Thai Election Forces 2-weekend Booze Ban

[A_Traveller]

The allegedly upmarket 'off-licence' in Paragon closed dead on 6 and placed a printed notice in both Thai and English confirming that they would not be selling alcohol from 6 through to midnight Sunday.

Regards

PS I was advised that bringing your own, say a bottle of wine to go with the meal was also explicitly prohibited.

Edited December 14, 2007 by A_Traveller

[Sunderland]

What a stupid thread.

Bananas bananas bananas.

Blah blah blah.

Cabbages and cream.

[sweetchariot]

I read many of you complaining about the military government, but you are unwilling to give up just a few drinks to see in a new democracy.

Some of the people I work with, during a previous coup, stood in front of soldiers. Some of their friends were shot and died in their arms. They did that for democracy in Thailand.

What do you guys do? Drink yourselves stupid. Prop up the illegal trade in humans kidnapped and smuggled in from Burma and forced to have sex 5+ times a day.

You really should have a look at yourselves. You are a disgrace. The very least you could do if you want to stay here and enjoy the Thai civilisation that they have built up is keep your mouths shut and follow some simple rules. But you are so self inflated with your own importance that you can't even manage that.

You really have lost the plot, I think you need to calm down and have a drink.

Where do these girls work, please enlighten us.

I think it takes somebody self inflated with their own importance to make ridiculous statements such as these.

[dogleg]

I read many of you complaining about the military government, but you are unwilling to give up just a few drinks to see in a new democracy.

Some of the people I work with, during a previous coup, stood in front of soldiers. Some of their friends were shot and died in their arms. They did that for democracy in Thailand.

What do you guys do? Drink yourselves stupid. Prop up the illegal trade in humans kidnapped and smuggled in from Burma and forced to have sex 5+ times a day.

You really should have a look at yourselves. You are a disgrace. The very least you could do if you want to stay here and enjoy the Thai civilisation that they have built up is keep your mouths shut and follow some simple rules. But you are so self inflated with your own importance that you can't even manage that.

:D

WilliAm

[zorro1]

I read many of you complaining about the military government, but you are unwilling to give up just a few drinks to see in a new democracy.

Some of the people I work with, during a previous coup, stood in front of soldiers. Some of their friends were shot and died in their arms. They did that for democracy in Thailand.

What do you guys do? Drink yourselves stupid. Prop up the illegal trade in humans kidnapped and smuggled in from Burma and forced to have sex 5+ times a day.

You really should have a look at yourselves. You are a disgrace. The very least you could do if you want to stay here and enjoy the Thai civilisation that they have built up is keep your mouths shut and follow some simple rules. But you are so self inflated with your own importance that you can't even manage that.

[Kenbarl]

Koh Phangan Police say it is ok to serve Alcohol this weekend

All bars closed, as of 7pm unless you pay the BIB.

[KhunDave]

Does anyone know what is happening in Suvarnabhumi this weekend and next in this regard?

I'm flying out on election night itself and really can't face the horror that is Christmas Eve morning in the UK without a final Singha or three before boarding...

[Squint]

Koh Phangan Police say it is ok to serve Alcohol this weekend

All bars closed, as of 7pm unless you pay the BIB.

Here on KT the local boys in brown have just been here at our bar at 10pm to tell us that all bars should be closed, but it's ok if we keep the volume down. No payment needed!

[TEFLMike]

Well,lads and lassies........

I have got quite thirst on after reading all the posts. One deserves a pint or 10.

It is 3.30pm here in UK, which makes it 10.30pm there. How did you all get on with bar openings?

Please advise me, I will read your replies on my return from the 'pub'.

[seri thai]

Koh Phangan Police say it is ok to serve Alcohol this weekend

All bars closed, as of 7pm unless you pay the BIB.

Here on KT the local boys in brown have just been here at our bar at 10pm to tell us that all bars should be closed, but it's ok if we keep the volume down. No payment needed!

I went out on the street this afternoon and have never seen so many bottles of Chang being transported on motorcycles. Biggest count was 6 large changs on each handlebar so some serious drinking is planned. With all due respect to our local elders and betters I have to repeat-what possible difference will alcohol or the lack of it make to the election result?

Most people are predicting a PPP landslide so heres my astrological predictions:

The first class section on Swissair flights to all points west will be busy in the New Year.

