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

[BostonRob2]

4 hours 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...

 

Try the middle east, you can find it between the west and the east.

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, Babalooey said:

Isn’t anyone who stays at a hotel considered a “Tourist”? 

That could be why the easing of the regulation applies to everyone, not just tourists

[Burma Bill]

2 hours ago, grain said:

during Takky's time as PM the law was brought into effect to prevent school kids for getting alcohol.

With respect, it was not during Thaksin's era as PM. The law was amended on July 22nd 2015.

 

https://www.loc.gov/item/global-legal-monitor/2015-08-14/thailand-alcohol-banned-near-educational-institutions/#:~:text=Article Thailand%3A Alcohol Banned Near,force 30 days after

 

The PM at the time was none other than the Covid-19 Czar: 

 

The post of prime minister is currently held by General Prayut Chan-o-cha, who was formally appointed to the office on 24 August 2014. (Wikipedia)

[RafPinto]

Never had any problems getting my alcohol out of 7/11

 

Now in a new version: Disguised as sun creme.

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, maddermax said:

Will this also apply to buying alcohol in supermarkets?

Are supermarkets hotels (or restaurants)?

[aussiexpat]

So far this month they've legalized bars and clubs to re-open, those same bars and clubs to open until 2am instead of 12pm and now hotels to serve booze between 2-5pm

 

All of these things were already happening prior to any announcement. Net effect on Thailand tourism zero

 

Edited June 18, 2022 by aussiexpat

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

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

A beer or glass of wine with an afternoon meal... good god has Thailand gone crazy.

[Antiparovian]

Scrotum

[ikke1959]

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Try reading the OP!

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

 

So in every province or maybe every bar / restauarant a different permission.. Deends on the mood and the envelops the governor gets???? If this Government can't make clear decisions for the cuntry but give the responsibilty always to te Governors.. Why do we need a Government than??? It should be clear for all and everywhere..... Lifted for everyone or no lifting at all

[Jimbo2014]

Does this mean we dont have to have 3 hours foresight any more? Rule makes little sense anyway.  

[Liverpool Lou]

3 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

2 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Try reading the OP!

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

Precisely.

[sambum]

I have lost count of the number of times I have seen staff at Macro and Tesco Lotus watch farangs pick up bottles or cans of beer/alcohol and watch them carry on with their shopping only to be told at the checkout "Sorry, no can have", much to the annoyance of the customer.

 

Would it not be an exercise in Customer Relations for ALL the staff to be instructed to notify the customers picking up booze out of purchasing hours, "Sorry, no can have"?

 

 

[sambum]

1 hour ago, aussiexpat said:

So far this month they've legalized bars and clubs to re-open, those same bars and clubs to open until 2am instead of 12pm and now hotels to serve booze between 2-5pm

 

All of these things were already happening prior to any announcement. Net effect on Thailand tourism zero

 

Now they have brought it to the public notice, SOME prospective tourists may just think "Apart from having to wear a mask in public places, now I find that I can't  buy booze between 2 and 5 pm at a supermarket - I'm holidaying elsewhere"

 

It's a stupid rule anyway - what purpose does it serve? 

[Thingamabob]

This law, introduced by Thaksin, is one of the most stupid ever enacted in Thailand. Utterly pointless, and a real turn-off for tourists/visitors/people generally. Thankfully ignored by many outlets, however this half-assed statement from today's government is almost as stupid as the original law.

[SunsetT]

Covid restrictions excepted, the ban was never applied in hotels anyway. At least not in any hotels that I stayed at.

[mikeymike100]

24 minutes ago, sambum said:

I have lost count of the number of times I have seen staff at Macro and Tesco Lotus watch farangs pick up bottles or cans of beer/alcohol and watch them carry on with their shopping only to be told at the checkout "Sorry, no can have", much to the annoyance of the customer.

 

Would it not be an exercise in Customer Relations for ALL the staff to be instructed to notify the customers picking up booze out of purchasing hours, "Sorry, no can have"?

 

 

In the 'real world' you would be absolutely correct, but Thailand is in the Twilight Zone. LOL

[sambum]

Going by the pic, the hierarchy are obviously saying thank you to Buddha for something - the legalisation of marijuana perhaps? I'm surprised Anutin isn't there to put his oar in!!!

 

Edited June 18, 2022 by sambum
Spelling

[wandasloan]

5 hours ago, grain said:

If the law dates from 1971 then it wasn't enforced. 

