Thai Election Forces 2-weekend Booze Ban

[Loquito]

There are some constructive criticisms of the ban, but there are also a lot of the "Holier Than Thou" attitude regarding the decision to have the ban, i.e. the Thais can't think things through. It's sickening to still see that kind of attitude in these days and age. I suppose the various countries represented on this forum that are going to the dogs are run my Thai politicians as well then?

The effect ban this has on tourists is minimal, IMHO. When you're on holidays you don't think about what day it is, so they can drink during the week since they are on holiday anyway. And the ban probably won't effects bigger hotels anyway (in fact, I'm going to a wedding at the Grand Hyatt Erawan on election day and have been assured that the alcohol ban won't affect the after party)

And the clarify a little confusion cause by the ban this weekend (the 15th and the 16th), these two days are also mini-election days so that the people who know that they won't be in their electoral district on the 23rd can vote if they are in the area this weekend (also called pre-election by previous posters, which may have caused confusion) hence the ban on these 2 days.

For as far as I can remember, there have always been alcohol ban on election days so most bar owners used to just grin and bear it and perhaps moan and grumble about it in private. Not much else they could do, was there?

We all like free will and choices but there are times when one's choices are limited, for whatever reasons, so just make do like the rest of us. And if one NEEDS alcohol to be able to socialise then one should take a closer look at one's self rather than the ban.

[ozzydom]

Think positively,, Your livers get a six day rest period,, all in the one month.

[zorro1]

We all like free will and choices but there are times when one's choices are limited, for whatever reasons, so just make do like the rest of us. And if one NEEDS alcohol to be able to socialise then one should take a closer look at one's self rather than the ban.

sighhh another poster who is offering psychological advice... nothing to do with the MAJOR point of this thread but what the hay with advice like that how could I not take a closer look at myself. loquito tens of thousands of people come to Thailand because they are UNABLE to socialise in there own country, they are to ugly, shy , fat, old etc etc etc or just don't have a clue about current affairs like your self. Alcohol has its place and many unwind after a long hard week of actually work. "there are times when one's choices are limited, for whatever reasons, so just make do like the rest of us" wrong loquito the rest of us are here questioning our rights. stick your head in the sand if you want but dont do it here please

Edited December 13, 2007 by zorro1

[TAWP]

WOW - imagine that - a tourist that may not be able to drink alcohol. WOW!!! Would he be alright?? Do you think he'd survive???

This is a disaster.. Quick lets all complain and make plans to break the laws. Lets all be ignorant self interested rich westerners because we can't have some alcoholic drink. Obviously the Thai people can't run their own country - it is best if drunk Westerners do it.

Haha. Wake up.

Who let the troll in?

[frankieob]

These Elections are getting far too frequent, presume the problem is that they are using a proportional representation voting system and mush of the time many of the voters are so intoxicated they would have have problems counting to 3...

To be serious I assume that only Thai people can vote so why not allow some bars (and hotel bars) to open in tourist areas as long as they serve people with non Thai ID.

BB

u got to be kidding ...u would be shut out and the bar would be full of thais

[wpcoe]

My observations from Pattaya:

Last night at a restaurant the owner was in a state of anxiety due to not being able to serve alcohol this weekend, having apparently just found out, and had to cancel his contribution of wine to an AIDS benefit street fair in Jomtien Complex for the 14th, and a catered dinner party for 50 either was in danger of cancelling or had in fact already cancelled.

Went down the soi to a friend who's a bar owner and neither he nor his Thai manager knew anything about a ban for this weekend.

Today had lunch at The Avenue shopping mall on Second Road, and Shenanigans says "business as usual, and alcohol as usual" this weekend. Downstairs at the Villa grocery store every entrance door and every cashier station had signs saying no liquor sales from the 14th to midnight on the 16th due to election laws. I asked the Thai-speaking manager, via an English-speaking stock boy, why Villa was not selling liquor and she called someone in their office who spoke English and handed me the phone: Villa received the legendary letter with official seal requiring them to refrain from sales. So, same mall, two establishments: one got a letter, another didn't.

I think much of the anxiety is that the ban for this weekend was kept a secret until yesterday in a few cases, and maybe a secret until tomorrow in other cases when they are raided by police. I would doubt that "ignorance of the law" would hold water. <shrug>

[ZukiSuzuki]

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.

[jts-khorat]

I think much of the anxiety is that the ban for this weekend was kept a secret until yesterday in a few cases, and maybe a secret until tomorrow in other cases when they are raided by police. I would doubt that "ignorance of the law" would hold water. <shrug>

This is the real problem of all the recent changes the government has made: change of visa regulations, adding extra holidays into the calendar pre-election regulations that were not in existence before, etc etc. The coup, one realizes that now was an omen of things to come.

