New Alcohol Control Bill Nearly Finalised; Set for December House Vote

[webfact]

FILE photo courtesy: MGR online
 

The Alcoholic Beverage Control Bill is nearing completion and could be put before Thailand's parliament by mid-December. Leading the review, Mr Wisarn Techathirawat, head of the special scrutinising committee, stated the bill is now 80% complete.

 

Born out of five distinct drafts, the proposal underwent a demanding eight-month integration process.

 

The five preliminary drafts, originally submitted by various entities including the government, the Pheu Thai Party, and public health advocates, had unique approaches to alcohol control.

 

However, the committee has successfully amalgamated their key points into a single draft, currently 70–80% realised.

 

Central to the new legislation is the devolution of power to local provincial alcohol control committees. This move aims to empower these bodies with the authority to determine zoning areas and establish tailored regulations.

Discussions around the draft were held during a national conference on alcohol. Mr Wisarn remarked that alcohol prevention among youth remains a focal point.

 

As such, representatives from youth councils are set to join provincial committees. This ensures young voices influence pivotal decisions on alcohol zoning and sales restrictions.

 

The timeline is tight. By December 11, the bill should be ready for inclusion in the House of Representatives’ draft agenda.

 

The new parliamentary season begins December 13, providing a narrow window for initial review. Mr Wisarn hopes parliament will prioritise this legislation.

 

One of the bill's principal aims is to tackle Thailand’s increasing trend in alcohol consumption, especially among women.

 

Control of alcohol sales promotions is covered extensively, with the law envisaged to curb related societal issues like health risks and road accidents.

 

The legislation introduces strict penalties for selling alcohol to minors or visibly drunk persons, alongside empowering provincial committees with localised authority.

 

Such provisions promise to fundamentally alter how alcohol is regulated, fitting concerns of public health with practical governance adjustments, reported Bangkok Post.

 

-- 2024-11-19

 

 

[Tropicalevo]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Mr Wisarn remarked that alcohol prevention among youth remains a focal point.

I am surprised. After all, drugs are cheaper and easier to obtain.

But hey - let's hit the legal stuff again.

[Gottfrid]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Central to the new legislation is the devolution of power to local provincial alcohol control committees. This move aims to empower these bodies with the authority to determine zoning areas and establish tailored regulations.

This is amazing! They make the same fault every time. Letting local committees decide, instead of having a country wide law and rule to follow. They are truly feeding corruption in this country.

[ikke1959]

Make the local alcohol drinks more expensive... Ridiculous that a  a few bottles of beer are more expensive than a whole bottle of Thai whiskey.... And the imported wine are extreme expensive because of the import tax and that for low quality of wines.. And besides that make bar owners or bartenders be responsible for the amount of alcohol someone drinks as in many countries they do.... They must be able to say enough is enough now, your drunk already.... but here in Thailand only money counts that is why the entertainment venue is open till 4.am ... why not close at 1 am  surely on weekdays.... rules rules rules in Thailand will never be followed and there are a lot of them.. no alcohol sales on Buddhists holidays and or election days, but you can buy and drink if you want except for the big shops..  is just an example

[NemoH]

The restriction to buy alcohol 11-2pm purportedly to stop drinking during office hour ..is big big joke 🤣🤣🤣

[ronster]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Central to the new legislation is the devolution of power to local provincial alcohol control committees. This move aims to empower these bodies with the authority to determine zoning areas and establish tailored regulations

So maybe some people will realise that stopping tourists drinking or buying booze between certain times makes no difference to how thais behave or what people think of the country.

They might even realise stopping thais buying alcohol on voting days , Buddhist days also does nothing as they just buy it all the day before to drink the next day ! 😄

[topt]

2 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

This is amazing! They make the same fault every time. Letting local committees decide, instead of having a country wide law and rule to follow. They are truly feeding corruption in this country.

This was my first thought - along with do the members of these "local" committees get paid extra for this?

[jdstrange]

Anyone have an idea what the photo represents in the article?

[RabCNesbitt]

I recently had 2 guys (not Thais) come in to my bar in Chiang Mai asking for beers at 3:00pm. I told them that we are not allowed to serve alcoholic beverages between 2:00pm and 5:00pm - they laughed, then said that they live in Phuket and have never heard of such a law!

My point is that if it is going to come down to the 'local authorities empowerment' then this ridiculous law will continue to be enforced in some places and not in others.

[JesseHumphry]

The purchase time slots don't work when you have a locally owned shop that sells what it wants, when it wants, even on religious holidays. You can get all the beer and liquor you want around the clock if you know a shop nearby. 

I doubt enforcement of any kind would reach those venues. 

[OldmanJ]

If people can't get drunk and have a good time by 2.00am there is something really wrong with them.Make it a law that every and any place selling alcohol after 2.00am gets a 25,000 baht fine and if again face serious jail time and close the business down.

[kingstonkid]

34 minutes ago, ronster said:

So maybe some people will realise that stopping tourists drinking or buying booze between certain times makes no difference to how thais behave or what people think of the country.

They might even realise stopping thais buying alcohol on voting days , Buddhist days also does nothing as they just buy it all the day before to drink the next day ! 😄

The thing that's interesting is some places they sell liquor at 10 am. In others they wait untill 5.

 

Instead of new laws why try a novel idea enforce the ones on the books 

[quake]

19 minutes ago, OldmanJ said:

If people can't get drunk and have a good time by 2.00am there is something really wrong with them.Make it a law that every and any place selling alcohol after 2.00am gets a 25,000 baht fine and if again face serious jail time and close the business down.

 

What about people that finish work at 2am.