If you don't know the answer to that question after 44 years of Thailand, perhaps you should step back for a while and attempt a smidgeon of education. Courses are easy to find and tuition is usually free - or maybe a bevvie at most.

That said, the law was ALWAYS enforced. But arbitrarily, depending upon the need. There's a course on that, too, if you feel the need.

 

[wandasloan]

1 hour ago, Thingamabob said:

This law, introduced by Thaksin, is one of the most stupid ever enacted in Thailand. Utterly pointless, and a real turn-off for tourists/visitors/people generally. Thankfully ignored by many outlets, however this half-assed statement from today's government is almost as stupid as the original law.

The law was not introduced by Thaksin, who was in school when the law was introduced.

Presuming that you are thinking at all, you're thinking of a different regulation that was applied  (and still is) depending on the distance of the alcohol sale from schools, and had nothing to do with hours.

 

[DaRoadrunner]

Seems we are now considered old enough to decide if we can have a beer in the afternoon.

 

Booze and Ganja now readily available. Is this a Gov't ploy? Get the populace drunk and stoned, keep em happy and they will all vote for them next election.

[roger101]

1 hour ago, Thingamabob said:

This law, introduced by Thaksin, is one of the most stupid ever enacted in Thailand. Utterly pointless, and a real turn-off for tourists/visitors/people generally. Thankfully ignored by many outlets, however this half-assed statement from today's government is almost as stupid as the original law.

Wrong Prime Minister.

[wimpy]

8 hours ago, 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.

Maybe you should refrain from broadcasting that info.

[Thalueng]

Couldn't agree more. Complaining about things which are different from expectation seems to be less effort than learning and understanding different cultures and backgrounds. 

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, Thalueng said:

Couldn't agree more. Complaining about things which are different from expectation seems to be less effort than learning and understanding different cultures and backgrounds. 

I wouldn’t exactly consider a dumb law introduced by a military junta as ‘culture’.. 

 

So... exactly which part of Thailands laws would you classify as ‘culture’ ?? 

 

 

If people (Thai or Foreign) didn’t voice their opinions we’d be left with a lot more stupid stuff around us...  

 

You also seem to think that having a negative opinion means making no effort to understand and learn different cultures and backgrounds...  thats just a bit dumb. 

 

 

[ikke1959]

3 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Precisely.

iN Phetchaburi not allowed in Prachuap allowed in Samut Prakan not allowed... What mess it will be

[2long]

10 hours ago, 2long said:

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! ????

Atavit Suwannapakdee, secretary-general of the Kla Party could be our new best friend! ????????????????????????

[josephbloggs]

12 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Bunch of stone-age numpties

I just came back from Singapore where you can't buy a beer in a shop after 10.30pm.

This 2pm to 5pm ban has been one of the most pointless laws ever but this is a good sign of more liberal attitudes coming in which is only a good thing.  For the people asking "why not drop it immediately everywhere" we know that is not the way Thailand works.  Were they to do that the puritanical lobby would be out in force and it would be blocked, it needs to be step by step to make it happen, this is just the way it is.  First start with hotels (to "help tourism" even though everyone knows hotels all serve anyway) then I would bet money in another couple of months it will be dropped everywhere.

Similar to marijuana: the plan was obviously always to fully legalise it for recreational use but they couldn't make that giant leap in one go - but they got there in the end by going in baby steps.  Medical marijuana, then you could use it for drinks and cooking providing it was less than 0.2% THC, then boom, do what you like.  And look at all the people who magically had high grade marijuana ready to sell as soon as it was announced; those in the know knew.  Same deal here.

[trainman34014]

5 hours ago, sambum said:

I have lost count of the number of times I have seen staff at Macro and Tesco Lotus watch farangs pick up bottles or cans of beer/alcohol and watch them carry on with their shopping only to be told at the checkout "Sorry, no can have", much to the annoyance of the customer.

 

Would it not be an exercise in Customer Relations for ALL the staff to be instructed to notify the customers picking up booze out of purchasing hours, "Sorry, no can have"?

 

 

That takes Brains and Managerial Organisation and in Thailand both are in very short supply !

[trainman34014]

Most Local Policemen will tell you these drinking laws are from the Dark Ages.    Same Policemen will happily join you for a Beer on Drinks Banned Days at open Local Bars in every Village !

[nattaya09]

I remember a few years ago checking into my hotel in Bangkok for the transit back to the US. Imagine my surprise when I stepped up to the hotel lounge bar and found I was in day one of a multi-day, alcohol-free Buddhist holiday and couldn't order an adult beverage.  Another lessons learned moment