Increased investment in golf resorts world wide.

Official switching of thai allegiance between football clubs in Manchester

Agro-combine buyouts of foreclosed small holdings in Isaan

Jatukham MkII sales hit a high in 2008 (buy and sell early!)

Old enemies will announce they're old mates really

Sins will be forgiven

Hands will be slapped

Hands will be shaken

Desks will be shuffled

Business as usual

and to quote John Cleese in the "Time Bandits"

Robin Hood: (John Cleese) The poor are going to be absolutely thrilled. Have you met them at all?

Randall: Who?

Robin Hood: The poor.

Randall: The poor?

Robin Hood: Oh, you must meet them. I just know you'll like them. Charming people. Of course, they haven't got two pennies to rub together, but then, that's because they're poor.

[JonnyF]

Well, I went to Patong for a meal tonight and most of the bars were shut, restaurants were very quiet and more importantly the atmosphere was rubbish.

The only drink I saw was on my way back to Phuket Town, most of the local (Thai) places seemed to have booze and there didn't seem much of an effort to hide it.

Personally the ban doesn't affect me (apart from not being able to have a beer with my meal), but from a practical point of view it seems like the tourists are suffering and the Thais are ignoring it so it seems like a waste of time.

I really feel for the tourists who didn't know about the ban, most people like a drink on holiday and if they didn't know it was coming then they didn't even have a chance to buy a few take-aways last night/today. Must have been a shock when they headed out for the evening... No doubt they'll be singing the praises of Thailand to their friends when they get home

[Thailandvisitor]

Tonight we ate in North Pattaya and were served beer with our meals. We then took a baht bus to Walking Street, walked up and down and then back again along Second Road.

I have never seen so many entertainment places closed with the lights off and bars with access blocked and no drinks being served.

The Blues Factory has a sign that says Closed 14th and 15th Open 16th.

The GoGos all appeared to be shut completely. Entrances blocked or shutters down.

On previous Non-alcohol occasions such as Buddhist Holidays and Royal Birthdays, many bars remained open with lights down low but no audio visual operating. Some carried on serving alcohol discretely.

I saw very little evidence of that tonight! Dozens of bars on Second Road had chairs removed or on the bar tops and no lights on at all.

Whatever has been said to bar owners has certainly had an effect.

Maybe tomorrow will be different.

[sober]

I'm a lurker who registered to register his indignation that so many ex-pats (mostly British) deride Thailand for taking measures to ensure full participation in a democratic election.

Mexico does the same thing.

Some local jurisdictions in US do.

You Brits probably could have avoided the troubles if the Irish hadn't been drunk and missed the chance to particpate in UK governance.

Get yourself a new hobby. Find some real friends whose company you can bear without alcohol. Or just continue to rant about your loneliness on this forum.

But please be respectful of the Thai people. Or go home.

[davejonesbkk]

"Or go home"

I love it when people pull that one out.....

[Guderian]

Plenty open in Phuket tonight. Some bars shut but most restaurants selling beer.

Same, same in Jomtien. All the 'real' bars on the main drag to the beach closed at 6:00 on the dot, but all the bars serving 'food' - and the restaurants of course, including the English chippie - are open and selling beer.

Ho hum. Yet another Thai 'clampdown'.

Edited December 14, 2007 by Guderian

[serpentine]

Unfortunately a lot of bars not attatched to international hotel chains are desperite for the Xmas trade. I will have to lay off my casual staff. They will be pissed off. They get paid very well for short weekend shifts. Tourism in Thailand is generally booming but I fear polititians are forgeting that the thai experience for even wealthy tourists is often most enjoyed in small businesses where farang and thai meet and communicate on a personal level. I will now try not to go bankrupt before Xmas.

[serpentine]

Unfortunately many "rich farang" work for a year or two saving for that legendary thai holiday. Beaches, temples, elephants and tigers and all. It will definately leave a confused taste for those who took their holidays before NY to make the boss happy. I guess most decent people can have fun without booze, but if they spent many a weekend staying in at home saving their cash for a thai holiday they may be peaved? So my staff have a few days off. They are happy like I am too. A weekend of no drunken louts. Cool. But it makes it difficult to run a business when we don't know we have to close until the cops come in.

Where I am the police seemed a little upset about it too. Although I am trying to work out now if anyone thai or farang knew this clampdown was gonna happen.