 

[quake]

28 minutes ago, RabCNesbitt said:

I recently had 2 guys (not Thais) come in to my bar in Chiang Mai asking for beers at 3:00pm.

 

RabCNesbitt

Gender:Male

Location:Buriram

[Bert got kinky]

3 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

I am surprised. After all, drugs are cheaper and easier to obtain.

But hey - let's hit the legal stuff again.

 

To be fair, alcohol is one of the worse drugs available.

Since the dawn of civilization it has been a direct cause of billions of deaths and has wrecked countless lives.

 

The World Health Organization states that over three million deaths per year were attributable to alcohol consumption and drug use.

Of these deaths, 2.6 million were attributable to alcohol consumption.

 

I know that my view will upset those that are dependent on their morning tipple but it really is about time that this evil drug was banned.

 

 

 

[Grumpy one]

46 minutes ago, jdstrange said:

Anyone have an idea what the photo represents in the article?

Say no to alien looking black dude  🤐

[quake]

8 minutes ago, Bert got kinky said:

I know that my view will upset those that are dependent on their morning tipple but it really is about time that this evil drug was banned.

 

12:35 on big bottle number 3 of Leo.

Most of us don't care what you think.

 

[Tropicalevo]

3 minutes ago, Bert got kinky said:

I know that my view will upset those that are dependent on their morning tipple but it really is about time that this evil drug was banned.

pointless exercise really.

Vaping is illegal - it's everywhere and vapes are openly sold.

Smoking weed is illegal - it's everywhere and weed is openly sold.

Yabba, cocaine and all of the more serious drugs are illegal - but folk can get them if needed.

[Bert got kinky]

2 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

pointless exercise really.

Vaping is illegal - it's everywhere and vapes are openly sold.

Smoking weed is illegal - it's everywhere and weed is openly sold.

Yabba, cocaine and all of the more serious drugs are illegal - but folk can get them if needed.

 

Smoking weed is illegal

No it is not, nor is the sale of it, much to the annoyance of the petty minded.

 

 

[Bert got kinky]

7 minutes ago, quake said:

 

12:35 on big bottle number 3 of Leo.

Most of us don't care what you think.

 

 

 

After 3 bottles of the anti-social juice, I doubt that you care about anything apart from your next fix. ☺️

 

[Tropicalevo]

1 minute ago, Bert got kinky said:

 

Smoking weed is illegal

No it is not, nor is the sale of it, much to the annoyance of the petty minded.

 

 

Quote

Speaking to CNN in an interview ahead of the move, Thai Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said he expected legal cannabis production to boost the economy but cautioned that recreational use of the drug remains illegal.

Quote

 

 

[Scouse123]

The problem is, and this is showing in the West, as youngsters turn away from alcohol, they are turning to drugs. They aren't leading super healthy lifestyles, they are swapping one substance for another.

 

These take the form, in the West anyway, of Cocaine, ecstasy is a staple, Cannabis etc and those alleged, ' Healthy Gym buffs ' are on various substances, including steroids, but only admit to protein substitutes!!

 

My eldest son informs me, they hit the Cocaine big time, at the weekends, and then they all want time off work the following week, claiming mental health issues, which is now the' Catch all and Go To ' excuse for missing work.

 

He has worked with Adults with mental health issues for many years, and knows the stories.

[Bert got kinky]

19 minutes ago, quake said:

 

RabCNesbitt

Gender:Male

Location:Buriram

 

quake

Gender:Male

Location:10 Downing street

 

 

 

 

[Scouse123]

11 minutes ago, quake said:

 

12:35 on big bottle number 3 of Leo.

Most of us don't care what you think.

 

 

Totally agree,

 

If a guy wants to drink beer in the morning, it's his choice.

 

I've not drank for three months, but my waistline isn't saying the same.

[quake]

21 minutes ago, Bert got kinky said:

quake

Gender:Male

Location:10 Downing street

 

 Humor is not your thing.

That does not surprise me.

When was the last party,  you were invited to.  1970 what ?

 

 

[quake]

19 minutes ago, Bert got kinky said:

 

After 3 bottles of the anti-social juice, I doubt that you care about anything apart from your next fix. ☺️

 

 

3 bottles of beer and you come out with that, sorry on number 4 now. 

Please stop,  your making yourself look very silly.

 

 

[Nick Carter icp]

1 hour ago, NemoH said:

The restriction to buy alcohol 11-2pm purportedly to stop drinking during office hour ..is big big joke 🤣🤣🤣

 

   Its to stop people drinking all day long 

[Nick Carter icp]

53 minutes ago, OldmanJ said:

If people can't get drunk and have a good time by 2.00am there is something really wrong with them.Make it a law that every and any place selling alcohol after 2.00am gets a 25,000 baht fine and if again face serious jail time and close the business down.

 

   Isn't there already that law in place ?

In some areas its 11 0r 12 PM

[Guderian]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

As such, representatives from youth councils are set to join provincial committees. This ensures young voices influence pivotal decisions on alcohol zoning and sales restrictions.

 

 

Good news, that should see the back of the 2:00 to 5:00 no booze sales rule, a few Sangsom and Cokes with lunch will make Khru's boring afternoon drawl pass much faster! lol

[Bert got kinky]

6 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

 

I trump your outdated 2022 CNN report in which they quote one man's views with my 2024 CNN report' which states the actual facts rather than one man's interpretation.

 

From the report:

Thailand’s new government is moving ahead to pass new legislation banning cannabis for recreational use in a major reversal 18 months after the country became the first in Asia to decriminalize the plant.

If recreational use of cannabis, why did the then PM try to have it banned?

 

 https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/10/asia/thailand-cannabis-reverse-proposed-laws-intl-hnk/index.html