In most cases there is not much to argue against the actual new regulation, but the way it is implemented:

- interpreted differently by every and any Thai ordered to implement it;

- so badly advertised that one nearly considers this intentional;

- no care for either the reputation of Thailand or the Thais who seem to be hellbent to remind everybody that they are not a developing industrial nation but a third world agricultural system held together by corruption and ignorance.

But then I see fellow foreigners like Paul12345 and other simpletons here obviously unable to grasp even the argument of this simple internet thread, namely the wantonly destruction of the livelihood of hardworking business people without need; and I am thinking, could it be that it is actually more a problem of the human condition or is this rather a Thai thing?

[Chloe82]

I think much of the anxiety is that the ban for this weekend was kept a secret until yesterday in a few cases, and maybe a secret until tomorrow in other cases when they are raided by police. I would doubt that "ignorance of the law" would hold water. <shrug>

It has been in the media for well over a week now.

[kwan]

Flying into BK this weekend I shall miss that wonderful first swig of Chang (Ho Ho Ho) However it could be worse - making the mistake of a couple of years ago and travelling courtesy of Kuwait Air - alcohol free flights. Avoid 'em.

Kwan

[Artisi]

Get over it.

This is Thailand and the Thai governemnt make the rules. Simple solution, if you don't like it - leave or don't come here.

... and another of those shallow-minded and #lazy# people Thai Visa could do without.

Why am I calling you lazy?

Repeating an argument that was in nearly the exact same form just a few posts above, so you are obviously speaking mindlessly whatever jumps to your tongue instead of reading up first what was already said. Makes for very repetitive and boring threads for those who actually take the time and wade through endless loops of repetition and is at best unpolite.

Why am I calling you shallow-minded?

Following your own argument, discussion about Thailand and its customs and laws makes no sense. So I wonder why are you participating in such a discussion. Next time you try to say something, think it through yourself.

Well to start with I wouldn't consider myself lazy but of course must bow to the very important observation by yourself that an earlier posting was similar. As for shallow minded I don't feel that this subject really warrants any deep critical thinking and would suggest that you take a closer look at your own comments before criticising and calling others impolite.

[JimsKnight]

I think much of the anxiety is that the ban for this weekend was kept a secret until yesterday in a few cases, and maybe a secret until tomorrow in other cases when they are raided by police. I would doubt that "ignorance of the law" would hold water. <shrug>

This is the real problem of all the recent changes the government has made: change of visa regulations, adding extra holidays into the calendar pre-election regulations that were not in existence before, etc etc. The coup, one realizes that now was an omen of things to come.

In most cases there is not much to argue against the actual new regulation, but the way it is implemented:

- interpreted differently by every and any Thai ordered to implement it;

- so badly advertised that one nearly considers this intentional;

- no care for either the reputation of Thailand or the Thais who seem to be hellbent to remind everybody that they are not a developing industrial nation but a third world agricultural system held together by corruption and ignorance.

6 1/2 dry days for LOS! A Farang temperance movement's wet dream it must be said, going off the smug comments made by some of the posters on this thread.

So basically it reinforces my belief that a good chunk of the TV users, who don't seem to be even expats, dis-favour drinking and socialising in Thailand and would rather the place be filled with the 2 weeker herd tourists at the over-priced, overblown government influenced hotels then.

Sod that!

However, if this daft ruling means that a decent government can be elected that doesn't expect us all to be tucked up in bed every night at 10 pm and relaxes some of the lame night-life laws then maybe it's a blessing in disguise eh?

Happy voting:)

[mrtoad]

Oh - yep I get it now. You are totally correct this is a massive disaster.

Ha ha. Whatever.

What a tool.

Whilst, I don't see it being a disaster to not be able to drink for several days, it does seem somewhat ridiculous to enforce an alcohol ban at one of the busiest times of the year for the tourist industry. Maybe some are just coming to vist for three or four days, they fancy a meal and a drink, but the drinks not available. When they come to book the holiday next year, where will they go? Probably not back here.

People have said that there has been plenty of warning. thats absolute BS, there has been a rumour, but nothing really substantial until a couple of days ago. The problem is, that the rules just get made up as they go along and different places have different rules. How can people plan, weekends and social evenings. Imagine you had a function this weekend, and now what happens? Oh sit around and drink water.