Should we have known?

[serpentine]

I don't mind losing profit. I worry more about staying afloat. Just got back from my first month off in 2 years to find out that I will be closed for 4 or 6 days in the peak month of the year.......... I can't afford to be closed. I felt worse for the new thai casual worker who just started last week and will be layed off now I know I can't afford them. In tourist areas many bars are owned by farang but employ mostly thai staff. It is difficult to pay wages if we can't be open obviously. I guess these crackdowns will happen under any government trying to show that they have everything under control. The bottom line is businesses have huge overheads in tourist areas and even succesful bars need to be open everyday of the month to make ends meet.....let alone a decent profit.

Winge winge. I'll get over it tomorrow. Maybe enjoy a few days off. aaaaahhhhhhhhh!

[sober]

Serp, it's not a clampdown or a crackdown, it's a practice many countries have to ensure full participation in a democratic election. It is a soverign right of a country to enforce election measures that collaterally cramp the style of tourists and foreign investors.

I think you are exaggerating about your business loss. I have seen prospectus on payroll for bars in Pattaya and Bangkok and you don't really pay these people much to begin with. Now you are going to use this as an excuses to lay people off?

Shame on you for seeking our pity.

[serpentine]

Democracy. Freedom of choice. Most people enjoy a drink sometimes and deserve to be allowed to without the authorities enforcing laws that bascally say "we don't trust you!". Thais can feel insulted that in what is a young democracy, they are told they can't drink in public because they may run amok a week before the big day.

It's about freedom. This looks a little like a dictatorship controlling the masses. And bless the current regime. They did get rid of Taksin, but I feel they may get more credit by not using such treconian(sp??) laws. They may look better to thais by showing them the respect they deserve. Turning off the booze the eve of the election is fine. In Aus bottle shops and bars can't open a couple of times a year (some christian reason). And we never worked that one out.

Bottom line. Businesses need to be open to pay the bills.

And this sucks.

[endure]

Let's keep this thread civil please.

[serpentine]

This thread is amazing. Thankyou for pointing out the obvious mate.

Is it necessarily a good thing when people are told they can, can't booze? I live here 10 yrs. I respect the thai laws. Farang may be pissed off about this as we can see on TV. Believe me my thai friends and business partners are pissed off too. Except they don't winge so much because they are used to the powerful playing them. Such crackdowns are not new.

That doesn't mean they are good.

By the way the international perception of Thailand is very import with regard to tourists. Closed for a night is fine. Closed for almost a week in tourist resorts in high season equates to massive lost income for the bar owners and their staff.

It will have negative repercusions for tourists, bar owners, thais and the hundreds of thousands of unofficial burmese who are the backbone of a lot of hospitality businesses. This is not an issue of pissheads going without a beer for a day, it is about jobs and lost dollars. Thailand will loose hundres of millions of baht everyday bars are closed. That will hurt working thais more than winging farangs. It just makes the country look unpredictable. And all political forces have it in their best interests to keep this country moving forward.

[serpentine]

Too true mate. It is like booze is been used as a weapon. everyone can piss it on at home if they feel the need.

I would like to know some reliable figures about hospitality figures in Thailand. I believe this ban on booze will financially effect possibly half a million people. Taxi drivers to bar girls. Suppiers to importers. It's Xmas for god sake. I hate Xmas but I know Dec is themost important month of the year entertainment wise as many (non christian thais) soak up the wealth. Businesses throw parties, bonases are paid etc. It's generally a happy time when people socialise nore than ever. This is gonna cost Thailand a fortune.

[TEFLMike]

Even in the Uk Licenced premises cannot open when they want on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

The majority of pubs/bars close at Midnight on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day, as Christmas day is regarded as Sunday hours. On Christmas Day itself, somePubs/bars, but not many, can open at 11am and close at 3pm. The majority, if not most, do not open again until the morning of Boxing Day, on the 26th.

Yes, the UK also, has closing hours to respect and celebrate Christmas. The closed hours allow landlords/bar owners the time to spend with their families, to enjoy Christmas also.

There is more to life than open pubs/bars/discos, name them what you will.

The UK now has laws which allow 24/7 opening of licenced premises, however, thank goodness, very, very few premises take that allowance up. The numbers that do so, is negligible, in fact, virtually non-existent.

