Interrestingly it is suddenly not clear if I can have a fresh beer at 4pm in my private garden 🤔

To change the liability from the seller to the customer is just insane entirely. Then imagine a random tourist who stays at a real hotel or resort, where they do are allowed to sell, to then take a walk around the city and beach, and stopping over at a random bar that offers him beer, to then be fined 10K? Great..

 

I wonder what even motivated them, they have to be very stupid to not understand the reason it always happens is as the police takes bribes. To then make the law even more stupid and basically upgrading those bribes for the same police big time.

 

Also the fundamentals of the entire law are focused on Thai workers who were drinking during their lunch breaks. They should exempt foreigners entirely to begin with, specially with heavy competitor Vietnam allowing it + being way cheaper for the same beers.

 

Last but not least I wonder how that works with resort tourists buying some beers + bringing them with them to the beach. You would need to show a receipt from a hotel or resort to be legally safe? Lol.

6 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Last but not least I wonder how that works with resort tourists buying some beers + bringing them with them to the beach. You would need to show a receipt from a hotel or resort to be legally safe? Lol.

The gospel according to Google:

 

"No, it is not legal to drink beer on a public beach in Thailand, and recent laws have increased the penalties for this activity. Individuals caught drinking in public places like beaches can face significant fines, and the police are increasing patrols to enforce the ban, especially in tourist areas. It is best to save your drinks for licensed establishments such as hotels, resorts, and restaurants, which are exempt from these rules. "

The 2pm to 5pm alcohol restriction was made to prevent government officials from drinking. I wrote something about it elsewhere, based on historical facts:

 

...During the 1971–1973 military regime under Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn, the Revolutionary Council decided in 1972 to restrict the sale of alcohol in shops to certain hours, allegedly because many government officials were absent from work due to hangovers.

 

Alcohol sales were by law limited to between 11:00 and 14:00 and again from 17:00 to midnight. However, the law was not strictly enforced until convenience store chains began to spread across the nation. Enforcement of the law was tightened by the military junta in 2015, when Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's office issued a regulation specifying that alcohol may only be sold during these hours, except in international airports and entertainment venues, i.e. bars, nightclubs and the like...

 

Recently there has been news stories about lifting the 2pm to 5pm alcohol sales-ban, where alcohol abstinence organizations have objected.

 

In my personal view the sales-ban don't help much, as drinkers will just buy their alcohol before 2pm and before midnight – if the cannot find a local store still selling alcohol – in my Scandinavia home area various alcohol ban haven't help much, people were still drinking and even made their own alcohol, if it was totally forbidden. When lifting alcohol bans, the population began to act more "normal", the forbidden alcohol was not that exciting anymore. However, right after lifting a ban to freedom the drinking increased for a short periode.

 

It is of course up to Thais to decide, how daily life shall be in their country. But as Thailand also, almost desperately, seems to wish more tourism, various restrictions – including some that seems weird in some tourists' eyes – dont help increasing the arrivals (of hopefully quality tourists). Same applies for more long-time-stayers – a number of new visas show that Thailand also wish to expand in this area – some long-timers actually also spend "an awful lot of money" in Thailand...😉

4 minutes ago, khunPer said:

The 2pm to 5pm alcohol restriction was made to prevent government officials from drinking

I read it was to prevent school aged students from drinking after school. 

 

5 hours ago, ezzra said:

''restrict alcohol sales between 2pm and 5pm '' does it make sense to anyone? what is happening between those hours

that alcohol sales are being restricted? Any One?

I can not see that there is any problem that will be solved by doing this.

And fines of 10,000 baht? They can not even settle on this draconian amount. They say 10,000 baht or more....decided by whom ?

Why not just a polite suggestion that you must stop drinking now.

Meanwhile the marijuana shops will carry on as normal.

1 hour ago, JeffTH said:

Interrestingly it is suddenly not clear if I can have a fresh beer at 4pm in my private garden 🤔

 

  It's unquestionably clear to me that you can.  

