Thai Election Forces 2-weekend Booze Ban

[Prakanong]

You almost made me spill my coffee. Next week is supposed to be the same. If you want a drink visit the non tourist areas.

What days is it next week - Saturday and Sunday for certain

Rumours abound that it streches to the 24th and even 25th??

I had changed my flight to arrive 24th but will try to change it back to 22nd tomorrow to meet up with a pal for a meal. This is at least the 5th time I have changed this ticket - luckily I can do so

6pm Saturday until Midnight Sunday, although in previous elections the BiB have driven around saying bars can open at about 7pm Sunday, as the Polling Stations are closed.

There should be places on the flight next Saturday so will change it tomorrow - I know I will be able to find a drink if I want and I will also be raring to go for Christmas Eve

I will miss the Sunday Brunch at the Marriott Riverside though with free flow wine and Bloody Mary's - maybe go the 30th

[mikethevigoman]

Anybody bought any alcohol this weekend?

Here is the latest, as told to me by uncle frank, they were in a bar last night from 7 til 12 opposite tops on pattaya klang, he said it has never been so full and the owner is asking for an alcohol ban on all weekends as he has never been so busy, punters are reported to have been drinking every beer like it was their last , so chaps it seems at least in some venues a negative was turned into a positive !,.. Edited December 16, 2007 by mikethevigoman

[mikethevigoman]

Rumours {exactly that],In karon/kata this morning that bars can open from 6pm tonight.

Anybody else heard this?

PST.

General consensus from bar owners in pattaya is that a gradual opening from 7 and full on at 10 ! cant wait, will it be like when the war was declared over !

[mikethevigoman]

Alcohol ban is one thing, it is the law (like it or not). The ban for the pre-election weekend is striclty enforced due to the fact, that certain political circles just look for a loophole in the proceedings of the election, so in case they lose the would initiate legal action against it. That is, what some Thai colleagues told me.

But another question: Why did they play no music in the bars? I mean one could enjoy a night without much or little alcohol, but all bars seemed to be dimmed down and no music was played, which made the places look really dead.

In any case one could get alcohol here and there ;-)

i went out for a while last night and you are right ,there was booze ( albeit in cups ) but with no music there ws no atmosphere and i went home early to save myself for tonight

[sriracha john]

Rumours {exactly that],In karon/kata this morning that bars can open from 6pm tonight.

Anybody else heard this?

PST.

General consensus from bar owners in pattaya is that a gradual opening from 7 and full on at 10 ! cant wait, will it be like when the war was declared over !

If analogies for this weekend can be made to the tsunami, the crash of '97, and a few other cataclysmic events, then certainly the all-clear sign given at 10pm will make VJ-Day pale in comparison.

[torrenova]

The amusing thing about this ban is that it's really only enforced in Bangkok and in tourist zones. In most restaurants in the provinces, where there may be a minuscule danger of drunken vote buying occurring, alcohol is served freely to all. The only places where the ban is enforced is in high profile areas where there is no danger of that happening anyway, which means Bangkok and the various tourist resorts where 90% of the drinkers are non Thais. Hundreds of thousands of European and Asian tourists aren't able to have wine or beer with dinner, while in the jangwats there is not a single Thai voter who wants alcohol that is unable to get it, whether from the local shop or from the local khao tom restaurant. Just drive around, tourist areas are completely shut down, restaurants are shut for lack of business and the bars never opened, while outside those areas Thai restaurants are serving alcohol and food just like normal, though they keep the music down and maybe put the bottle of whiskey under the table.

My ear to the ground tells me that Bangkok was open as near usual around nana on 14th !

[Prakanong]

Rumours {exactly that],In karon/kata this morning that bars can open from 6pm tonight.

Anybody else heard this?

PST.

General consensus from bar owners in pattaya is that a gradual opening from 7 and full on at 10 ! cant wait, will it be like when the war was declared over !

If analogies for this weekend can be made to the tsunami, the crash of '97, and a few other cataclysmic events, then certainly the all-clear sign given at 10pm will make VJ-Day pale in comparison.

ROFLMAO

Good one

[sweetchariot]

Rumours {exactly that],In karon/kata this morning that bars can open from 6pm tonight.

Anybody else heard this?

PST.

