Thailand's Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, is considering lifting a ban on afternoon alcohol sales that has been in place for 52 years, in efforts to stimulate the tourism industry. The tourism sector has been urging for a re-evaluation of the law which currently prohibits the sale of alcohol between 2pm and 5pm. This consideration comes after a meeting held at Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University on Tuesday.

 

Thavisin disclosed that the Restaurant Business Association requested the government to introduce immediate economic measures in order to prevent more restaurant closures, which have been exacerbated by an over 50% increase in raw material and energy prices.

 

 

In the face of operational costs rising, the government is actively promoting tourism in an effort for restaurateurs to generate more income. The proposed review of the ban is mainly targeted at increasing alcohol sales to foreign tourists.

 

File photo for reference only

 

-- 2024-07-04

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

52 years?! Yeah might be, but only enforced the last 10

And midnight to 11:00 am. If this is too much of a stretch then midnight to 6:00 am ban. Nothing will happen. It will not be lifted. 

Edited July 4, 20242 yr by dinsdale

3 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

52 years?! Yeah might be, but only enforced the last 10

As I remember it was Thaksin that enforced it in 2004.

Modern Thailand with updated laws, maybe after 60 years they will be reviewed.... Now they are talking about it, than a committee or 10 must investigate the matter and than maybe there will be a change

1 hour ago, dinsdale said:

As I remember it was Thaksin that enforced it in 2004.

Yeah, might be 20 years, but at least not 52 😉 I just took a number out of the blue. 

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The tourism sector has been urging for a re-evaluation of the law which currently prohibits the sale of alcohol between 2pm and 5pm. This consideration comes after a meeting held at Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University on Tuesday.

Some government officials really do need to go back to school.

But what about the children

 

But what about the children

1 minute ago, redwood1 said:

But what about the children

 

But what about the children

This was the Thaksin line. To protect the school kiddies.

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

to stimulate the tourism industry

This is so typical Thai. Have some law or regulation to protect the health or something like that, and then ignore it or replace it to make more money and ignore the original reasoning.

 

Luckily that restriction never made much sense and was often ignored in small shops. So, it doesn't matter if a useless las will be abolished.

Maybe they can do the same with many other useless laws.

 

Should really abolish the time limitations altogether as done in many other countries. 
 

it’s only enforced in CP foods outlets like Makro and 7/11 and other supermarket chains like GoFresh and Big C so I’m surprised they haven’t pressured for it anyway. 

Reconsideration?.....Ok..then we'll expect an answer in a year or 2.

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Some government officials really do need to go back to school.

Our local Ferrang bars open all day for beers. No problem. Cheers!!!!😊😊😊😊🍺🍺🍺🍺

Will encouraging factory workers to get drunk all day will not help the economy that much? 

The government cannot believe that the tourist numbers are enough to guarantee a lot more income?

It will be the Thais who suffer.

Edited July 5, 20242 yr by Purdey

Is was brought in to stop the cops drinking all day 

It's the morning ban that pisses me off, I like to do my shopping before 11am, so two trips needed if I want to buy alcohol. We are adults not Children !

Edited July 5, 20242 yr by brianthainess

6 hours ago, Purdey said:

Will encouraging factory workers to get drunk all day will not help the economy that much? 

What about office workers?  Do all these workers rush out at 11 now and get half pished?  

9 hours ago, Purdey said:

Will encouraging factory workers to get drunk all day will not help the economy that much? 

The government cannot believe that the tourist numbers are enough to guarantee a lot more income?

It will be the Thais who suffer.

Absolute rubbish. Factory workers can buy drinks all day long if they wish as it's only mainstream shop chains that follow the rule. The Thai tourism sector has petitioned the government specifically because of tourism - that's what it says in the article.

On 7/4/2024 at 9:09 PM, dinsdale said:

As I remember it was Thaksin that enforced it in 2004.

Remember it well, in the days when a 6am emergence from a bar wasn't a thing. But you could bet your bottom dollar that this current relaxation murmur is all him, too.