9 hours ago, smedly said:

just more confusion, how are customers supposed to know the licencing laws in force for any particular venue especially tourists on a 2 week holiday, this is insane

 

9 hours ago, gargamon said:

Why is Thailand always about “How can we suck more money out of these tourists“?

 

8 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

The country wants tourist b

 

7 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Have the cops booking all the foreigners drinking beer

Why does anyone think that this law was brought in for tourists.

 

It isn’t.

Alcohol is a highly addictive poison, a dangerous one. The more regulation, the better imho. Tourists or expats that come here to get hammered at 2pm, as many on this forum I would guess, are not contributing much to this country anyway. Good riddance.

A surefire way to maintain corruption: very strict laws that no one actually follows. Anyone can be punished whenever necessary, because everyone breaks the law.

 

An individual entrepreneur can always be blackmailed if so desired, because you have to break the law like everyone else to stay in the market. 

 

3 hours ago, Galong said:

I like your comments... and LOVE your "Spitting Image" avatar... kudos!  That show is hilarious!  I only recently started watching it. 

 

Thanks for the compliments, and, yes, the show is cracking me up every time too... 😆 

31 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

8 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

This is a genius idea for Thailand. 

Have the cops booking all the foreigners drinking beer on the beach, early afternoon (2 to 5pm). 😂

The revenue will sky-rocket. 

Why does anyone think that this law was brought in for tourists.

It isn’t

I just thought it would be a good idea to raise revenue. 

 

What's your ideas on raising revenue? 

 

36 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

What's your ideas on raising revenue? 

End the corruption.

 

There you go, I've just made the country and it's people billions in a three worded sentence...

 

Eric.

I think these new more stringent rules, and also stricter enforcement of existing regulations, is a good thing, because...

 

It looks like I maybe have picked the RIGHT week, unlike Lloyd.....

 

 

 

1 hour ago, TheAppletons said:

 

  It's unquestionably clear to me that you can.  

But don't forget that, by Law, you cannot mow the said lawn, or trim your bushes as a Thai could be employed to do it.

 

Reminds me that once my Mrs said she wanted a Brazilian cut. 

It knackered the strimmer ! 

1 hour ago, KireB said:

Alcohol is a highly addictive poison, a dangerous one. The more regulation, the better imho. Tourists or expats that come here to get hammered at 2pm, as many on this forum I would guess, are not contributing much to this country anyway. Good riddance.

So what do you think about the devil's weed(AKA marijuana)? 

9 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

But don't forget that, by Law, you cannot mow the said lawn, or trim your bushes as a Thai could be employed to do it.

 

This sounds GREAT, to me.

 

Why would I want to carry around a weed-whacker in the HOT SUN, several times a week, when...

There is someone else willing to do this difficult job....for me.

 

This is just one more MAJOR advantage afforded Farang who choose to live here.

 

I am so happy, REALLY....!!!!

How will the fine be enforced.

 

Or will it be like speeding tickets that arrive in the mail.... chuck em in the trash can!

Just now, gargamon said:

So what do you think about the devil's weed(AKA marijuana)? 

Not as harmful as alcohol, but 1,200 (!) dispensaries in Phuket alone do more harm than good to the tourism sector. I hope Thailand's tourism image will shift from sleezy to green, though I doubt it will. A lot of Thais, my kids included, are fed up with this  Soddom and Gomorra image.

4 hours ago, Will B Good said:

 

Nope.....unless you can prove that the establishment has a certificate of special dispensation....your responsibility mind......then you are looking at a 10k fine

so you go to a bar or club at 1am which is open and selling alcohol and you ask "do you have a licence to sell after 12am" they say yes which is most likely the answer whether they do or don't and the place gets raided by the police - what then if they don't, is this really down to the customer!!!, stupid nonsense 

2 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

 

 

 

Why does anyone think that this law was brought in for tourists.

 

It isn’t.

If it isn't for tourist can you explain why this law is needed as in a normal country people are working between 14.00 and 17.00 and don't have time to get drunk...