General consensus from bar owners in pattaya is that a gradual opening from 7 and full on at 10 ! cant wait, will it be like when the war was declared over !

If analogies for this weekend can be made to the tsunami, the crash of '97, and a few other cataclysmic events, then certainly the all-clear sign given at 10pm will make VJ-Day pale in comparison.

SJ, you've done it now. Never thought you were a closet troll!

Sit back and prepare to be abused

[zorro1]

There is a sign out front of the beer garden soi7 BKK that says "OPEN 5PM SUNDAY"

Not that I would frequent that establishment myself, I was umm just having a look for a friend

[sriracha john]

Rumours {exactly that],In karon/kata this morning that bars can open from 6pm tonight.

Anybody else heard this?

PST.

General consensus from bar owners in pattaya is that a gradual opening from 7 and full on at 10 ! cant wait, will it be like when the war was declared over !

If analogies for this weekend can be made to the tsunami, the crash of '97, and a few other cataclysmic events, then certainly the all-clear sign given at 10pm will make VJ-Day pale in comparison.

SJ, you've done it now. Never thought you were a closet troll!

Sit back and prepare to be abused

Just trying to keep things in perspective.... which seems to be in short supply in this thread.

[moo9]

Alcohol ban is one thing, it is the law (like it or not). The ban for the pre-election weekend is striclty enforced due to the fact, that certain political circles just look for a loophole in the proceedings of the election, so in case they lose the would initiate legal action against it. That is, what some Thai colleagues told me.

But another question: Why did they play no music in the bars? I mean one could enjoy a night without much or little alcohol, but all bars seemed to be dimmed down and no music was played, which made the places look really dead.

In any case one could get alcohol here and there ;-)

i went out for a while last night and you are right ,there was booze ( albeit in cups ) but with no music there ws no atmosphere and i went home early to save myself for tonight

Friday we walked around and found at least 4 Bars where we could enjoy bottles or glasses of Beer (no cups) The last stop turned out to be the best, as Saeng Som was freely available and all of us (incl. the staff) were quite trashed at the end.

After a hard working week, those kinds of weekends are really a punishment

[Zpete]

Oh how I empathise with all you people who complain about booze not being available........

GET A LIFE !!!!!!!!!!

Yer just a pack of whinging wonkas......... <deleted>

[Mobi]

If analogies for this weekend can be made to the tsunami, the crash of '97, and a few other cataclysmic events, then certainly the all-clear sign given at 10pm will make VJ-Day pale in comparison.

Well up here in Pong land we're planning a big street party.

At the appointed hour, great barrels of beer,vast quantities of wine, jeroboams of Champagne, and flagons of 100 Pipers and Sangsom will be wheeled out, and all the farangs from miles around will break into song, to the strains of "Roll out the barrel", "There's an old Mill by the Stream" and "Roll me over in the Clover"

It will undoubtedly go down in the annals of Thai history as an epoch making event.... until next Sunday night when we do it all over again.

Roll on the next election

[zorro1]

Oh how I empathise with all you people who complain about booze not being available........

GET A LIFE !!!!!!!!!!

Yer just a pack of whinging wonkas......... <deleted>

wow why are you yelling? have a drink, relax

[sriracha john]

If analogies for this weekend can be made to the tsunami, the crash of '97, and a few other cataclysmic events, then certainly the all-clear sign given at 10pm will make VJ-Day pale in comparison.

Well up here in Pong land we're planning a big street party.

At the appointed hour, great barrels of beer,vast quantities of wine, jeroboams of Champagne, and flagons of 100 Pipers and Sangsom will be wheeled out, and all the farangs from miles around will break into song, to the strains of "Roll out the barrel", "There's an old Mill by the Stream" and "Roll me over in the Clover"

It will undoubtedly go down in the annals of Thai history as an epoch making event.... until next Sunday night when we do it all over again.

Roll on the next election

I fully expect a ticker-tape parade and Pattaya will, on this momentous day, have to replicate the world famous photographs such as this one from Life Magazine that has personified VJ-Day for 60 years:

Perhaps someone with a Leo beer in one hand with a 50 baht note dangling from 2 fingers and a passionate ladyboy draped around his other arm.... or some other equally epic moment caught on film.

Let Freedom Ring!

Edited December 16, 2007 by sriracha john

[varun]

The Pong was open yesterday and day before and they were serving in plastic cups.

