Report Thailand Tightens Alcohol Sales: New Rules Take Effect

[Cat Boy]

Am I missing something?

How is this change? How is this "tightening" or "restricting"?

11-14:00 and 17-24:00 was already the law of the land, except on Buddhist holidays and Election days.

 

[Dan O]

18 hours ago, GreasyFingers said:

Never thought of it that way. One of my first Government jobs in the city there were always counter lunches at the nearest pub but had to be back by 2pm. The real die-hards snuck down for one at morning and afternoon tea times.

I was half joking about it being govt workers as its pretty much most labor intensive jobs as well. 

[paul1804]

Thailand doesnt do its self any favours with pointless statements like this, this law was re-established some months back and already in practice. The 2 - 5pm ban for shops & supermarkets is pointless, whilst the larger companies follow this rule your corner shop's do not which is common knowledge so if they are going to make these pointless laws then enforce them otherwise just make them sensible and no need for meaningless statements!

[paul1804]

11 minutes ago, Cat Boy said:

Am I missing something?

How is this change? How is this "tightening" or "restricting"?

11-14:00 and 17-24:00 was already the law of the land, except on Buddhist holidays and Election days.

 

Nothing has changed since the last release where licensed premises in tourist areas are now allowed to sell on Buddhist days but not on election days in that province. Usual Thailand confusing news releases and meaningless statements!!

[kingstonkid]

33 minutes ago, AhFarangJa said:

Yes, barking mad is it not.

OKAY call me confused.  I buy beer when I go shopping every time.  No hassles.  OH that might be because I time my shopping during those times.  

 

novel idea is it not

[Pieter1964]

it is so funny that everyone is complaining about the rules that not are even in their own country.

 

you are a visitor, even if you are already 20 years in the country, still a visitor, exect if you have a thai passport.

 

dont like it, goto cambodia, vietnam, laos or any other country that suits your needs

 

it seems also that there are a lot of alcoholics here on this forum, as it seems by their comments, they cant cope with 3 hours of no alcohol sale in a 711 or tesco or big-c.

 

probably the same type of people that are sitting in a beerbar at 10am in the morning and already drinking their 4th beer, after they had breakfast with beer earlier.

or they are still in their bed sleeping of the last night party with too much alcohol like they do every day.

 

99% of the people can handle this easily, go shopping between 11-2 or after 5 and you can buy all alcohol you want from the band shops.

 

 

 

[shackleton]

The non alcohol sales at 2pm-5pm  should be the first thing to go 

But it won't 🤔

[PETERTHEEATER]

15 hours ago, Puccini said:

 

What is sevell elewel?

Sunset Strip.

[boloaf]

Utter garbage! It still means that when I go out early morning to drive into Pattaya to do my shopping, I then have to make a separate trip after 11am to buy my booze supplies as the local shops don't stock my brands of whisky.  I've read various government explanations, but I still can't see the sense in being barred from buying alcohol pre 11am and between 2 and 5pm. After living here for 18 years I've gotten used to it, but it's still a pain in the asre.

[KannikaP]

4 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

What really makes me laugh is that at 8:30 in the morning I cannot buy a bottle of wine, but if I want to buy 2 x five litre cartons.......no plomlem. I cannot buy one bottle of beer, but I can buy 2 cases. I defy any sane adut to find the logic behind that.

Does that rule still apply.........not in my Makro.

[KannikaP]

1 hour ago, paul1804 said:

Nothing has changed since the last release where licensed premises in tourist areas are now allowed to sell on Buddhist days but not on election days in that province. Usual Thailand confusing news releases and meaningless statements!!

Isn't it silly to ban non-voters on Erection Days  (oops, that's what the Mrs calls it)

And if Buddhist think it is bad to drink on their holy days, then DON'T, let us other religions do what we want.

Is it not only SALES which are banned on those days, not consumption?

[Toby1947]

20 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

They should ban it completely at airports. 

What ? and deprive the pilots of a few pints before takeoff, very unreasonable. 🤣😂

[142857]

The police mafia will be laughing gravy. So they are killing cannabis and now they are going to do the same with alcohol by keeping totally idiotic antiquated laws designed to stop government employees returning to work drunk after lunch. What's the difference between buying a beer at @ Sewen Elewen at 4.50p.m. vs 5.01p.m.? 

 

Farce. 

[TheAppletons]

Just now, 142857 said:

What's the difference between buying a beer at @ Sewen Elewen at 4.50p.m. vs 5.01p.m.? 

 

  11 minutes?  Did I get that right?

[angryguy]

2 minutes ago, 142857 said:

The police mafia will be laughing gravy. So they are killing cannabis and now they are going to do the same with alcohol by keeping totally idiotic antiquated laws designed to stop government employees returning to work drunk after lunch. What's the difference between buying a beer at @ Sewen Elewen at 4.50p.m. vs 5.01p.m.? 

 

Farce. 

Im not sure who is laughing. Tourists lose and the government and businesses lose revenue. I dont see any winners

[Burma Bill]

20 hours ago, Schoggibueb said:

So I can't see any new restrictions.

