Alcohol sales ban in Thailand between 2 PM – 5 PM to be lifted nationwide on July 1st but only in hotels, says Tourism Minister

[webfact]

File Photo, Thai tourism Minister.

 

By Adam Judd

 

National — The long-standing alcohol sales ban between 2-5 PM will be lifted nationwide on July 1st but only in hotels, the Tourism and Sports Minister said today, June 17th, at the Center for Covid-19 Situation (CCSA) meeting. 

 

According to Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the CCSA has agreed to lift the unpopular nationwide alcohol sales ban between 2 PM – 5 PM, starting this July 1st along with the other newest relaxations that have just been updated today, June 17th, by the CCSA. 

 

Nevertheless, the change, according to the minister, will initially be limited to hotels that cater to tourists.

 

Restaurants and tourist attractions may also sell alcohol during the extended period, at the provincial governor’s discretion, the minister said. 

 

Full story: https://thephuketexpress.com/2022/06/17/alcohol-sales-ban-in-thailand-between-2-pm-5-pm-to-be-lifted-nationwide-on-july-1st-but-only-in-hotels-says-tourism-minister/

 

-- © Copyright The Phuket Express 2022-06-18

 

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[chang1]

How long before 7-11s have bedrooms?

[chrischronic]

Not once in my 10plus years staying at hotels around Thailand have they ever restricted me from buying a beer at these times. 

[aussiexpat]

Was this ever a thing? I just spent 4 months in Pattaya and only 7-11 restricted alcohol sales between 2-5pm, everything else was no problem 

 

Edit: oh wait, Hooters went all in. I turned up at 1 pm for lunch and they told me to come back at 5 if I wanted a beer (so they didn't bother with the 11-2pm)

 

[Willy Wombat]

The hub of half measure’s.

[Skeptic7]

The STUPIDEST law EVER. And this announcement is a load of ???? ????. This place is so outta touch with reality and so behind every curve it's just stunning. 

[Thailand]

They are smoking the real stuff!

[tandor]

17 minutes ago, Thailand said:

They are smoking the real stuff!

..i think the clouds of smoke are making it difficult to gaze into their crystal ball.

[RichardColeman]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

 The long-standing alcohol sales ban between 2-5 PM

Bunch of stone-age numpties

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, aussiexpat said:

Was this ever a thing? I just spent 4 months in Pattaya and only 7-11 restricted alcohol sales between 2-5pm, everything else was no problem 

Well the major supermarkets, like Big C and Lotus also have the restrictive hours. Stopped the groups of farangs drinking in AC comfort and at supermarket prices in the food courts. 

[ezzra]

I'm yet to know of a country who has so many stupid, senseless and useless rules, regulations laws and ordinance as this country, which most of them impossible to force anyway especially with mostly corrupt law enforcement agencies...

 

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, ezzra said:

I'm yet to know of a country who has so many stupid, senseless and useless rules, regulations laws and ordinance as this country, which most of them impossible to force anyway especially with mostly corrupt law enforcement agencies...

 

USA?

[Excel]

1 hour ago, chang1 said:

How long before 7-11s have bedrooms?

In my local 7/11 they already do except they call it the shop as half of the staff appear to have fallen asleep over their phones so hence can not attend to customers in a timely manner.

[daveAustin]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The long-standing alcohol sales ban between 2-5 PM will be lifted nationwide on July 1st but only in hotels

lol

[grain]

Most ridiculous law, brought in during Takky's time to stop school children from buying booze. Just scrap the whole stupid law, and make it illegal to sell alcohol products to under age kids? 

[inThailand]

So this was done to attract tourists? All it did was highlight what an out of touch monkey republic this place really is?

 

Next law, masks only needed between 2 and 5pm in hotels? 

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, Excel said:

In my local 7/11 they already do except they call it the shop as half of the staff appear to have fallen asleep over their phones so hence can not attend to customers in a timely manner.

There used to be a dog sat at the back of my local  7-11, not at the entrance for you to step over, but well inside. Lay down near the cold meats chiller.... presumably wandered in each day, and the staff didn't seem to think it an issue. The joke was it was the owner keeping an eye on things. 