In the end, the people who make these stuopid decisions aren't affected by it and so they really couldn't give a toss. It's a sad indictment on the way the junta views the society when they stop the sale of alcohol, as they ibelieves the people are not capable of voting if drink is available. Those that want to drink, will still drink, as they will load up tonight and still get pissed at the weekend and stagger off and vote.

[Prakanong]

I think much of the anxiety is that the ban for this weekend was kept a secret until yesterday in a few cases, and maybe a secret until tomorrow in other cases when they are raided by police. I would doubt that "ignorance of the law" would hold water. <shrug>

It has been in the media for well over a week now.

Yes there has been more than 1 thread on here going back days.

[mrtoad]

I think much of the anxiety is that the ban for this weekend was kept a secret until yesterday in a few cases, and maybe a secret until tomorrow in other cases when they are raided by police. I would doubt that "ignorance of the law" would hold water. <shrug>

It has been in the media for well over a week now.

Yes there has been more than 1 thread on here going back days.

PK, there have been rumours for most of this week, but it really only seems to have been confirmed within the last 24 hours.

[IMA_FARANG]

So it's off to Tesco tomorrow evening to stock up...

Now we will see why those who live in Thailand say they "just love the life-style" there.

Two weeks without a drink will do you all good.

[ozzydom]

We all like free will and choices but there are times when one's choices are limited, for whatever reasons, so just make do like the rest of us. And if one NEEDS alcohol to be able to socialise then one should take a closer look at one's self rather than the ban.

sighhh another poster who is offering psychological advice... nothing to do with the MAJOR point of this thread but what the hay with advice like that how could I not take a closer look at myself. loquito tens of thousands of people come to Thailand because they are UNABLE to socialise in there own country, they are to ugly, shy , fat, old etc etc etc or just don't have a clue about current affairs like your self. Alcohol has its place and many unwind after a long hard week of actually work. "there are times when one's choices are limited, for whatever reasons, so just make do like the rest of us" wrong loquito the rest of us are here questioning our rights. stick your head in the sand if you want but dont do it here please

Forgive for asking,but what do you think is the MAJOR point of this thread, as far as I can tell Post #1 is a news item regarding bans on alchohol, nothing more nothing less, George made no remarks regarding the items merits or other.

If you are saying that yourself and a couple of others decided what the MAJOR point is ,then please have the manners for particular posters decide what they feel is the MAJOR point.

The dissenters seem divided between the fact some will be deprived of grog ,others feel the ruling impinges on their rights.

I would remind you again ,we are guests in a foreign country and enjoy only those rights that the Government extends to us.

[Prakanong]

We all like free will and choices but there are times when one's choices are limited, for whatever reasons, so just make do like the rest of us. And if one NEEDS alcohol to be able to socialise then one should take a closer look at one's self rather than the ban.

sighhh another poster who is offering psychological advice... nothing to do with the MAJOR point of this thread but what the hay with advice like that how could I not take a closer look at myself. loquito tens of thousands of people come to Thailand because they are UNABLE to socialise in there own country, they are to ugly, shy , fat, old etc etc etc or just don't have a clue about current affairs like your self. Alcohol has its place and many unwind after a long hard week of actually work. "there are times when one's choices are limited, for whatever reasons, so just make do like the rest of us" wrong loquito the rest of us are here questioning our rights. stick your head in the sand if you want but dont do it here please

Forgive for asking,but what do you think is the MAJOR point of this thread, as far as I can tell Post #1 is a news item regarding bans on alchohol, nothing more nothing less, George made no remarks regarding the items merits or other.

If you are saying that yourself and a couple of others decided what the MAJOR point is ,then please have the manners for particular posters decide what they feel is the MAJOR point.

The dissenters seem divided between the fact some will be deprived of grog ,others feel the ruling impinges on their rights.

I would remind you again ,we are guests in a foreign country and enjoy only those rights that the Government extends to us.

I do not see any huamn rights being actively canvassed for and questioned by most ie right to free speech, right to assembly, right to a fair trial but ban booze for a couple of days and you would think it was the end of the world.

We have had it compared to the Tsunami, the Asian financial crisis, talk of year end bonuses not being paid, family catastrophes - nostradamus would have a field day here

Now i like a bevvy and will be in the bar's for about 10 days on the trot over the holidays and will spend quite a bit every day but I am sure missing a couple of days would not kill me if i had to - they can always cross the border

[IMA_FARANG]

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.

Exactly what I was going to say....thanks for saying it first.

I used to be a Patpong warrior, drinking all and everything I could (20 years ago or more).

