Travel Alert For The Christmas Holiday

[grantbkk]

TV Channel 3 reports that because of the general election alcohol sales will be prohibited throughout the Kingdom from 6:00 PM on December 22nd to the 25th.

Should be an interesting Christmas holiday this year.

Cheers!

[sylviex]

TV Channel 3 reports that because of the general election alcohol sales will be prohibited throughout the Kingdom from 6:00 PM on December 22nd to the 25th.

Should be an interesting Christmas holiday this year.

Cheers!

Would that include restaurants, hotels etc. ?

[sweetchariot]

I think you will find its the evening of the 22nd, and the 23rd only. The 24th has been declared a holiday to encourage people to go home to vote, but nothing has been said about no alcohol on these days.

[Tatler]

That is normal for Thailand, all big supermarkets and restuarants won't sell alcohol but most of the smaller shops and restuarants don't seem to have a problem with it

[grantbkk]

I think you will find its the evening of the 22nd, and the 23rd only. The 24th has been declared a holiday to encourage people to go home to vote, but nothing has been said about no alcohol on these days.

It is normal here, but unbelievable, that the bars, stores, hotels, restaurants do not sell any alcoholic beverage until the ballots have been counted. Thai TV Channel 3 may be wrong but the news was very clear as to the 22nd, 23rd and 24th being dry days.

[Prakanong]

24th as well?

I was thinking about flying up 24th or 25th but i am not really bothered about 1 day even if it is the 24th

[lazeeboy]

24th as well?

I was thinking about flying up 24th or 25th but i am not really bothered about 1 day even if it is the 24th

this news should please the tourist ................

[KireB]

I think you will find its the evening of the 22nd, and the 23rd only. The 24th has been declared a holiday to encourage people to go home to vote, but nothing has been said about no alcohol on these days.

And after voting, a lot of people will have received some beer/whiskey-money!

[tijnebijn]

Personally I do not mind , but if you're in the entertainment business ........

[Chiangmai Foxy]

A lot of people are going to lose a lot of money over the busy Christmas period if they cannot serve alcohol.

If the election is on the 23rd why lengthen the ban over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day?

Ridiculous.

typical! i land on the evening of the 21st.no alcohol for 4 days! wow a dry christmas.xmas eve will be boring throughout the kingdom,alot of farang money not being spent

[Manchester]

There are always small places where you can buy alcohol.

[solent01]

yeap..... there is always some place you can get a drink.... TIT yipee

[Scott]

Yes, there are always small places where you can buy alcohol, but then there are also always places where you can buy drugs!

Personally, I think I'll spend my Christmas in Saudi Arabia! I just hate it when a Buddhist country decides to make me get in touch with the 'true' meaning of Christmas!

[grantbkk]

Yes, there are always small places where you can buy alcohol, but then there are also always places where you can buy drugs!

Personally, I think I'll spend my Christmas in Saudi Arabia! I just hate it when a Buddhist country decides to make me get in touch with the 'true' meaning of Christmas!

When I ask a Thai the meaning of Christmas the normal reply is that it is a celebration of the brith of Santa Claus.

[funfun]

Yes, there are always small places where you can buy alcohol, but then there are also always places where you can buy drugs!

Personally, I think I'll spend my Christmas in Saudi Arabia! I just hate it when a Buddhist country decides to make me get in touch with the 'true' meaning of Christmas!

When I ask a Thai the meaning of Christmas the normal reply is that it is a celebration of the brith of Santa Claus.

there right 100%, its coca cola day! and even more so this year be the sound of it!

[Scott]

Also, a lot of them don't understand that Christmas and New Years are actually different holidays. So, (and maybe even in the gov't) some might think that not serving alcohol shouldn't be a problem cause everything will be open on New Years.

[PhilHarries]

Oh well, having to miss out on Xmas in Pattaya this year doesn't seem so bad after all.

But seriously, I've never had a real problem getting drinks over any election day. The big restaurants will probably comply as will supermarkets and large entertaiment places (especially if managed by farangs). You may have to be a little inventive and find enclosed bars with back doors or do what we used to do on the King's birthday - drink your beer from a coffee mug.

The worst shutdown I experienced was when the King's mother died back in around 1995. The police ordered a three day shutdown, despite the King saying no need, and it was enforced. However right next to a beer bar serving only coke/fanta was a beauty salon selling beer. Well the order was only for places of entertainment to close. That's what I love about the people of S. E. Asia, make a rule/law and they'll find a way around it.

The worry is the aftermath when the "wrong" party wins.

[Lite Beer]

24th as well?

I was thinking about flying up 24th or 25th but i am not really bothered about 1 day even if it is the 24th

this news should please the tourist ................

and the bar owners.

[thaipete]

What is this buy booze early for Christmas, I agree the most I have known here is one full dry day and the evening before for elections

[Kan Win]

In General and Local Election, it is usually from 6.00 pm on the Eve of the Election till Midnight on the Day of the Election, so on 24th December you should be able to buy booze.

I normally buy my stock in and stay in the house on these days.

Cheers

Yours truly,

Kan Win

[Prakanong]

24th as well?

I was thinking about flying up 24th or 25th but i am not really bothered about 1 day even if it is the 24th

this news should please the tourist ................

Nah - can't be bothered

[mindabenda]

TV Channel 3 reports that because of the general election alcohol sales will be prohibited throughout the Kingdom from 6:00 PM on December 22nd to the 25th.

Should be an interesting Christmas holiday this year.

Cheers!

[mindabenda]

Can it be true? Four days to cast and count the ballots? This is not a city election! More so a sh#tty erection.

[andyc2006]

On the topic of Christmas, will everything be open Christmas day? Govt offices, such as the Amphur, etc...?

[Chang_paarp]

On the topic of Christmas, will everything be open Christmas day? Govt offices, such as the Amphur, etc...?

Christmas is just a day on the Christian calendar, exploited by the retail industry.

Unless they declare it a public holiday for some reason, just another day at the office wearing funny hats like Halloween.

[Nana]

TV Channel 3 reports that because of the general election alcohol sales will be prohibited throughout the Kingdom from 6:00 PM on December 22nd to the 25th.

Should be an interesting Christmas holiday this year.

Cheers!

“BCCT is also advised that the sale of alcohol will be banned from 6 pm on 22nd December to midnight on 23rd December.”

This is the mail we received from BCCT a few days ago????

[toptuan]

If you gotta get a buzz from alchohol to enjoy the holidays, then you've got a problem, dude!

I know, unpopular opinion with all you red-nosed, beer-bellied expats!

[kangeroo]

yes same every year ,diferent event but there is never a problem can buy it everywhere.

[Scott]

This has less to do with whether or not they sell alcohol. It has to do with the fact that it is high season for THEIR ever so important tourism industry. So why shoot yourself in the foot? Every local expat who must have a drink will know where to get one.

The problem is if you have visitors to the country and your going out for Christmas Eve dinner, they might want to have a drink, or wine with their meal and wouldn't necessarily know this.

[OdeTheBear]

TV Channel 3 reports that because of the general election alcohol sales will be prohibited throughout the Kingdom from 6:00 PM on December 22nd to the 25th.

Should be an interesting Christmas holiday this year.

Cheers!

Are the voting places (and ballot counting) going to be where they sell alcohol? If so then I do understand why they have to be closed for normal business...