44 minutes ago, petedk said:

The girls wander outside into the car park screaming and shouting all night long.

 

Shoot them.

Flame post removed.

 

@Tookta discuss the topic, not just attack other posters.

Stories like this really bring out the anti-alcohol+/- pro-cannabis people.

Here's a thing, it's called 'up to you'! Just because restrictions are eased doesn't mean people go mad. Currently, everywhere I've been in Thailand you can drink in a bar between 2-5 and I haven't seen a fight yet. The 7/11 won't sell you alcohol, but the multiple 'mom and pop' shops will so it's business as usual, in fact I don't care if the 7 doesn't sell it because I'd rather give my money to the small establishments. 

You can already drink in most of Pattaya until 4am, and considering it probably has the most alcohol outlets, clubs, pubs, bars, etc per square metre, crime, especially drunk crime is negligible. Compare this to the average main drinking venues anywhere in the UK, and to a lesser extent Australia. 

Drunk driving will happen no matter what, if the person intends to go out for a skinful of booze, they'll do it whenever. If places close at 12, they'll go out at 6 and have a skinful and drive home because that is the mindset. In places like Pattaya there is absolutely no need for drunk driving with the number of transport options, it is those who choose to break the law who will do it whatever. The only way you will stop that is enforcement, but that is very, very poor in Thailand.

There are many places in Pattaya where staff who have been working until the early hours go to eat, drink and make merry, even at 9 in the morning, so anyone who doesn't think that Thais certainly can't drink 24/7 is kidding themselves.

The bottom line is choice, retail and personal. You don't have to buy booze and you don't have to get pissed, but because most of us wear big boy trousers, we have the choice to do so. 

7 hours ago, short-Timer said:

Great, more drunk-driving road deaths and alcohol induced crime, and violence to come. And don't forget the increases in liver disease, heart attacks, and strokes. 

You sound like a right barrel of laughs. If you don’t like it…

People have been whinging for years about the 7-11 hours, now it’s too available? About time Thailand got with it and stopped ordering people around when they can and cannot buy a beer. Rarely out nowadays, but it is nice to know I can choose to do so without fear of the cops rolling down the shutters, or pick up a beer from 7 at 4pm on a Saturday or whenever. 

7 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, has directed government agencies to lift restrictions on alcohol sales and extend nightlife operating hours

I read 'lift restrictions" as possibly meaning the 2-5pm rule.  I clicked on the Khaosod link and learnt (after a Google translate) that this means "relax the prohibition on selling alcoholic beverages between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM, with the goal of being able to proceed immediately within January 2026, before the dissolution of parliament".

 

https://www.khaosod.co.th/breaking-news/news_9988164 - article link.

 

Good news!  Not sure I can stay up till 4am, but this is good too (in my humble opinion).

Yep, fix the economy by selling more vice..

 

But, sorry your alcohol rules are so stupid that it won't make any difference.

 

And maybe just ban forever all and every alcohol sales from gaz stations, and severely repress consumption in public spaces.

why didnt they do that when i was there ?

Well, they will be implementing lots of populist policies like this one to try to increase their voter base in time for the election, same goes for the 2k baht co-payment policy where you spend say 200 baht at the Blue Flag shop and they give you 200 baht a day for free, i.e. the stuff is half price on the 200 baht you spend. 

Also, with policies like the alcohol hours one, they are doing it because it's an easy bit of low-hanging fruit for extra tax as they are skint.

35 minutes ago, Petemcc64 said:

The 7/11 won't sell you alcohol, but the multiple 'mom and pop' shops will so it's business as usual, in fact I don't care if the 7 doesn't sell it because I'd rather give my money to the small establishments. 

 

+1 

1 hour ago, Peter Crow said:

 

 

And maybe just ban forever all and every alcohol sales from gaz stations, and severely repress consumption in public spaces.

 

Selling booze at petrol stations............. that was done with years ago.

 

When were you last in Thailand?

2 hours ago, Watawattana said:

I read 'lift restrictions" as possibly meaning the 2-5pm rule.  I clicked on the Khaosod link and learnt (after a Google translate) that this means "relax the prohibition on selling alcoholic beverages between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM, with the goal of being able to proceed immediately within January 2026, before the dissolution of parliament".

 

https://www.khaosod.co.th/breaking-news/news_9988164 - article link.

 

Good news!  Not sure I can stay up till 4am, but this is good too (in my humble opinion).

Really! You should try reading the full OP.

 

”The initiative also aims to relax the nationwide alcohol sales ban between 2PM and 5PM, with implementation targeted for January 2026, before Parliament is dissolved.”

It's kind of funny when you look back to why Thailand intoduced this daily14:00-17:00 alcohol sales ban way back in the 70s or whenever, as it was introduced to prevent government workers/civil servants from getting smashed in the afternoons... think it was a big problem back in the day. It's way outdated now and should be repealed.

1 hour ago, Georgealbert said:

Really! You should try reading the full OP.

 

”The initiative also aims to relax the nationwide alcohol sales ban between 2PM and 5PM, with implementation targeted for January 2026, before Parliament is dissolved.”

Doh!  Yes, of course.  Apologies.  Although I had read the whole OP, twice, I'd obviously been reading too many threads with so much pointless and continued bickering that my brain cell was fried.

 

Thanks for your good work Georgealbert.

