Can anyone offer information on the availability of alcohol over next week's Buddhist holidays...Asakha Bucha and Khao Pansa? I've got a 4-day weekend and would like to meet friends for a nice meal or two. As we all enjoy wine, that is almost a requirement. Any advice for next week?

Thanks very much.

Even on days where alchohol is "Banned" its still no problem to obtain. That being said, since you have the forethought to ask the question, you can have the forethought to buy in advance, and not worry about it.

Cannot say for 100% sure but in my experience the availability of alcohol at restaurants during Buddhist festivals is more down to the policy and devoutness of the owner so you might need to do a little ground level research.

However, and here's the potential sting in the tail, the current government just loves to wield what little muscle it can muster and alcohol bans are easy meat. There has been talk by (I think) the minstry of the interior (although could have been culture) of returning to the times when alcohol sales and thus consumption was prohibited on Buddhist festivals.

You may want to lay in a few bottles at home plus some bbq or picnic style grub as a fallback.

Best of luck.

Alcohol was banned on these holidays during the Thaksin years. The rules were relaxed after the military takeover in September 2006. Now we have essentially the same government we had before the last coup d'état and they love to show who's boss. The short answer to your question is no one knows. Since the election the entertainment venue, bar, hotel and supermarket owners must wait until the day before the holiday to get word on any alcohol policy. The police go door to door the day before to advise businesses if there will be a ban in effect. No police the day before, no ban. TIT.

Even if banned - most places darken their bars, turn music off and still serve. Atmosphere is sh*te, but if you want to drink its available. (pour drinks in coffee mugs or tea cups)

Even if banned - most places darken their bars, turn music off and still serve. Atmosphere is sh*te, but if you want to drink its available. (pour drinks in coffee mugs or tea cups)

In most 5 star hotels in Bangkok you will be able to get a drink with your meal (if past history is anything to go on). However, entertainment areas will likely stop serving at midnight on the 17th and all the next day.

In many cases this is also up to the discretion of the boys in brown. It seems there is are limit$ to their devotion in certain areas of Bangkok

Read between the lines if you want.

Drinking is not a requirement for a tourist to enjoy their stay in the Kingdom. That said, alcohol consumption is a fact of life and often goes hand in hand with lifestyle, food and entertainment. This country has learned to suck the life out of the tourist business. After a visit to the Chiang Mai Night Safari, a shakedown at at a shopping area and an assault on the beach in Pattaya even a devout Buddhist will need a drink. No more high season just low season and no season.

For the 'hard core' drinkers these situations aren't really a problem--they usually have a ready supply and if not they know exactly where to go to get what they need. For other's, like myself, I don't drink at home and I don't drink very often. If I do drink, it is when I am out with friends for dinner. It's such a downer when you get told 'no'. It's even a bigger downer when you order a beer and then a second but find out that at 6:00 no more alcohol because it's an election coming up.

But the biggest discouragement is that no one ever seems to know for sure. So, if some of us are going to stop at the local watering hole--maybe we can or maybe not. It's a silly way to enforce a law.