I finally stopped it when one day walking down the street I wondered why the pavement was tilting all the time. I thought I was sober at the time. Was there an earthquake in Bangkok?

It sobered me right up when I realised I was still drunk even though I didn't have a drink in 24 hours.

I don't mind others drinking if they want to. I even have an occasional beer myself. But I learned to take or leave the booze now, and I can leave it for weeks at a time. I don't even have beer in my home.

No preaching here, I just do what I want now, not what the booze wants.

[bkk_mike]

It doesn't say that we are forbidden to consume alcohol. It only says no alcohol will be "served" or "sold".

This means it is okay to drink our own alcohol, and to drink it regardless of the location.

It's a bit like the time-of-day restriction on alcohol sales. You can't buy alcohol before 11am or between 2pm and 5pm, but you can consume it any time of the day.

If we had left bottles of whisky with our name on it at a bar or club that were purchased on a date prior to the 14th of December 2007, can we consume them?

Would any bars or clubs allow BYO?

No alcohol will be SERVED - whether it's pre-paid for or not.

The official reason for the ban (so I understand) is that Thais can vote, "with a clear head and conscience"(!!) The real reason - probably - is so that nobody gets drunk and forgets who gave them 300 baht for their vote and they end up voting for the other guy!!

Actually - this could be a lot closer to the truth.

After all - if there were really vote-buying drinking parties, the person receiving the booze (especially if they receive a lot), is quite likely to forget who to vote for (or sleep past the closing of the election booths), and the people who have to deal with his condition when he gets home, will definitely be voting for anyone except the person that got him drunk.

However, I do feel sorry for the bar owners. It was bad enough that they knew they'd lose one weekend in peak tourist season when the election date was announced.

To lose a second, at this time of year, is rather nasty for them, especially the ones in tourist areas.

As for the tourists - they'll be able to drink in a hotel bar probably.

Edited December 13, 2007 by bkk_mike

[dominique355]

When you read between the lines, this is obviously "much ado about nothing" in terms of genuine impact on tourists. If Big Hotels are not likely to be affected, I seriously doubt that the average tourist will feel that their Thailand experience will have been significantly dampened.

Unfortunately not true. Today I talked with the GM of one of the big hotels here in Bangkok and he confirmed that they are treated just like any other place: Strictly no alcohol consumption in public places. That also means, no BYO.

It seems from some posts that some expats are unable to manage a few days without drink as well as those they criticise.

I doubt whether this will have much impact on tourists other than those on 'boozy' trips who are hel_l bent on getting pissed at every given opportunity.

A few days sobriety wont do anyone much harm!

It seems to me that most people here are consuming alcohol in order to get drunk. But there are also people, mostly from continental Europe, who just regularly have a glass of wine with lunch and/or dinner. It's part of our culture. This kind of alcohol consumption is not unhealthy, in the contrary. Scientific research has confirmed that moderate drinking of a glass of red wine (or two) per day is good for your health. (Matter of keeping your arteries soft...)

So when we (these European expats) are not allowed to have a glass of wine, that's like not allowing Thais living in Europe to eat rice on election day. (" bah, chang!")

A reliable source has told me lately that 80% of all alcohol consumed in Thailand is so-called "lao kao" (white alcohol aka moonshine). Nobody does or can control this, not with high taxes, not with selling ban, not with advertising ban.

So it seems to me, all these laws about out-lawing alcohol are just pure actionism. The government can claim to have done "something" even if we all know, it's totally useless.

Edited December 13, 2007 by dominique355

[sweetchariot]

Just spoke to a mate who owns a bar and he has heard nothing about this, and says he will be open as usual.

I normally only drink at weekends, but I'm off to his bar now to get trollied, as I have a sneaky suspicion that if he does open tomorrow, it won't be for long.

I don't care about not being able to drink for a few days, I think the main point that those whose businesses are being affected are trying to make is

a) Poor communication

Probably 2 of the biggest weekends of the year down the pan.

I do feel for these guys and think they have been misrepresented here.

Most proper alkies would be drinking their Mekhong or whatever (meths?) at home anyway as its cheaper, or would be too pissed to type on here.

Edit to remove smiley

Re-edit - cannot remove smiley (is that cos I typed a 'b' with a closing bracket?)

Edited December 13, 2007 by sweetchariot

[baron]

Well what a great opportunity for MOLLY MALONES to become an honorary Irish consulate, they could then claim Diplomatic Immunity!

[Prakanong]

Just spoke to a mate who owns a bar and he has heard nothing about this, and says he will be open as usual.

