Thai government may lift afternoon alcohol sales ban to boost tourism

[webfact]

 

The Thai government is considering lifting the afternoon prohibition on alcohol sales in a bid to boost its tourism industry. Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew is planning to ask the government’s alcohol control committee to discuss the appeal by the Thai Alcohol Beverage Business Association (TABBA) to revoke the rule that restricts alcohol sales between 2pm and 5pm.

 

Though the afternoon ban is not strictly a part of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act but was implemented by a coup-maker in 1972, Dr Cholnan stated.

 

“The committee would have to find out if it agrees the 2pm–5pm alcohol sale ban has to go for the sake of the government’s tourism promotion policy.”

If the alcohol beverage control panel approves TABBA’s proposal, the decision will be forwarded to the national alcohol policy committee for final approval. The national committee is usually headed by the prime minister or a deputy, and if they endorse the cancellation plan, a new announcement by the Ministry of Health will be published, allowing the sale of alcoholic beverages between 2pm and 5pm.

 

by Mitch Connor

Photo courtesy of iStock

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2024-02-05

 

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[flyingtlger]

4 minutes ago, webfact said:

The Thai government is considering lifting the afternoon prohibition on alcohol sales in a bid to boost its tourism industry

LOL, it might help the tourism industry a little but if it is lifted, it'll sure make all the local alcoholic happy!!!

Cheers!

[Bepah umayun]

Good, they're really on something here. 🙄

[Pouatchee]

I dont really drink anymore, but this law is quite annoying and ridiculous. 

[ricklev]

Progress!  They have moved from the mulling stage through the considering  stage to the planning to ask the committee stage. 

[Skeptic7]

Ridiculous 🦇💩 crazy law which never should have been implemented in the first place. Dolts. 

[doctormann]

Doubtful if actual tourists know that there is a ban - until they try getting a drink in the afternoon!

[jacko45k]

Yes the afternoon buying ban has been a nuisance for many years, just missing the midday window many times. Although the liberation of afternoon drinking really makes the recent 2-4am late times redundant. We seem to be being driven by moves to increase tourism earnings in all directions now.... are we descending into a somewhat chaotic and perhaps unattractive  end here?

 

[scorecard]

3 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

LOL, it might help the tourism industry a little but if it is lifted, it'll sure make all the local alcoholic happy!!!

Cheers!

On the other hand the locals know where they can buy alcohol 24/7.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

LOL, it might help the tourism industry a little but if it is lifted, it'll sure make all the local alcoholic happy!!!

Cheers!

The ban originally came about to stop office workers having a pi$$-up at lunchtime.

So they banned the sale from 2pm-5pm and screwed everyone else in the process... Thai style logic.

Why not just inform the office workers that if you come back smelling of alcohol you're out of a job, and leave everyone else alone. AKA common sense.

[scorecard]

1 minute ago, hotchilli said:

The ban originally came about to stop office workers having a pi$$-up at lunchtime.

So they banned the sale from 2pm-5pm and screwed everyone else in the process... Thai style logic.

Why not just inform the office workers that if you come back smelling of alcohol you're out of a job, and leave everyone else alone. AKA common sense.

 

Actually it was introduced to stop high school boys buying alcohol and skipping school. 

[IAMHERE]

Whyever the law was created, I highly suspect it hasn't had the intended effect.

[Ben Zioner]

Even in Malaysia I can have a late lunch, at 3 pm, and get wine and beer served. And this for the same price as in the Tourist hub. BTW I see Penang and Kuala Lumpur as a much more competent "hubs" than any place in Thailand.

[hotchilli]

22 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 

Actually it was introduced to stop high school boys buying alcohol and skipping school. 

Rubbish

[sungod]

28 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

The ban originally came about to stop office workers having a pi$$-up at lunchtime.

So they banned the sale from 2pm-5pm and screwed everyone else in the process... Thai style logic.

Why not just inform the office workers that if you come back smelling of alcohol you're out of a job, and leave everyone else alone. AKA common sense.

