Thai PM Considers Easing Alcohol Sales Rules to Boost Tourism

[tandor]

9 hours ago, Felton Jarvis said:

Long overdue.

Can the 90 Day reporting whilst you're at it.

[khaowong1]

It's a pretty sad state of affairs, when your tourism dollars are reliant on alcohol sales. 

[Felton Jarvis]

1 hour ago, tandor said:

Can the 90 Day reporting whilst you're at it.

That will never happen because it is a job creation program. Without 90 Day Reporting, Thousands of Thai Immigration workers would be sitting around doing nothing.

[sqwakvfr]

I was in Kuala Lumpur last month and went into a market a 230 PM and was able to buy adult beverages.  The cashier was a cute and friendly female  who was wearing a hijab. The cashier told me I can buy adult beverages 24 hours a day. But in Thailand I would have to wait until 500PM.  This  is long overdue. I would suggest starting alochol sales at 1200 PM and ending at midnight. This would satisfy restaurants, stores and even bars. 

[daejung]

15 hours ago, proton said:

Nothing to consider just DO IT in a well known pizza/wine restaurant not long ago, sorry no wine it's after 2 PM, madness.

I agree. The main problem is at restaurants

[Bert got kinky]

8 hours ago, DD86 said:

 

It's about freedom of choice, maybe not known to you.

 

If you need to get an all day drink, if you cannot survive between licensing hours or control your alcoholism, then choose Russia.

Thailand does not need any more alcohol dependent tourists, we have enough already.

 

 

 

 

[NanLaew]

16 hours ago, 1happykamper said:

You're not an expat. You're a snowbird. 

Expats live outside their home country 99% of the year. 

 

Yes. England had very restrictive laws. The "outdoor" was the way to go for many drinkers. 

 

Expat from the Latin "ex patria" fundamentally meaning not living in your birth or home nation. Nothing to do with percentages of anything. Ever.

 

Ergo snowbirds are expats, just the same as foreign workers in Thailand, retirees living in Thailand, those with Thai families and/or spouses, and digital nomads pitching their tents in Thailand are expats.

 

Two week millionaires, sponsors of sick buffalo owners, "resident tourists" (a dying breed), sexpats, mongers (more rare species) and others just passing through who complain about Thailand's archaic daytime alcohol bans, not so much.

[Felton Jarvis]

On 2/13/2025 at 10:23 AM, proton said:

Nothing to consider just DO IT in a well known pizza/wine restaurant not long ago, sorry no wine it's after 2 PM, madness.

The laws are never going to change. A Thai person would see this as losing face. The government does not care about business and that's one reason that Thailand remains a "developing" country.

[Felton Jarvis]

22 hours ago, tandor said:

Can the 90 Day reporting whilst you're at it.

 90-day reports are here to stay.

[Luuk Chaai]

On 2/13/2025 at 9:53 AM, webfact said:

Reference file photo courtesy: mamalovesphuket

 

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has initiated a review of Thailand’s longstanding afternoon alcohol sales ban, responding to business community calls for regulatory relaxation to enhance tourism.

 

 

 

or did daddy obtain stock in a Alcohol beverage distribution Company ?

[tandor]

12 hours ago, Felton Jarvis said:

 90-day reports are here to stay.

LTR Visa holders are not required to !

[Ralf001]

13 minutes ago, tandor said:

LTR Visa holders are not required to !

 

They have to report every 365 days !

[cdemundo]

On 2/13/2025 at 11:49 AM, Purdey said:

Developed countries don't all restrict times that you can purchase liquor but generally have tougher rules on who can buy, with many asking to see ID with a purchase if the buyer looks young. Some simply don't care.

It is perhaps not surprising which countries have the most alcoholics.

Hungary	21.2%
Russia	20.9%
Belarus	18.8%
Latvia	15.5%
United States	13.9%
South Korea	13.9%

 

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/alcoholism-by-country 

Interesting differences depending on who you ask:

 

"According to the WHO, US has the lowest rate of alcohol dependence with only 1.92 per cent.

Below are the top countries in the world with the high rate of alcohol use disorder in males:

Russia (16.29%)

Hungary (15.29%)

Lithuania (13.35%)

South Korea (13.10%)

Latvia (11.54%)

Belarus (11.43%)

Estonia (11.09%)

Niue (10.58%)

Colombia (10.33%)

Thailand (10.18%)"

https://www.abbeycarefoundation.com/alcohol/alcoholism-by-country-statistics/

 

Russia, Hungary, South Korea and the Baltics seem to be consensus winners.

USA?  Reports differ widely.

[tandor]

8 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

 

They have to report every 365 days !

my off-topic remark was specifically about 90 Day Reporting,,ok

[DonniePeverley]

How much more tourism do they need to boost ?

 

We are already seeing Phuket being descimated by unruly behaviour, and now they want to add fuel to it.

 

Horrific. 

[hotchilli]

On 2/13/2025 at 9:53 AM, webfact said:

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has initiated a review of Thailand’s longstanding afternoon alcohol sales ban, responding to business community calls for regulatory relaxation to enhance tourism.

It won't boost tourism,  

[geisha]

On 2/13/2025 at 11:52 AM, Jonathan Swift said:

Is that the rule then? I have a retirement visa and live here 7 - 8 months, sometimes more sometimes less, have an apartment with a lease, go back to the US May - Sept, avoiding the rainy season and minding the house I still own, but I'm not an "expat"? So I take it you rewrote the entire Webster dictionary? Can I get a signed copy? You're silly. Nobody cares. I don't even use the word, nor does anyone I know. Even the "real" expats. 

I stay around 5 months a year through the EU winter period.  I believe I know Thailand very well, as I’m a big traveler, I have many Thai friends,  I eat Thai food , I’m not married or interested in the bar scene. I’ve been coming since 1984/85. I spent 20 years of winter on Phuket, 2 yrs of winters in Hua Hin,  Jomtien and Koh Chang. I’ve visited every island over the years. My point is, I’m not an “expat”  as  the person who answered your post  was very adamant about. But I believe , I  ( and probably  yourself) know more about Thailand than many bona fide Expats do!  My backside is not stuck to a bar stool, Im not complaining about my Thai wife/husband / partner, and the tax subject does not concern  me.   I get the  best of Thailand with how I live . So Im not an Expat , and dont wish to be living here 12 months a year. 

[Felton Jarvis]

On 2/15/2025 at 7:03 AM, tandor said:

LTR Visa holders are not required to !

LTR is nice if you can afford it. I get about 90 thousand baht a month and LTR is out of my reach.