Thailand Targets Tougher Alcohol Laws to Align with Global Norms

[metisdead]

A troll post and the inflammatory replies have been removed.

[Luuk Chaai]

11 hours ago, connda said:

I know that in America, you can't buy a beer from 2pm to 5pm every day of the week.  😁

say what Willis ?   no such thing

[PETERTHEEATER]

9 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

 

Is there not a "mom and pop" store on your route ?

 

Yesterday 7am I did my grocery shopping at my local TOP's.... bought 2 bottles of JD over the road at the mom and pop store !

You're a JD Beer lover too?

https://vinepair.com/articles/jack-daniels-whiskey-beer-history/

 

[kiwikeith]

13 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

"AIMING" is the key word...With crooked cops and rampant pay off's, good luck with that.

They can't even enforce non helmet wearing, only put the fine up to 2000 bhat and grab a Falang 

[ikke1959]

That means a lot of work and will never happen.. In almost no country it is forbidden to sell alcohol before 11.00 and after 14.00 or on religious holidays..In not many countries are cheap wines so extreme taxed , and in many countries it is normal to watcha movie without blurred drinks... Besides that in many countries there is no law that forbid pics of drinking alcohol on facebook, as it is here seen as a promotion to drink.  In many countries the police test al lot of drivers on  alcohol consumption, day and night and 365 days a year, The fines for driving with too much alcohol are high and many drivers know that, not the low fines here in Thailand, Bartenders must keep an eye on too much alcoholconsumption in several countries and can and will refuse to sell more.

And there are many campaigns on TV , internet and billboards which are warning against drinking alcohol. And many more examples... But Thailand has ideas but it will not work as they don't enforce anything.. Sounds nice with the upcoming holidays but on the 5th of January 2025 everything is being forgotten already

[Bday Prang]

9 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

 

Is there not a "mom and pop" store on your route ?

 

Yesterday 7am I did my grocery shopping at my local TOP's.... bought 2 bottles of JD over the road at the mom and pop store !

And there are people on here who would deny you that opportunity, not to mention the "over 30 anti alcohol advocacy groups"

[Bday Prang]

9 hours ago, loong said:

Strange, in my group of expat drinking buddies, the vast majority drink Leo or Chang!

As indeed does the overwhelming majority of just about everybody else I have ever seen out drinking

[Bday Prang]

6 hours ago, KannikaP said:

I guess that means they will scrap the silly law. It used to be like that in UK a long long time ago.

indeed it did with even more stringent restrictions on a sunday,  Some counties in Wales were "dry" on Sundays too, although that didn't apply to the working mens clubs and miners clubs I think they used to have a referendum in each county every 5 years 

[azdarrell]

10 hours ago, Jonathan Swift said:

Way back when in the US booze could not be sold on Sundays. "Blue Laws". When governments finally started smelling the money to be made they eliminated that. In Thailand I believe originally there was a reason for the 2 - 5 ban, possibly to do with afternoon naps, or a king's decree, or something Buddhist. I think someone told me once but I forgot

 

 

[azdarrell]

Yes, I remember the Blue Laws. Had to buy all your booze on Sarurday!

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

I for one would be pleased to see some change. The afternoon law is an old law that was resurrected by Thaksin and it has no logic to it particularly when it effects restaurants and people doing their shopping. There is no sense either to 12-11 when bars and clubs are open until 4am, why not make it 24 hours with the licensing for bars, restaurants and clubs made to suit. Thailand has plenty of "Dry Days" other countries don't have.

Alcohol might be a contributor to road accidents but the fact remains that drivers are not extensively tested to get a licence so the general standard of driving skill is not high enough. Also vehicle maintenance and road worthiness needs to be regularly tested. 

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

1 hour ago, azdarrell said:

Yes, I remember the Blue Laws. Had to buy all your booze on Sarurday!

Was that before or after prohibition?

[soi3eddie]

13 hours ago, connda said:

If you want to align with European norms, you start drinking at lunch time.

 

If you want to align with British norms, drinking starts at 08:00am. Just visit any Wetherspoons pub.

 

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

I would like to point out this headline is wrong. With the exception of some muslim and Scandinavian countries Thailand actually has fairly strict laws on the sale of alcohol and as the article suggests a loosening of the laws is required not more restrictions.

[soi3eddie]

9 hours ago, Oz82 said:

I've always found Thailand to be very uptight about alcohol consumption. Binge drinking is not a normal way of life like it is in western countries. Yes there are people getting drunk at bars on weekends, but society is far less alcohol oriented here than in the west. Tourist areas revolve around alcohol, and Thai people who hang around in tourist/expat areas, are often drinkers. But in normal Thai towns it isn't the norm, and being drunk is quite taboo here.

 

So, you've never been to the villages or hung around with younger male working class Thais? Being from the UK, and a family of pub owners, even I was shocked on arriving in Thailand in 2000 by bicycle, from Malaysia. Late afternoon, a group of lads in Narathiwat were drinking at a restaurant. They offered me beer (a no-no when I'm cycling). Then, once arriving in Songkhla, it was party central. Walking by the beach each night, picknicking Thais were offereing me Thai whisky and beer. Few farangs around there in those days. When I married in 2002, in Nakhon Si Thammarat, we had 470 guests (on tables of 10) to our wedding party. Each table insisted that I shared a whisky shot. I tried to politely decline but had to sip more than I cared for. I do not agree with your statement above. 

 

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

10 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

 

So, you've never been to the villages or hung around with younger male working class Thais? Being from the UK, and a family of pub owners, even I was shocked on arriving in Thailand in 2000 by bicycle, from Malaysia. Late afternoon, a group of lads in Narathiwat were drinking at a restaurant. They offered me beer (a no-no when I'm cycling). Then, once arriving in Songkhla, it was party central. Walking by the beach each night, picknicking Thais were offereing me Thai whisky and beer. Few farangs around there in those days. When I married in 2002, in Nakhon Si Thammarat, we had 470 guests (on tables of 10) to our wedding party. Each table insisted that I shared a whisky shot. I tried to politely decline but had to sip more than I cared for. I do not agree with your statement above. 

 

This is no surprise coming from a push biker. Sorry mate, you can eat nuts and drink bottled water but don't give us the holier than thou attitude. Jesus liked a glass of "whine" himself.