Outspoken Former MP from the Move Forward Party Proposes to Cancel Alcohol Sales Ban on Religious Holidays

[webfact]

PHOTO: Workpoint

Thailand — Mrs. Amornrat Chokpamitkul, a former MP for the Move Forward Party, posted her opinions on Facebook stating Thailand should cancel an alcohol sales ban on religious holidays due to its lack of reasonable grounds, according to her.

She provided three reasons to support her opinions as follows:

 

1. There are already other measures in place to control drinking on this day, such as testing and monitoring the alcohol levels of drivers.

2. The Thai society is not comprised solely of Buddhists; Thai people have religious freedom to practice various faiths. Also, many tourists are affected by the bans and are not religious.

3. This practice is hardly enforced in other Buddhist countries.

Vesak Day or Visakha Bucha Day is an important day in Buddhism, which took place on June 3rd. During the day, like all religious holidays, the sale of alcohol is prohibited.

 

By Tanakorn Panyadee

 

Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2023/06/04/outspoken-former-mp-from-the-move-forward-party-proposes-to-cancel-alcohol-sales-ban-on-religious-holidays/

 

-- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2023-06-05

 

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[Mickeymaus]

Why not as long as the myriad of seedy nighttime entertainment venues are closed? At least on such an important holiday.

[Pique Dard]

37 minutes ago, webfact said:

...Thailand should cancel an alcohol sales ban on religious holidays due to its lack of reasonable grounds, according to her.

just buy booze the day before, no need to ban the sale of alcohol on religious holidays
 

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Mrs. Amornrat Chokpamitkul, a former MP for the Move Forward Party, posted her opinions

Her opinion as a former MP... nuff said.

[edwinchester]

Judging by all the parties in our village lately shops have already cancelled the ban here.

[Tarteso]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

many tourists are affected by the bans and are not religious.

Amen,  but..

Not a mention of alcoholics expats?

[proton]

At the last Buddha day ban went to a concert at local Wat, table set up for the organisers to drink at full of Leo Regency and Chang, lots drinking in the crowd as well. Mrs said no problem as it would have been bought the day before, pointless ban.

[Skeptic7]

4 hours ago, Mickeymaus said:

Why not as long as the myriad of seedy nighttime entertainment venues are closed? At least on such an important holiday.

Shoulda just stopped at "why not?". Everything following is irrelevant. 

[sammieuk1]

There is so much sense being spoken these days what could go wrong ..????

[RichardColeman]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

3. This practice is hardly enforced in other Buddhist countries.

I wold tout that per head monks drink more than the average Thai going by stories on here

[Bangkok Barry]

This must be fake news. Someone speaking logically?

Edited June 5, 2023 by Bangkok Barry

[jcmj]

They should also get rid of the ban to buy in the afternoons. It makes no sense. All they need to do is card people like the rest of the world. Of course that may mean to much work and math for the cashiers. ????

[Tubulat]

4 hours ago, Pique Dard said:

just buy booze the day before, no need to ban the sale of alcohol on religious holidays
 

That's a bit of a shortsighted comment, how about all those tourists visiting a cafe or restaurant.

[oxo1947]

4 hours ago, Pique Dard said:

just buy booze the day before, no need to ban the sale of alcohol on religious holidays

That includes shutting down all places of entertainment--Bars Night clubs etc.....& as you pointed out,

 

it's just not needed, Locals buy from Mum & Pop stores or day before. Just visitors are really affected, can't even get a glass of wine with your meal.      So scrap it.

[h90]

Yes it should get rid of, but
Making the Monarchists upset

Making the Military upset

Going aggressive with China and make all the large exporter to China upset

Speaking about taking the money from the rich

Restrict Marijuana and make the freedom people upset

Making the religious upset

 

You can't upset everyone at the same time.

[Enzian]

Pick your battles. How important is this in the larger picture of everything going on? We may have a popularly elected reform party that is not even allowed to take position and express the will of the people, it's all up in the air.

[fanof3d]

What about delivery? How can they easily forget how they ruined thousands of businesses (small and large) during COVID by banning delivery of alcohol. Now we can have ganja delivered but still not a single bottle of wine/beer/spirits? What a bunch of idiots.

Edited June 5, 2023 by fanof3d

[h90]

3 minutes ago, Enzian said:

Pick your battles. How important is this in the larger picture of everything going on? We may have a popularly elected reform party that is not even allowed to take position and express the will of the people, it's all up in the air.

What you mean by not allowed....they have 60 days to confirm the election results. So first the election results than the new parliament and than vote for a government.

Till now noone did anything but talking and writing things on twitter. There was not even a begin yet. The Election commission is still looking at the complains and kicked out most of them already as they were not relevant (like vote buying of a candidate who didn't won anyway).

[h90]

1 minute ago, fanof3d said:

What about delivery? How can they easily forget how they ruined thousands of businesses (small and large) during COVID by banning delivery of alcohol. Now we can have ganja delivered but still not a single bottle of wine/beer/spirits? What a bunch of idiots.

It is not idiots, it is pressure groups of some hyper religious hypocrites....elderly housewifes, retired bored men, etc. who search for something to improve the world. And weak government who follow these who shout loudest....if it is alcohol, soon to be banned ganja or ridiculous covid regulations.
While the important things kept untouched.

[fanof3d]

22 minutes ago, h90 said:

It is not idiots, it is pressure groups of some hyper religious hypocrites....elderly housewifes, retired bored men, etc. who search for something to improve the world. And weak government who follow these who shout loudest....if it is alcohol, soon to be banned ganja or ridiculous covid regulations.
While the important things kept untouched.

Like I said, a bunch of idiots.

[proton]

2 hours ago, jcmj said:

They should also get rid of the ban to buy in the afternoons. It makes no sense. All they need to do is card people like the rest of the world. Of course that may mean to much work and math for the cashiers. ????

Our local 7/11 delivers out of hours, 20 baht charge for the bike ride, it's a nonsense.

[Sydebolle]

Give the lady a medal. Every person above 18 - 20 years of age does not need to be babyfied by a self-centered corrupt government hiding behind Buddhist philosophy. There is no other Buddhist society banning alcohol, unless of course the Myanmarese, Laotians, Cambodians and some Vietnamese have changed their point of view since yesterday. 

It is just yet another tool to keep the uneducated underlings at bay while the boys in brown roam the places for their little bakshish to look the other way. 

[Kevin Taylor]

She's not wrong. I think people here are institionalised into this type of thinking, booze bans being just one example.

[Burma Bill]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

This practice is hardly enforced in other Buddhist countries.

Yes indeed, Cambodia being one. Never alcohol bans on religious days. Our only alcohol ban this year is for General Election Day this coming July.

[stoutfella]

That alone would get her my vote.

[brucegoniners]

That would make way too much sense for this country.

 

All alcohol bans are stupid. Including the daily ones. Yeah, open sales when people are driving home. BRILLIANT!