Pattaya Prepares for Silent Night: Alcohol Ban Hits Tourists

[KireB]

55 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Locals will be and are drinking today. 

No, they won't. Only the village alcoholics will.

[dinsdale]

4 minutes ago, KireB said:

No, they won't. Only the village alcoholics will.

So everyone who's having a drink today, today being a holiday for those that work, are all alcoholics. Absolute drivel.

[Moonlover]

1 hour ago, petedk said:

 

I agree that you should respect the laws and cultures of the country.

I am surprised that the shops that sell alcohol in your village are closed. I am in Bangkok and alcohol has been sold nearly all day near me.  Do they care about Budhism ?

 

Thai people that want alcohol know where to go to get it. It is the tourists that are hit by the ban.

Our village shop (singular) closes because the couple that run it prefer to go off and make merit themselves and I fully respect that. 

 

I've never heard or read anywhere that Thais are not allowed to drink on religious days. The ban is on selling it, not drinking it. My wife, who enjoys a tifle herself has just confirmed that!

 

I have no sympathy for tourists or expats who can't accept the rules of the country they are visiting or live in.

 

 

[balo]

Drink water instead , or a freshly made juice,  if you can't stay away from booze for 24 hours you have a problem. 
 

[Cardano]

8 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

"...believe the law doesn't apply to them, so will drink away merrily".

There is no law banning drinking today, or on any other Buddhist holidays.

is nitpicking a hobby of yours? you know exactly what was implied.

[Seppius]

8pm Just had a beer at a certain night market in Pratumnak, place is packed, openly selling alcohol, hundreds of people enjoying themselves, the ban does not apply to certain tourists it seems

[dinsdale]

5 hours ago, Moonlover said:

I've never heard or read anywhere that Thais are not allowed to drink on religious days. The ban is on selling it, not drinking it. My wife, who enjoys a tifle herself has just confirmed that!

And here lies in the absolute ridiculousness of it. What's the point? Not only can you stock up but you can still buy it especially out in the villages of which there must be 100s of thousands (?) in Thailand.

[dinsdale]

5 hours ago, balo said:

Drink water instead , or a freshly made juice,  if you can't stay away from booze for 24 hours you have a problem. 
 

It's not the point though is it. The point is this is an antiquated law forced upon people and denies businesses income from alcohol sales. For what? To appease the Buddhist lobby. Again I will point out millions of alcoholic drinks were consumed today. As for you telling people what they should do or they have a problem this is quite simply none of your business.

[jacko45k]

19 hours ago, mikebell said:

Most Thais don't.  Lots of bars will be serving alcohol in cups.

Their primary culture and belief is that of making money. 

[KireB]

15 hours ago, dinsdale said:

So everyone who's having a drink today, today being a holiday for those that work, are all alcoholics. Absolute drivel.

You are guest in a Budhist country with strict alcohol rules since forever, and you dont want or cant limit your intake for just 1 day. Talk about being an alcoholic and disrespectful attitude towards our hostr.

[StandardIssue]

On 2/11/2025 at 2:16 AM, snoop1130 said:

Expecting to enjoy Pattaya’s renowned nightlife, visitors find themselves facing closed bars and dry restaurants, leading to widespread frustration.

 

 

 

Who is finding this to cause widespread frustration? Perhaps only those how have NO CONSIDERATION for Thai people and their culture. A lot of Thais like this day off to practice religious traditions of merit making and visiting the temple. Who is frustrated about 1 day of not being able to drink at a bar or restaurant? I don't get it. No big deal to me.

[dinsdale]

5 minutes ago, KireB said:

You are guest in a Budhist country with strict alcohol rules since forever, and you dont want or cant limit your intake for just 1 day. Talk about being an alcoholic and disrespectful attitude towards our hostr.

I see but it's ok for Thais to drink on these days. I'd love to see you tell a Thai they are an alcoholic and being disrespectful. Strict alcohol rules. LOL. So on one of these days if a Thai offers me a glass of beer I must say no then? "Sorry I am a guest (>20yrs with family) and it would be disrespectful." What particular version of reality are you living in. 

[frank83628]

Did everyone service the great 'no booze night  of 2025?

[jacko45k]

4 minutes ago, StandardIssue said:

 

Who is finding this to cause widespread frustration? Perhaps only those how have NO CONSIDERATION for Thai people and their culture. A lot of Thais like this day off to practice religious traditions of merit making and visiting the temple. Who is frustrated about 1 day of not being able to drink at a bar or restaurant? I don't get it. No big deal to me.

Well maybe someone who has just done a 6 month stint in KSA and gets off the plane to a dry Pattaya would be a bit irritated,. 

[dinsdale]

11 minutes ago, StandardIssue said:

A lot of Thais like this day off to practice religious traditions of merit making and visiting the temple

And a lot more see it as a day off (if not the weekend) to relax with family and friends whist sharing food and drinking alcohol. Doesn't mean they don't do the merit thing but obviously both things can be done in a day. Indeed go to temple, stop at a shop on the way back to buy beer or whatever and then sit around and eat and drink. This is what happens all over Thailand. If you think this isn't the reality then you either don't live here, haven't lived here long, never experienced real Thailand outside of the tourist traps or live some sort of extremely sheltered and boring life.

[Liverpool Lou]

14 hours ago, Cardano said:

23 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

"...believe the law doesn't apply to them, so will drink away merrily".

There is no law banning drinking today, or on any other Buddhist holidays.

is nitpicking a hobby of yours? you know exactly what was implied.

I know exactly what you posted, you made no other implication.

[norfolkandchance]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Well maybe someone who has just done a 6 month stint in KSA and gets off the plane to a dry Pattaya would be a bit irritated,. 

KSA. Alcoholics Paradise.

[Ralf001]

2 hours ago, frank83628 said:

Did everyone service the great 'no booze night  of 2025?

 

I passed out about 8pm.. prolly shoulda not opened the second bottle of Bundy rum.

[KireB]

4 hours ago, dinsdale said:

I see but it's ok for Thais to drink on these days. I'd love to see you tell a Thai they are an alcoholic and being disrespectful. Strict alcohol rules. LOL. So on one of these days if a Thai offers me a glass of beer I must say no then? "Sorry I am a guest (>20yrs with family) and it would be disrespectful." What particular version of reality are you living in. 

It's indeed disrespectful to openly drink alcohol on religious days. What reality am I living in? A sober one, for sure.

 

 

I have also been here for more than 20 years, but as I need to apply for extensions every single year, I consider myself a guest. And good guests should behave accordingly, imho. 

[Emdog]

On 2/12/2025 at 11:30 AM, Liverpool Lou said:

They are not having to observe religious restrictions, they have to observe legal restrictions.

and they are legal restrictions due to the dominant  religion. Duh. Not mere coincidence that alcohol sales are banned on Buddhist holidays... banned by lawmakers who don't know squat about Buddhism

[dinsdale]

2 hours ago, KireB said:

It's indeed disrespectful to openly drink alcohol on religious days. What reality am I living in? A sober one, for sure.

 

 

I have also been here for more than 20 years, but as I need to apply for extensions every single year, I consider myself a guest. And good guests should behave accordingly, imho. 

I try to assimilate as much as I can. This means drinking beer with Thai friends on religious days. Be disrespectful not to. Part of Thai culture is offering a drink to someone. Of course you wouldn't know this.