[Felt 35]

Just observing the huge numbers reading this post, my initial thought was "alcohol comsumption plays far to large a role in most of your lives" if you are really up in arms about this.The main reason for this law is simple. The authorities try to prevent Thai people from going to "Vote buying parties" where the organizers will woo them with booze, try to convince them to vote a certain way, and then send them off to do it. When the majority of your population is uneducated, sometimes you have to supervise them more closely, to get them to act in a responsible manner.

To those tourists whose entire trip to Thailand will be ruined because they can't have a few "bia Sing's", well, thats a pretty sad commentary on the tourists themselves, and not on the government trying to protect their citizens from making a poor choice during a very important event.

Well said!

[Ned]

A lot of influential people want booze banned here completely. This latest nonsense is just a trial run. The last writer's bit about the govt needing to "supervise" the population.....Are you serious???

[marquess]

A lot of influential people want booze banned here completely. This latest nonsense is just a trial run. The last writer's bit about the govt needing to "supervise" the population.....Are you serious???

That is what the word govern means, to control. It starts here with the uniform at the age of 3 all the way to Uni and beyond. So why not just extend it? We know what is best, don't look at this don't read this don't do anything we say is not good for you! We want you to go to heaven and were going to help you to get there.

[Mosha]

The main point is not that we can't get a drink. It's that Thailand relies heavily on tourism. People come on holiday to relax and generally get away from the crap at home. Now even if it is only a drink with your meal, most non muslims like a drink. (Actually I know some muslims who like a drop too.) It is not a good idea to tick a major source of your countries income off, where does that leave the economy. As for banning drinking permanently, they would need to replace the police with muslims, cos all the police I know are real piss heads.

[stattointhailand]

Right ... read 400+ postings, agree with some, not all, but nobody seems to have grasped the MAJOR implications of this ban. The "law abiding citizens" of Issan have shut all the bars in Udon ........ including the ones that have UBC (and threfore NO FOOTIE). No notice was given to anyone to get UBC at home, so nobody will know what happened to their hard earned tip money from last week. Did Everton (Changs) do enough to overcome the 1/2 goal start given to West Ham? How did all that Thai Tax (in) money do at Manchester City? Nobody can look in amazement at all the Thai beer adverts at the premiership grounds. What next ? maybe the premier league being told to shut down for two weekends whilst the Thais have an election?

Seriously, I read in amazement about the thousands being lost by owners of bars in Pattaya/Phuket etc (shame... sob sob), spare a thought for the other guys, like the one who owns the bar in Udon, who makes over half his takings from Sat/Sun nights when people come in to watch the football (not hundreds, just a dozen or so). He will lose maybe 10,000B this month, with no way to get it back. All the advertising or bbq's or international DJ's won't get an extra 50 people in, coz they arn't there to come in!! He doesn't wan't to be rich, just be able to break even and live here with his family. So please spare a "sober" thought for him, and those like him, and their staff, who are having their livelehood threatened by these decisions, not the big bar moguls who will put their prices up 1 baht and recoup their loses in a couple of weeks.

[mikethevigoman]

If analogies for this weekend can be made to the tsunami, the crash of '97, and a few other cataclysmic events, then certainly the all-clear sign given at 10pm will make VJ-Day pale in comparison.

Well up here in Pong land we're planning a big street party.

At the appointed hour, great barrels of beer,vast quantities of wine, jeroboams of Champagne, and flagons of 100 Pipers and Sangsom will be wheeled out, and all the farangs from miles around will break into song, to the strains of "Roll out the barrel", "There's an old Mill by the Stream" and "Roll me over in the Clover"

It will undoubtedly go down in the annals of Thai history as an epoch making event.... until next Sunday night when we do it all over again.

Roll on the next election

Fantastic ! il love it,.

[Mosha]

Buy a peanut for x Baht get a free drink.

[IAMSOBAD]

Like the sad choices they have to vote for are worth all this nonsense. Everyday the powers that be show why they should not be in power. I would surely never vote for any of these decision makers. Talk about terrible management skills. This is not about being able to buy a drink or buy a vote...its about being able to make adult decisions without a baby sitter in a uniform. The ban on alcohol should have been on election eve or election day to have any of its desired goals. Can you say Banana Republic? I am not a drinker, but I lift my glass to all the bar/restaurant/club owners and employees that are losing so much money for no reason at all. I wonder if street drug sales increased during this special hiatus.