 

Who eats lunch between 2 and 5?

[hotchilli]

16 minutes ago, sungod said:

 

Who eats lunch between 2 and 5?

Originally office workers who wanted to extend their lunch-break and turn it into a session... hence the ban

[The Old Bull]

The current ban seems to only apply to the expensive stuff sold in the bigger stores. You can get a bottle of Lao Khow from any village shop any time.

[VBF]

1 hour ago, doctormann said:

Doubtful if actual tourists know that there is a ban - until they try getting a drink in the afternoon!

And yet, as a tourist in Pattaya, I've never had a problem going into a bar / restaurant in the afternoon and getting a drink.

I've never seen this rule actually enforced except in shops, like 7/11 but that's all..

[VBF]

45 minutes ago, sungod said:

 

Who eats lunch between 2 and 5?

Many people such as those whose working hours are not strictly "9-5", shift workers, emergency workers, workers where there has to be constant cover to name a few.

When I was working, staff would be disappearing for an hour between 11 and 3. We contractors didn't of course - lunch is for wimps people who are not hourly paid! 🙄

[proton]

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

On the other hand the locals know where they can buy alcohol 24/7.

 

Yeah Leo, Chang or Singha, some people want real drinks. Not just shops, many restaurants wont serve after 2pm either, totally unnecessary. In wine connection recently- cannot get a glass of wine with a meal- past 2PM ! 

[Rampant Rabbit]

Hic,😮  terrible news, thats  the only time Im sober and able to beat the wife as she hasnt  brought me my 2 am breakfast and a  fag........lazy cow

[Dogmatix]

This ridiculous rule was a revolutionary decree in 1972 from a military junta that seized power in an illegal coup. It was enforced at first and then ignored until the first Thaksin regime decided to dust it off as part of its social order campaign.  The government shouldn't have the slightest hesitation in scrapping it.

 

If they are so keen to have tourists plastered all day long, they should also continue to allow them to be stoned all day long and not go ahead with another ridiculous plan to walk back some but not all of the cannabis liberalisation. I think police stings to extort money from tourists for recreational use of cannabis in private will go viral on social media, like the Taiwanese gal who was shaken down for having vapes which are only illegal in the sense that import duty as not been paid on them because imports are illegal. Two many pointless laws aimed at generating backsheesh for cops already.

[Paul Henry]

This will be like the reduction in tax on alchol.All talk no action..

[SABloke]

They better be careful. Isn't amending laws tantamount to treason these days according to the constitutional court?

[Henryford]

Good news. Really annoying when i go out to say Makro to do my shopping early, or mid afternoon,  and can't buy any booze.

[hotandsticky]

5 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

LOL, it might help the tourism industry a little but if it is lifted, it'll sure make all the local alcoholic happy!!!

Cheers!

 

 

The local alcoholics don't need to worry about alcohol bans  -  they will get booze when they need.

[Nickcage49]

It's never made any sense. It will be nice if they can get rid of the taxes and this.

[sandyf]

1 hour ago, VBF said:

And yet, as a tourist in Pattaya, I've never had a problem going into a bar / restaurant in the afternoon and getting a drink.

I've never seen this rule actually enforced except in shops, like 7/11 but that's all..

Years ago it wasn't a problem in Thailand generally. I had been to Koh Chang a few times and then went back one year and all the normal  bars were shut in the afternoon, had to have a late breakfast in the Monkey bar? to get a beer. Bit the same in BKK, all the afternoon watering holes that I usually used dried up, but some may have escaped.

In Pattaya the only area I am aware of that closed down in the afternoon was Soi 6, but on saying that at new year I took a shortcut down there and there was some activity but nowhere near the old days. 

At the end of the day it's all about how blind is the eye. 

[ikke1959]

Before the decision is made it will be probably 2026...Same sex marriage takes 2 decades too

[dinsdale]

So drop the 2-5 but leave midnight to 11 in place? Insane law that needs to be scrapped entirely. And what about the tax reduction?