The history of Thailand’s holy-day alcohol ban – and why it could soon be lifted

[kwilco]

Difficult to know which is more dangerous, religion or alcohol...

[newnative]

Welcome to the 20th century.

[Andrew65]

I remember many years ago in King Bhumibol's time the King's birthday was a no drink day. Then one day he hinted that he wanted everyone to have a good time on his birthday. It ceased to be a no drink day. 

[brucegoniners]

Good. It's ridiculous!

[Skeptic7]

6 hours ago, RandolphGB said:

Anyone who 'agonizes' over bars not legally being able to serve alcohol for 24 hours should probably see a doctor. 

 

 

 

 

Ridiculous statement. Strawman much❓

[Skeptic7]

49 minutes ago, kwilco said:

Difficult to know which is more dangerous, religion or alcohol...

Religion ????

[Skeptic7]

And even more ???????? crazy is the 3 hour ban 2-5 every afternoon. Hopefully ditching that nonsense too. 

[freedomnow]

No pause then on the Tai road carnage soon ?

 

 

[HappyExpat57]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

"agonized over the alcohol ban"

Agonized? Nah, mildly inconvenienced that I forgot to stock up and now have to pay an extra 10 baht/bottle.

[Jiggo]

Basically they are encouraged to act like Muslims for 5 days a year....

[Jiggo]

17 minutes ago, Skeptic7 said:

Religion ????

Religion of course 

[ikke1959]

1 hour ago, redwood1 said:

The 11 to 5  sales ban is very very very very annoying when your grocery shopping and needs to go 100%......

 

A few days of no sales for religion.....Is ZERO problem and is good because all the bar workers are free to vist the Temples.......It shoud be kept......

where in some temples the monks secretly drink beer as we could read yesterday or today,  are gambling, having sex, keep a lot of money etc etc... but the alcohol is the problem for lay people on these days

[freedomnow]

19 minutes ago, Skeptic7 said:

And even more ???????? crazy is the 3 hour ban 2-5 every afternoon. Hopefully ditching that nonsense too. 

Most of this government implemented policy stuff is a shambles...ill-though out..flip-flops on anything brought in...moronfest at the top government level.

Am sure it can't be that bad in Viet Nam or Malaysia.....they are like low IQ grifters the lot of them.

[Dmaxdan]

1 hour ago, kwilco said:

Difficult to know which is more dangerous, religion or alcohol...

When the  local vicar has been on the communion wine is when you need to worry!

 

[alien365]

36 minutes ago, HappyExpat57 said:

Agonized? Nah, mildly inconvenienced that I forgot to stock up and now have to pay an extra 10 baht/bottle.

Also annoying when you want a few cans of Heineken zero, but you're not allowed to buy it as they still consider it alcohol. Ended up going to a friend's place in another province. All my Thai friends were drinking wine and I'm sat there supping water as I had to drive. ???? No mom and pop shop to help me out on that one. 

[jts-khorat]

This issue was already hotly debated as I came to Thailand the first time shortly before the turn of the century. Nothing has ever changed since then.

 

My personal feeling: I would prefer that Buddhist holidays are a time of contemplation, and alcohol simply hinders this. On the other hand, Thais are prone to party, also on those days, so this ban was mostly ineffective anyaways.

 

However, the thing that irks me most is the messenger; is Move Forward not exactly the party who wants to recriminalize ganja? I smell some real hypocrisy here, and in Thailand this only means one thing: business interests and shady money must be involved.

[Skeptic7]

3 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

Why ?

Sounds like it's coming from someone who has no self-control and unable to keep their vices in check. No control, so now want to impose their weakness on everyone to make themselves feel better.

Sad lot, those. ????

[shackleton]

Yes do away with the 1100hrs -1400hrs where you can buy alcohol products

I have to organise the wife's shopping around this time

Plus could be confusing to first time tourists as well ???? 

[1happykamper]

"could" 555 555

..and the ability to BUY beer etc all hours of day? 

[Frankie baby]

I remember some months back that the guy in charge of the 11-5 ban had actually forgot why it was imposed in the first place.

[dinsdale]

7 hours ago, RandolphGB said:

Anyone who 'agonizes' over bars not legally being able to serve alcohol for 24 hours should probably see a doctor. 

 

 

 

 

What about the owners of said bars that lose income?

[proton]

You can live here without being sloshed most of the time, but it's not easy ????

[dogfish180]

8 hours ago, RandolphGB said:

Anyone who 'agonizes' over bars not legally being able to serve alcohol for 24 hours should probably see a doctor. 

 

 

 

 

So bar owners who have to lose a days business several times a year needs to see a Doctor??? ???? Ok then!

[Bangkok Barry]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Abstaining from intoxicants such as alcohol is one of the Five Precepts that all Buddhists are encouraged to follow.

But only for five days a year, the five religious holidays. On all the other days, no problem, despite abstaining being one of the Five Precepts. Anyone able to explain the logic of that hypocrisy? Religious nonsense.

[Bangkok Barry]

8 hours ago, RandolphGB said:

Quote

...drinkers who have long agonized over the alcohol ban

Anyone who 'agonizes' over bars not legally being able to serve alcohol for 24 hours should probably see a doctor. 

Just nonsense that the author made up, based on no facts at all.

[Bangkok Barry]

7 hours ago, 2baht said:

Ban it everyday! 

Why? You've made a statement, now explain your reasoning.

[Ralf001]

11 hours ago, shackleton said:

Yes do away with the 1100hrs -1400hrs where you can buy alcohol products

I have to organise the wife's shopping around this time

Plus could be confusing to first time tourists as well ???? 

Shop at mom and pop stores... they give no <deleted> for the 11am to 2pm law !!

[Ralf001]

11 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

What about the owners of said bars that lose income?

Aren't they all minted and the bar is just a front for other activities ?

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, khunjeff said:

Every article keeps stating this as fact, but it's totally false. The "Revolutionary Decree" was revived around 20 years ago under the puritanical Interior Minister Purachai duringThaksin's administration, and the 2015 regulation just re-codified the same policy.

The same minister who wanted bars to close at 10 and nightclubs at midnight.

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, kwilco said:

Difficult to know which is more dangerous, religion or alcohol...

No contest, is there? Not even close.