I tend to think that the OP believes that money is more important than life. Please forgive and correct me if I am wrong.

[Asianatic]

I love to see all these posts from people who are outraged by not being able to drink for a few days.

Is it that bad?

If the answer is yes then you need some help.

Zuki.

No it is not that bad as I am working most of the year except my annual holidays of which I like to have some fun. AND I do not mind to have a night of fun based on juice, coke or water. THE thing is that ALL venues will be closed !

I truly regret that I did'nt spend my hard earned holiday in the Phils or Indo.

[serpentine]

So true. Don't make it right. Every year thais learn how far they are from a real democracy where games like this are unacceptable. And then we thought USA was a real democracy? :Life is strange. Investing hard dollars into an economy because we love the place, don't make us wrong. We all have options. But a lack of knowing makes business difficult. I just cancelled an internation dj and the guy had got his ticket already. Now I'm stuck with the dilema of who pays the lost gig. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. But there was no law as far as I know until a few hours ago. Makes us all (thai and falang) look dodgy.

NAAA SOOOONG SARNNNN!

[TEFLMike]

The fact that there was going to be restrictions on alchohol sales was mentioned in newspapers about three or four weeks ago. I remember well, discussing the scenario with colleagues at school.

Obviously, there must have been other avenues of media also reporting the situation. Thus eliminating the idea that no one new about the situation until a few hours ago.

Please don't ask me which newspapers. I only read two . The Bangkok Post and the Pattaya Mail. For the life of me, I am unable to remember which paper. However, the actual newspaper source is irela

event.

[sober]

The fact that there was going to be restrictions on alchohol sales was mentioned in newspapers about three or four weeks ago. I remember well, discussing the scenario with colleagues at school.

Obviously, there must have been other avenues of media also reporting the situation. Thus eliminating the idea that no one new about the situation until a few hours ago.

Please don't ask me which newspapers. I only read two . The Bangkok Post and the Pattaya Mail. For the life of me, I am unable to remember which paper. However, the actual newspaper source is irela

event.

I'm with you, Mike. This has not only been in the news but is a standard practice here and throughout the world. There is no surprise.

Serp, you need to sober up and tend to your business. You have an obligation to your employees to steer your ship. Business isn't all about cashing checks. It's about knowing and acting on your rights and responsibilites, too.

Here, the Thai government isn't interfering with your rights beyond what is reasonable for a sovereign. You have a quid pro quo with the Thai sovereign. You get to do business but under a license subject to terms of the sovereign.

The Thai government economists have factored in all of your points about tourism, small businesses, etc. on balance with a full participation election. It didn't go your way.

Time for you to turn the page and kick off a promotion on Sunday that will keep your seats filled when permitted. Good luck!

[madi]

Booze and politics

I think my papa told me not to mix the two together.

But oh well.

While Thailand has every right to do what it pleases, this does not mean it cannot be looked at as being mistaken.

But is it this time?

Do you think the majority of Thai people want their nation to be known as toilet bowl for drunken vacationers? I think not. Truth be told, the majority of Thai people do not give a darned about the problems a bar hopping vacationer might have because of the rudeness of the Thais closing bars for elections. Yes- -I am being sarcastic with that last part.

Is Thailand the only place that closes Bars for elections? No

Can you get your hands on a drink if need be? Yes

The bar owners of course have a very good point here as well. They are losing a couple big weekends during the peak season. That does seem unfair to them because they are paying the price for Thailand's need for a good election. Oh well.

Again though, I am quite sure that many many places in the world do close the bars during elections.

So do not act as if Thailand is doing anything so radical here.

[grtaylor]

I love to see all these posts from people who are outraged by not being able to drink for a few days.

Is it that bad?

If the answer is yes then you need some help.

Zuki.

No it is not that bad as I am working most of the year except my annual holidays of which I like to have some fun. AND I do not mind to have a night of fun based on juice, coke or water. THE thing is that ALL venues will be closed !

I truly regret that I did'nt spend my hard earned holiday in the Phils or Indo.

As far as I could see going home past Nana Plaza in a taxi last night at around 11pm, all venues were NOT closed, in fact they ALL looked open. The outdoor bars seemed fairly full, but all I could see were bottles of water or soda on the table. Plenty of people there still able to have fun without alcohol.