[keekwai]

This is not about being able to buy a drink or buy a vote...its about being able to make adult decisions without a baby sitter in a uniform.

Which is what all this crap really all boils down to.

[manjara]

It's not really about the people that live here; I can do without a drink for a week or two, but there are a lot of people who have paid large amounts of money to have a holiday in Thailand and I'm da*n sure they had no idea that the place was going to be dry for 2 weekends.

I've been to a few places today and over the weekend and none of them were serving alcohol. It seems ridiculous, as the only people who will be badly affected by it are the tourists. I can quite easily get a drink, in fact I'm sitting with one now, but tourists will be relying on bars and restaurants selling alcohol.

I'm constantly surprised by just how stupid Thais can be...

[marquess]

It's not really about the people that live here; I can do without a drink for a week or two, but there are a lot of people who have paid large amounts of money to have a holiday in Thailand and I'm da*n sure they had no idea that the place was going to be dry for 2 weekends.

I've been to a few places today and over the weekend and none of them were serving alcohol. It seems ridiculous, as the only people who will be badly affected by it are the tourists. I can quite easily get a drink, in fact I'm sitting with one now, but tourists will be relying on bars and restaurants selling alcohol.

I'm constantly surprised by just how stupid Thais can be...

I am afraid that such absudities abound daily here, officialdom lives in its own self rightuous world.

[zorro1]

A` bar that I frequent got nabbed by 2 undercover cops in soi 4 last night. The owner wasn't there but had to attend the cop shop and pay 10,000bht fine for the release of his waitress. He stayed open for the rest of the night and got his money back plus plenty more.

[DP25]

Went to a Thai restaurant earlier today, in an area with no tourists. Was the only non Thai there, and had no problem getting getting a nice large Singha with my meal, in fact almost every table had beer or whiskey on it. A couple hours later I was back in a touristy area, no alcohol at any of the restaurants, the few people eating were drinking Pepsi and soda water. Normally the places I walked by are packed at that time of night too. I guess people were just staying in their hotel rooms, as foreigners apparently are the only ones not allowed to drink alcohol during Thai elections.

[torrenova]

Right ... read 400+ postings, agree with some, not all, but nobody seems to have grasped the MAJOR implications of this ban. The "law abiding citizens" of Issan have shut all the bars in Udon ........ including the ones that have UBC (and threfore NO FOOTIE). No notice was given to anyone to get UBC at home, so nobody will know what happened to their hard earned tip money from last week. Did Everton (Changs) do enough to overcome the 1/2 goal start given to West Ham? How did all that Thai Tax (in) money do at Manchester City? Nobody can look in amazement at all the Thai beer adverts at the premiership grounds. What next ? maybe the premier league being told to shut down for two weekends whilst the Thais have an election?

Seriously, I read in amazement about the thousands being lost by owners of bars in Pattaya/Phuket etc (shame... sob sob), spare a thought for the other guys, like the one who owns the bar in Udon, who makes over half his takings from Sat/Sun nights when people come in to watch the football (not hundreds, just a dozen or so). He will lose maybe 10,000B this month, with no way to get it back. All the advertising or bbq's or international DJ's won't get an extra 50 people in, coz they arn't there to come in!! He doesn't wan't to be rich, just be able to break even and live here with his family. So please spare a "sober" thought for him, and those like him, and their staff, who are having their livelehood threatened by these decisions, not the big bar moguls who will put their prices up 1 baht and recoup their loses in a couple of weeks.

I do feel for the guy you mention but it is all relative. A self managed bar with minimal overheads loses the profit when he cannot open I agree. However, a business with numerous staff, high rent and other overheads not only loses the profit from the closure dates but also suffers additional losses of fixed costs. You cannot argue it in absolute terms but in perecntage terms, it may be that the larger business, operating with a significantly greater cost base, is more harshly affected. Put this on the back of a poor middle of the year and it is a significant hit.

What really hurts though is the fact that the revenue is lost forever. In the case you point out, the football cannot be revisited but in other cases, those who are allowed to open garner the trade that those who are forced to close lose. Were it a level playing field, then some but not all of that lost revenue would be recouped through additional spending in the days following a closure.