12 hours ago, Purdey said:

Will encouraging factory workers to get drunk all day will not help the economy that much? 

The government cannot believe that the tourist numbers are enough to guarantee a lot more income?

It will be the Thais who suffer.

Just off the boat? Article not meant for public consumption, dude, since anyone with half a brain or who has spent time here knows how to drink 24-7 if they so wish.

Thais will not suffer (deary me, in what way?) since it is all around them ALL the time.

I found that if I wanted a drink between 2 PM to 5PM I went to a bar, and bouhgt a beer or two.

Problem solved.  You know that expats could do that as well if they need a drink during those times.

  in My Opinion, as a tourist.

21 hours ago, Purdey said:

Will encouraging factory workers to get drunk all day will not help the economy that much? 

The government cannot believe that the tourist numbers are enough to guarantee a lot more income?

It will be the Thais who suffer.

 

Why would factory workers get drunk all day? Do you look down at them?

On 7/4/2024 at 9:09 PM, dinsdale said:

As I remember it was Thaksin that enforced it in 2004.

Bit of a generalised statement. It is a law that has been selectively enforced so cannot be attributed to any one person.

Shops, restaurants and bars have all been treated differently. The OP specifically referred to restaurants which have probably had less problem selling alcohol during the day than any other venue.

A great deal depends on where you live rather than the law.

4 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Bit of a generalised statement. It is a law that has been selectively enforced so cannot be attributed to any one person.

Shops, restaurants and bars have all been treated differently. The OP specifically referred to restaurants which have probably had less problem selling alcohol during the day than any other venue.

A great deal depends on where you live rather than the law.

Were you here in 2004 when one day you could buy beer in 711 at 4:00pm and the next day you couldn't? Who was the PM then? Thaksin. My post wasn't a generalisation. I was stating a matter of fact. How it's been enforced was not part of my OP.

 

"As I remember it was Thaksin that enforced it in 2004."

1 hour ago, pedro01 said:

 

Why would factory workers get drunk all day? Do you look down at them?

So you don't think working class Thais will suffer most from all the alcohol available? 

Check out the articles of husband's killing wives while smashed. Then imagine many more drunken husbands.

15 minutes ago, Purdey said:

So you don't think working class Thais will suffer most from all the alcohol available? 

Check out the articles of husband's killing wives while smashed. Then imagine many more druen husbands.

Oh, good. Why don't we just ban alcohol all the time then?

3 hours ago, gargamon said:

Oh, good. Why don't we just ban alcohol all the time then?

Why do people get so addicted to alcohol?

5 hours ago, dinsdale said:

My post wasn't a generalisation. I was stating a matter of fact. How it's been enforced was not part of my OP.

 

"As I remember it was Thaksin that enforced it in 2004."

Of course it was,  and now claiming "enforced" not in your OP.

Obviously since I came in 1999 I haven't frequented the same shops, restaurants or bars as Thaksin.

It is not a matter of fact that you could not/cannot buy alcohol outside the so called hours, even during the Thaksin era. At the end of the day you cannot have partial enforcement.

14 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Of course it was,  and now claiming "enforced" not in your OP.

Obviously since I came in 1999 I haven't frequented the same shops, restaurants or bars as Thaksin.

It is not a matter of fact that you could not/cannot buy alcohol outside the so called hours, even during the Thaksin era. At the end of the day you cannot have partial enforcement.

It was obviously enforced to an extent. That's why supermarkets and places like 711 still have to comply to the prohibition hours "enforced" by the Thaksin government. Enforced and how it's enforced are two different things. It's compulsory i.e. required by law that alcohol is not sold to minors. This happens all the time. It's compulsory to wear a helmet, seatbelts, don't speed, don't drink and drive but obviously this happens all the time. What doesn't happen is the possibility of going to a 711 at 10:30 in the morning or 4:30 in the afternoon and buy a beer. This happened and was "enforced" by the Thaksin govt in 2004. As I said in a previous post one day you could by a beer in 711 at 4:30 in the arvo and the next day you couldn't. I was here for that.