And the small shop around the corner out in the nowhere sells you a can Leo for 35B anytime.

 

No difference IMHO

 

Yes indeed.

 

Where I used to live up North, out in the sticks in rural Khon Kaen Province, there were mom and pop shops where one could purchase beers on any day, despite so called restrictions, religious or otherwise! The shops also had decorated concrete tables and chairs where us ex-pats could relax and enjoy a chilled beer.  We never saw a policeman. 

 

[WhaleBomb]

There was a shop near my house that was open 24/7 and they sold alcohol. There are tables and chairs outside it was great everyone would go there after the bars close as they close at 12-1 am around here.

As of 2 days ago, they now have signs everywhere saying alcohol is only sold at 11-2 and 5-12, or 10,000 baht fine.

 

Now there is not a soul at the shop at night time.

[johng]

5 minutes ago, WhaleBomb said:

10,000 baht fine.

 

Yes doesn't take many fines like that to make it totally uneconomical to sell..im sure certain premises are more targeted than others at certain times for various reasons.

Before the last coup there was very minimal adherence  to this law...now it  harder and harder for even the mom and pop shops to evade the persecution.  ☹️

[kingstonkid]

5 hours ago, jwest10 said:

Hearing people and see people vaping and drinking cans of beer in parks and outside department stores and yes this illegal I assume?

I don't think it is legal it is just that the police are too busy to care LOL

 

It is a pain in the asset andntheyw ill get harrassed by people for doing their job.

[jwest10]

18 hours ago, shocky2012 said:

Pretty sure the mom & pop shops across the country will keep selling all day long, so yeah — nothing to see here.
 

Thailand’s obsession with trying to control absolutely everything is something I’ve rarely seen anywhere else. I think it has a lot to do with the old guard still clinging to power in the government.
 

Honestly, I really don’t think we’d be seeing stuff like this if someone like Pita were Prime Minister. He seems far more in touch with current global realities, unlike the people in charge right now who, frankly, often seem completely disconnected from how the world actually works.
 

Oh what a surprise, NOT

[SunsetT]

22 hours ago, Dan O said:

because they want the govt workers to go back to work after eating lunch 

They want them to be sober when they fall asleep at their desks in the afternoon!

[pacovl46]

This is so silly! First of all, prohibition doesn't work, no matter what it is. Secondly, the "new/old" regulations implemented now will not cause less alcohol to be consumed either because people will just buy in bulk beforehand and then drink at whatever time they want!!!!! 

[petedk]

22 hours ago, DezLez said:

I think it removes the "special entertainment zones"  which in some cities gave certain areas the  ability to open till 1 or 2 AM in those areas.

 

That would be nice, but I don't think you are right. The pub/restaurant near us (in Bangkok) basically closes when it wants to and that is often 7 am. 

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

This is a total NON-NEWS item from Thaiger. A pointless article that claims there are changes then presents old legislation and reports as if this is new. Is this an AI written piece as it is stupid enough?

Do away with these stupid afternoon restrictions so people can get their shopping done.

[paul1804]

2 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Isn't it silly to ban non-voters on Erection Days  (oops, that's what the Mrs calls it)

And if Buddhist think it is bad to drink on their holy days, then DON'T, let us other religions do what we want.

Is it not only SALES which are banned on those days, not consumption?

Very silly & I believe consumption is ok, just the ban of sales on election days. 

[KannikaP]

12 minutes ago, paul1804 said:

Very silly & I believe consumption is ok, just the ban of sales on election days. 

No consumption on Election Days until you show a stamp on your hand which verifies that you have voted. Thais only of course

[Mark1969]

I think I would rather just have it start at a certain time, rather then have the gaps. Even if it means less time served. I can never remember the hours with the gaps when I'm at the store and need to keep checking the signs or make sure it's exactly the right time when I'm there. If it's just 5pm then I remember to buy the night before after 5.

[AhFarangJa]

3 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Does that rule still apply.........not in my Makro.

In all our shops here, Tesco, The One, Makro, Big C. 

However, I always remember arriving on December 5th. in years gone by. Being the old King's birthday the bars were closed, a no alcohol day. Yet I could go to the  tops supermarket below McDonalds on Sukhumvit and buy whatever I wanted. 

[DezLez]

45 minutes ago, petedk said:

 

That would be nice, but I don't think you are right. The pub/restaurant near us (in Bangkok) basically closes when it wants to and that is often 7 am. 

I was referring to the special "Entertainment Zones" set up in certain Provinces/cities/precincts which allowed alcohol sales out with the normal fixed hours.

 

Bars staying open to 7 AM are using the "brown envelope" method and out with the laws.

[KannikaP]

5 minutes ago, AhFarangJa said:

In all our shops here, Tesco, The One, Makro, Big C. 

However, I always remember arriving on December 5th. in years gone by. Being the old King's birthday the bars were closed, a no alcohol day. Yet I could go to the  tops supermarket below McDonalds on Sukhumvit and buy whatever I wanted. 

So are you saying that you CAN buy in bulk in Makro etc?