties but no way should the general population be allowed the responsibility of social drinking. Put some of the tax collected into education programmes highlighting the problems with uncontrolled alcohol consumption and the health effects heavy drinking can induce.

[Reigntax]

Concerned that he hasn’t found a way to make a buck out of it yet.

[JohnOFphon]

Ever notice that his head is shaped like a large coffee can? 

[jaiyen]

Why does he think that drinking alcohol in a group will spread Covid any more than travelling on a bus or train, going shopping in places like Siam Paragon or eating in a big restaurant ? Simple answer, He is a clueless moron !

[Thailand]

No drinking but cannabis is OK. 

[ikke1959]

Why did they approve to celebrate Songkran this year?? No water splashing, no big groups gathering, and now no alcohol drinking.... In fact they reduce the National holiday back to normal days, except that everybody will be pushed to travel to their families to spread there the virus, with a ot of traffic deaths and accidents. Cancel the whole celebration or let the people have at least some fun. Of course alcohol and driving are not going together.  I really hope that the next Government will end the hysterical rules of alcohol and that the rules are being normalised as in many western countries.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The Thai Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, is reportedly deeply concerned about alcohol drinking during Songkran and parties and is reviewing the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act for ways to potentially control the consumption of alcohol stricter during the upcoming festival in mid-April.

$%#$ off Anutin, give the people some slack.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

Mr. Charnvirakul also urged people not to drink and drive during Songkran

 

During Songkran ?

This should be 'urged' all year round, and strictly enforced, with severe penalties for offenders, and is one of the main reasons for the horrific road death toll.

And this clown wants to be the next P.M. ! 

If he brings in stricter alcohol laws he won't be... 

[hotchilli]

28 minutes ago, grubman said:

Maybe they should just make Alcohol illegal and let the population smoke weed legally, Problems solved ????????????

Problem halved.

[jacko45k]

Just now, ikke1959 said:

Cancel the whole celebration or let the people have at least some fun.

No, quite wrong. My Mrs will travel back to her home village as usual and spend about a week there, reuniting with family, and I assure you she will have fun and an enjoyable time. It is not a binary situation. The craziness displayed in Pattaya or Khao Sahn Rd, isn't the essential component you might believe. 

[Bert got kinky]

 

As a result, he said relevant agencies were reviewing the Alcoholic Beverage Act from 2008 to potentially enforce and enact stricter rules during the festival, including for advertising, promotion, and consumption.

 

That will upset Pattaya's alcoholic pensioners. ????

[spidermike007]

We as the citizens and expats of Thailand remain deeply concerned about Anutin remaining as health minister during a national crisis. If the government cared one iota about the people he would have been replaced in March 2020. Instead politics, and cronyism rule the day. 

[WEBBYB808]

Let me see if I can understand the logic here.  It was ok in Dec 2021 to have fireworks and music festivals  every weekend  drawing in tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands,  where everyone was packed on the beach, in bars, and other places elbow to elbow, promoting the spread of covid.  Proof shown as the numbers climbed higher than ever in Thailand.   Even allowed and had New Year celebrations every where.  But The Thais cant have their holiday?  Wheres the logic?  Ok,  tourist cities can have their parties and festivals, if they get sick, they get sick, but we will get their money, and it will be only they that get sick, not local nationals.... wait a min that did cause a rise and spread of COVID.  Sorry local nationals you cant have your party.

[WEBBYB808]

3 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

Mr. Charnvirakul also urged people not to drink and drive during Songkran

 

During Songkran ?

This should be 'urged' all year round, and strictly enforced, with severe penalties for offenders, and is one of the main reasons for the horrific road death toll.

And this clown wants to be the next P.M. ! 

They dont have enough police or vehicles  to enforce this and the level of integrity is not a high value in certain areas of the world.. 

[DezLez]

Q. Where in the world is a holiday NOT a holiday?

A. Thailand!

[WEBBYB808]

29 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

No, quite wrong. My Mrs will travel back to her home village as usual and spend about a week there, reuniting with family, and I assure you she will have fun and an enjoyable time. It is not a binary situation. The craziness displayed in Pattaya or Khao Sahn Rd, isn't the essential component you might believe. 

You are correct.  Just yesterday it was in the news that busses  will be ready and more available  during Songkran, so there is the proof.  They will stop nothing and its all media control. They know people are still gonna do it, and they will facilitate  travel to do this with more busses to get them together. 

[AhFarangJa]

Does this moron really believe that what he dictates to the populace will have one iota of relevance to the vast majority of the  people living in the rural areas. Every Thai I speak to in our village, and surroundings have nothing but distain for all the cronies in the parliament.

[ezzra]

I wonder whether the dear minister follows his own advice, i'm sure he will not abstain from the good drop and as for driving around has his own chauffeur to do his driving...

[pops1]

Why are they always so concerned about people enjoying themselves???? Is it because they are so uptight that the thought of people being happy eats them up inside???? The hiso folk in Thailand need to relax they are so stiff they could be wooden.

[RichardColeman]

2 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

Easy cancel Songkran celebrations outside of home environment - Job done ...!!!

No, better a carrot and stick approach - NO Songkran unless deaths are reduced ALL year on the road by 20%

 

3 hours ago, daveAustin said:

That’s it, take away any sort of happiness from the people while the rich thieves live it up with their own private parties. Wishes to Insert appropriate four letter word. 

You do not have to jump into a car after drinking - drinking is not the issue. nor is parties (lo or hi so) - insaneness by driving  AFTER is

[metisdead]

A post using a trolling image has been reported and removed.