I normally only drink at weekends, but I'm off to his bar now to get trollied, as I have a sneaky suspicion that if he does open tomorrow, it won't be for long.

I don't care about not being able to drink for a few days, I think the main point that those whose businesses are being affected are trying to make is

a) Poor communication

Probably 2 of the biggest weekends of the year down the pan.

I do feel for these guys and think they have been misrepresented here.

Most proper alkies would be drinking their Mekhong or whatever (meths?) at home anyway as its cheaper, or would be too pissed to type on here.

Edit to remove smiley

Re-edit - cannot remove smiley (is that cos I typed a 'b' with a closing bracket?)

Yeah they could have told everyone about this weekend earlier but some are complaining about next week as well and were as soon as election date was announced.

As for this weekend - well you are choosing to live in a military dictatorsship and all that goes with it.

I wonder if we will have such an outcry when the bar's are shut for longer when the inevitable happens that we can not discuss on here - mother nature will one day take her course!

[jimbeam1]

Hi Folks

Surly Is this not one of the quirks we come to expect from Thailand and one of the reasons we all love her so much?

Best regards. "HIC"

jb1

[opengoal]

Its not the 2 weekend booze ban thats important its just another hit on the overall tourist industry. If its true what we hear, tourism accounts for nearly 25% of gdp. Yes I am a bar owner but no I dont have any bar girls just staff to serve drinks so my profit is all from selling booze and food.

If you graphed my takings from 4 years ago you can pinpoint events that effect takings.

Admittedly some have been out of the control of the incumbent government eg. tsunami

What it does not yet graph is the knock on effect of ridiculous decisions like 2 weekend booze bans. Mentioned already here in this thread just have all ids checked before serving and prohibit the staff from drinking. Apart from the staff how many thais do you see in farang establishments. The military does not appear to be doing alot get some of them soldiers to help the overworked constabulary police the ban.

The government 'think tank' (term is very loose) should be doing everything they can to prop up the tourist industry.

The way they always do this is tell you 24 hours before so those european ,australian, american tourists ,who have already paid for their holidays, cannot book somewhere else

It is another example of the lazy policing which allows them to extort money from those places they have not yet told.

My takings are down 45% from the end of January this year. Dont cry for me cry for the staff who where making nearly 10,000 baht a month tips

[farangette]

This is the way Thailand does it and has for many years and many elections, yes the timing is bad but surely people can survive for a few days without alcohol?? The hotels for sure will still be serving and many of the bars I use wil also have an "arrangement"

If you do not like the law of the land leave the land

[Martin]

Reading through this thread, I found myself thinking back and thinking forward.

Thinking back, it caused me to remember my grandmother enjoining us not to 'enslave ourselves to the Demon Drink'.

She wasn't TT and didn't extol us to be TT; just to see booze as 'a good servant, but a bad master'.

She wouldn't have thought much of us if we had got all hot under the collar about not being able to buy a drink for a couple of weekends.

Thinking forward, though, this thread gives untold ammunition to those middle-class Thais who would like to see 'undesirable' farangs kept out of their country.

A few years ago they seemed prepared to cede Pattaya, Patong and Koh Samui to their Thai brethren who could make a living from providing services to farang tourists and farang de-facto residents on back-to-back tourist visas.

But so many of the latter are now spilling out of Pattaya, Patong and Koh Samui and appearing in the provincial cities that their minds are changing.

The posters on this thread who are whingeing about these small disasdvantages to bar businesses caused by something as important as a General Election are exhibiting exactly the sort of behaviour that tends to cause the thought: "I'll vote for the party that'll promise to kick these farangs out.".

And once it is realised that that thought is around, such a line will soon start appearing in some parties' programmmes.

To have all these farangs condemning themselves by their own typings in an archived source like this thread is just the sort of ammunition that will help the 'anti-farangs'.

[Prakanong]

I have not seen it reported here but yesterday protesters stoped the current parliament from working due to a new security law they were about to pass.

This is a draconian law allowing a military panel to basically abandon any rights with a new PM issuing a decree - much more important for Thailands future and a detriment to the nations - bit no - 2 days beer over-rides this

I bet the same mob were complaining and predicting the end of the world when the social order clampdown came in and bar's started shutting at 2. On other boards you would think the nation would become bankrupt, tourism would end and all farangs would leave - well guess what - your voice then was wrong and it meant shit all as does your voice now about these two weekends - you are not Thai citizens.

I can hear the bleatings now if some Thai's were trying to tell the UK or USA what laws it should implement!

[wpcoe]

Mods feel free to delete this post.

Edited December 13, 2007 by wpcoe