I guess being able to stay open until 4am will only really benefit the high tourist areas, in quieter areas there just aren't the punters to justify staying open to 4am. Where i am, near Hua Hin, during the week it is common to see most of the bars shut at 11.

Next up for Anutin, 24hr dedicated weed smoking zones on every street corner. 👍🏼

3 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

 

Selling booze at petrol stations............. that was done with years ago.

 

When were you last in Thailand?

Been here for many years, but it is true, I have never tried, at any time, to buy booze at a petrol station.

So stupid.

10 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

The night is for ...... you know.. girls at night on the street are probably offering themselves, so they have money to spend and the boys are many times dealers, although it doesn't exist according to the RTP... so they have money too.. Both don't need to work but can prevent other people of a good night sleep as those have a normal job.. And the RTP???? you know... mostly easy money to earn and don't need to do anything for it

If you people don't like the situation then move. It's their country and you are guests...

14 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Stupidity of the Thai Government is unknown... In daytime you are not allowed to buy or sell alcohol, but you can do it at night till 4 am.. Thai people don't need to work?? Is it useful to stay opemn till 4 AM?? What about the people who are working in these venues? they don't need to clean and sleep?? Must there be more problems in drugs, drunk driving, fights, and traffic accidents and than claiming that the the health care costs so much money??  And more sound pollution for the people who live nearby as the people will not turn the music down after 0.00 It would be better to take away the draconic high taxes of imported alcohol and ban the alcohol sales/buying hours and that will bring more profit than these stupid ideas they have now..

And the RTP will do nothing b y complains as there working hours are from 9 to 17 and they are being paid by the entertainment venue not to come by complaints.. 

 

What do you expect? Anutin is in charge now. Has he ever distinguished himself by getting anythig right?

16 hours ago, short-Timer said:

Great, more drunk-driving road deaths and alcohol induced crime, and violence to come. And don't forget the increases in liver disease, heart attacks, and strokes. 

To be fair, before Prayut takeover in 2014, all the clubs & bars (at least in CNX) were closing around 5am. And there wasn't much change to road deaths.

52 minutes ago, hotelbri said:

If you people don't like the situation then move. It's their country and you are guests...

correction all foreigners are unwelcoming guests, only the money they bring in is welcome and more foreigners are being aware of that and less are coming... why should people go or stay in a country that is not treating you as guests but as ATM's?

Your posts shows it all...dare to comment?? than please leave

14 hours ago, LennyW said:

When i first came here 25+ years ago it was 24 hours open, far less violence, far less accidents, nobody was in a rush, rules on times just fuel binge drinking and violence. Wind it back!!

How do you explain it went downhill like that? 

12 hours ago, petedk said:

 

Some developers bought 9 houses in the middle of our residential area and are slowly converting them to nightclubs. Two pubs now are often open until 4 am or later and yes, there are many young customers. The girls wander outside into the car park screaming and shouting all night long. Cars sound their horns all night long. Motorcycles with modified exhausts drive back and forth all night long. Fights occasionally break out. 

What do all these people do? How can they afford to drink like this every day as I am sure they are not working.

 

What was once a quiet residential area is now a night hotspot and getting worse despite constant complaints from the neighbours.

Is your moobane in bkk? 

1 hour ago, shocky2012 said:

To be fair, before Prayut takeover in 2014, all the clubs & bars (at least in CNX) were closing around 5am. And there wasn't much change to road deaths.

You are probably right. It probably doesn't make much difference. But the government encouraging people to drink more in this country is probably the last thing this country needs. Alcohol already is the second leading cause of death in the country. It seems the locals already drink too much as it is. In my view, the government should be promoting a more healthy lifestyle for the locals rather than promoting one that is unhealthy, simply to try and stimulate the ailing economy a bit more and mainly to benefit the alcohol producing cartels.

On 10/23/2025 at 4:38 AM, Georgealbert said:

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, has directed government agencies to lift restrictions on alcohol sales and extend nightlife operating hours, in a move expected to boost state revenue by hundreds of billions of baht.

Rather optimistic

On 10/23/2025 at 4:42 AM, short-Timer said:

Great, more drunk-driving road deaths and alcohol induced crime, and violence to come. And don't forget the increases in liver disease, heart attacks, and strokes. 

This was the attitude when the UK changed the alcohol laws. Yes, it did cause a problem for about 12 months, but then people realised how much more they were spending on booze. On the other hand TIT! 

Anytime Anutin, a man who was co-chair of the least progressive administration in the last few decades, and presided over the Prayuth Decimation, comes up with a progressive plan, it's not only shocking, but rather encouraging. There's nothing but upside to scrapping these antiquated laws that accomplished nothing. 

On 10/23/2025 at 4:42 AM, short-Timer said:

Great, more drunk-driving road deaths and alcohol induced crime, and violence to come. And don't forget the increases in liver disease, heart attacks, and strokes. 

 

Not sure what you are dribbling on about, Can buy booze 24/7 in Thailand if you really want to.

On 10/23/2025 at 6:59 AM, NoMoonLogistics said:

Smoke dope. Keep partying right thru the night. No point in getting up until 11 am.

 

I like this bloke. 

 

When is he bringing back opium dens?

 

 

Thats what I’ve been saying, as it is now you have to travel to north Laos to find one 😆 

It's only a plan, how much water must flow through the Chaopraya before it becomes a reality?