1 hour ago, smedly said:

so you go to a bar or club at 1am which is open and selling alcohol and you ask "do you have a licence to sell after 12am" they say yes which is most likely the answer whether they do or don't and the place gets raided by the police - what then if they don't, is this really down to the customer!!!, stupid nonsense 

 

Could not agree more....total farce.........even if you ask to see a certificate would anyone know what they were looking at?

 

But the law is the law.....it is now the drinkers responsibility.

 

 

 

3 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

Why does anyone think that this law was brought in for tourists.

 

It isn’t.

 

EXACTLY....!!!!

 

This law is NOT about controlling tourists' behavior.

 

This is only a law for Thailand.

Tourists and Foreigners make us just a very small fraction of people now living in Thailand.

 

Personally, I agree with having the alcohol regulations TIGHTENED UP.....because....

This could save much misery, and also promote health.

 

This does NOT mean that adults, here in Thailand, will not be able to drink responsibly without harming others.

 

It only means that existing rules and regulations need to be tightened up, a bit, according to the laws now on the books.

 

Alcohol is a DRUG that does great harm, especially when there is not enough education being provided to young people from an early age.

 

Alcohol does great harm, and we see it chronicled on TV, every day of the week.

 

Therefore, I DO agree with tightening up, not only a bit, but much more, in coming days...

This will be a very good thing, I think.

 

There is a very famous song which talks about tightening up, that this issue brings to my mind....

It goes like this....

 

 

We should learn to truly appreciate music without imbibing, is my view....

 

Great music can be even MORE wonderful when not inebriated, or "high"....

 

Let's all promote health, both physical and mental health.....

 

 

So....went to my local joint today at 4:00 pm, ordered a beer (like everyone else) and encountered no difficulty.

 

I didn't get fined 10K THB, the police didn't ask to see my ID, Big Jok didn't jump out from behind the bushes and shout the Thai language equivalent of "ah ha!"

 

Carry on, much ado about nothing.

 

Edit to add: If you are one of the posters on this thread who wondered if you could legally drink at home during 2:00-5:00 pm - are you joking or just stupid?  As if the Thai police cadre is going to move house to house looking for people drinking.  LMFAO at some of the old geezers who are so befuddled they think their homes are somehow going to be targeted for beer drinking.

 

 

10 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

it is now the drinkers responsibility.

but if shouldn't be especially since opening hours are so fluid and all different around the country and even within cities, how are customers supposed to know, there are even backhanders paid in certain cases to allow extended hours

4 minutes ago, TheAppletons said:

So....went to my local joint today at 4:00 pm, ordered a beer (like everyone else) and encountered no difficulty.

 

I didn't get fined 10K THB, the police didn't ask to see my ID, Big Jok didn't jump out from behind the bushes and shout the Thai language equivalent of "ah ha!"

 

Carry on, much ado about nothing.

 

 

 

 

I think the whole thing will just be ignored......as is the case so often over here.

 

 

1 minute ago, smedly said:

but if shouldn't be especially since opening hours are so fluid and all different around the country and even within cities, how are customers supposed to know, there are even backhanders paid in certain cases to allow extended hours

 

Farce is the keyword.......!!!

 

Can you imagine a gang of young lads piling into soi 4 and thinking ...oh it's 2:30....best hang back till 5pm.

 

That, or the bars will just have to get their licensing sorted and comply.........if they can.

 

 

5 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

 

 

 

Why does anyone think that this law was brought in for tourists.

 

It isn’t.

 

I doubt that most Thais who drink between those hours have an extra 10k in their back pocket to hand to the cops.

14 minutes ago, flaming dragon said:

 

I doubt that most Thais who drink between those hours have an extra 10k in their back pocket to hand to the cops.

I doubt any cops will be enforcing this law.

2 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

If it isn't for tourist can you explain why this law is needed as in a normal country people are working between 14.00 and 17.00 and don't have time to get drunk...

Which is the reason. So they go to work and don’t get drunk.

You are overestimating your own self importance.