[rwill]

12 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Well the major supermarkets, like Big C and Lotus also have the restrictive hours. Stopped the groups of farangs drinking in AC comfort and at supermarket prices in the food courts. 

I have been able to buy alcohol between those hours at Villa Market.  Don't know how they get around the law.

 

Around 5 years or so ago the law used to be you couldn't buy between 2-5PM unless you bought so many liters worth.  I think you had to buy 15 big bottles or so.  But then they closed that.

[jacko45k]

Just now, rwill said:

I have been able to buy alcohol between those hours at Villa Market.  Don't know how they get around the law.

 

Around 5 years or so ago the law used to be you couldn't buy between 2-5PM unless you bought so many liters worth.  I think you had to buy 15 big bottles or so.  But then they closed that.

Yes I have distributors near me that do not seem to have a problem selling  a few cold ones from the fridge, or a case at 3pm. 

[Excel]

11 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

There used to be a dog sat at the back of my local  7-11, not at the entrance for you to step over, but well inside. Lay down near the cold meats chiller.... presumably wandered in each day, and the staff didn't seem to think it an issue. The joke was it was the owner keeping an eye on things. 

And more alert than the staff no doubt ????

[Moonlover]

10 minutes ago, grain said:

Most ridiculous law, brought in during Takky's time to stop school children from buying booze. Just scrap the whole stupid law, and make it illegal to sell alcohol products to under age kids? 

How can that be so? School kids are in class during the periods in which the ban is imposed. And BTW it is already illegal to sell alcohol to anyone under 20 years.

 

So try again. ????

[sammieuk1]

There is a serious possibility of sensibility breaking out here we need a crackdown ????

[Excel]

7 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

How can that be so? School kids are in class during the periods in which the ban is imposed. And BTW it is already illegal to sell alcohol to anyone under 20 years.

 

So try again. ????

School kids in class during the period 2pm to 5 pm ?  Thai state school normal finishing times are 3:30/4 pm.  However I suspect that, whilst that restriction was/is ridiculous, most of the under age drinking was done by older kids who never bothered to go to school anyway  

[2long]

It COULD be a step in the right direction and the Muppets in charge admitting they're wrong without actually doing so.

Most 'bars' have rooms upstairs, so could claim to be hotels. They might even be registered as hotels.

Then in a few months the bigwigs at CP will say 'hey this isn't fair. Let us sell in 7Eleven.'... and there you have it!

 

Ok, time for me to wake up, smell the coffee and do some work! ????

[swm59nj]

Alcohol I noticed seems to be one of the major topics  living in Thailand. 
I guess it is if that is what you live for. 
Oh and the comments about all the stupid rules in other countries.  But people complain about the rules in Thailand.  Usually the same people.  
 

 

 

 

 

[jacko45k]

8 minutes ago, 2long said:

Most 'bars' have rooms upstairs, so could claim to be hotels.

I think there is more to it than simply having rooms upstairs or making a declaration. 

[ikke1959]

The headline should not be  : Alcohol sales ban lifted between 2pm-5pm. That is misleading

It should be " Tourist hotels can sell alcohol between 2pm and 5 pm.. 

And how about restaurants?? Why make so much news out of nothing?? Lift the whole ban all over Thailand  and that would be real news

[StayinThailand2much]

11 minutes ago, Excel said:

However I suspect that, whilst that restriction was/is ridiculous, most of the under age drinking was done by older kids who never bothered to go to school anyway  

Reportedly, the older school kids got around this by buying their beer at the local mom-and-pop shop...

[tukadadoll]

2 hours ago, chrischronic said:

Not once in my 10plus years staying at hotels around Thailand have they ever restricted me from buying a beer at these times. 

Indeed, they are getting rid of a restriction that very few bars or businesses adhered to. Only supermarkets, Seven Eleven, apparently hooters, and chains like MK. 

[aussiexpat]

10 minutes ago, tukadadoll said:

Indeed, they are getting rid of a restriction that very few bars or businesses adhered to. Only supermarkets, Seven Eleven, apparently hooters, and chains like MK. 

In fairness to Hooters, when they wouldn't serve me a beer until 5pm it was in mid Januray and bars had just opened from covid lockdown. It was enough to put me off so I never went back but they may have changed policy since (don't want a defamation suit lol)