Alcohol Ban

[basjke]

I can not imagine that a tourist will be happy if he has to sit in his room from 6 pm on,because to dark to do anything other then shopping,because these clever goverment says that he can't have a beer.

Your tourist could go out to eat,without a glass of wine of course a movie, a drive,good idea to pay 1000 euro for a ticket to watch movies wander the area, catch a bit of culture,What culture there is for example in pattaya? go check out whatever event it is that led to the horrendous one night,end of last year I remember were 5 dry days in 2 weeks time,moratorium on buying alcohol publicly, have a beer if he had one in the minibar or stopped in a few places until he found someone selling. He could even go to a gogo bar are gogo bars open now on alcohol banned days? if he were so inclined, what he couldn't do is openly buy booze in a bar and neither in the supermarket or 7/11 and don't tell me about the mom and pop shops because a tourist doesn't stay in the boonies.

really, is the only thing that you do when you are in Thailand at night drink? That is it? All you do at night is drink in bars?

Maybe you're right,all those single male tourists come here for the culture and go sleep early.

Actually there are cultural things to do in Pattaya and yes I remember that they had elections and then run off elections 2-weeks later last year. I also know that there were lots of places serving and that some of the gogos were open. But face it those single men that didn't plan ahead were out having a beer or finding company on any given night.

But I am sure that the few that didn't were OK with it after they had their next drink

BTW the place I went to go buy the 2 cases of beer for the party we were throwing was in Pattaya ... but really ... you drink every night that you are in Pattaya?I live in pattaya for the past 14 years so I am there every night and no I'm not drinking each night,at least not anymore,but it would be different if I was a tourist that had looked forward looong time to come here for 2 weeks a year.

[farmerjo]

[jdinasia]

as I thought ... maybe 4 days a year? but think of it ..... it would save you this ...

farmerjo

Posted on: 2008-10-05 05:24:52

Stinks like sh!t,wont let my wife keep it in the house.Reminds me of walking down bangla road at 8.00am in morning hungover dry reaching.

You state in other threads that you drink a significant amount daily ... so apparently alcohol bans don't bother you!

[stuandchris]

I think the point is that those of us that live here know when bans are coming and can stock up if that is our wish or need. Tourists know little of the country and come here and might not want to get lashed up

If i have spent a couple of thousand coming here on holiday I would be annoyed if in my fortnight I couldn't get a drink in a tourist area whilst those in the know are pissed of their heads.

Thai's don't respect no drinking but people that have paid a fortune for a holiday have to suck it? No sense no brainer.

[farmerjo]

You are correct,they dont.

[jdinasia]

I think the point is that those of us that live here know when bans are coming and can stock up if that is our wish or need. Tourists know little of the country and come here and might not want to get lashed up

If i have spent a couple of thousand coming here on holiday I would be annoyed if in my fortnight I couldn't get a drink in a tourist area whilst those in the know are pissed of their heads.

Thai's don't respect no drinking but people that have paid a fortune for a holiday have to suck it? No sense no brainer.

Thais don't drink in bars on those days either .... and we are not talking about a major number of days ... and booze is available .. what isn;t is drinking in bars (for the most part) Then again I have sat out and had beers at corner places until 5 or 6 am in the past .. and that is just as illegal...

[jackyseymour]

I can not imagine that a tourist will be happy if he has to sit in his room from 6 pm on,because to dark to do anything other then shopping,because these clever goverment says that he can't have a beer.

Your tourist could go out to eat,without a glass of wine of course a movie, a drive,good idea to pay 1000 euro for a ticket to watch movies wander the area, catch a bit of culture,What culture there is for example in pattaya? go check out whatever event it is that led to the horrendous one night,end of last year I remember were 5 dry days in 2 weeks time,moratorium on buying alcohol publicly, have a beer if he had one in the minibar or stopped in a few places until he found someone selling. He could even go to a gogo bar are gogo bars open now on alcohol banned days? if he were so inclined, what he couldn't do is openly buy booze in a bar and neither in the supermarket or 7/11 and don't tell me about the mom and pop shops because a tourist doesn't stay in the boonies.

really, is the only thing that you do when you are in Thailand at night drink? That is it? All you do at night is drink in bars?

Maybe you're right,all those single male tourists come here for the culture and go sleep early.

Actually there are cultural things to do in Pattaya and yes I remember that they had elections and then run off elections 2-weeks later last year. I also know that there were lots of places serving and that some of the gogos were open. But face it those single men that didn't plan ahead were out having a beer or finding company on any given night.

But I am sure that the few that didn't were OK with it after they had their next drink

BTW the place I went to go buy the 2 cases of beer for the party we were throwing was in Pattaya ... but really ... you drink every night that you are in Pattaya?

What 'cultural things' are there to do in Pattaya. Come on. Put your money where your great big mouth is. What Cultural (sic) things - not people - are there to do in Pattaya? Name one I dare you

[stuandchris]

Thats the point, go to Thai village and drink till you are stupid, Karaoke no problem, Thai restaurant, the same. Tourist bar, not just girlie, no chance.

The better tourists will obey thinking they are respecting tradition and culture even though it upsets their holiday, thirty metres up a side soi everyone is legless.

What a joke.

[jackyseymour]

If you can't go a day (or 2 in the case of Khao Pansah) without drinking in a bar then I have severe worries about you. I guess a few ignorant tourists might not know they are arriving in Thailand on a day when public sale of alcohol will not be allowed but I am sure they will get over it quickly.

No country should sacrifice it's sense of self and history and respect just to appease a guy that can't go a day without a drink in a bar

Still in recovery then are you? The fact that it's only the outlets, that is to say Central, BigC, Teso Lotus and every 7Eleven unable to sell alcohol, and that every other Thai supermarket, mom and pop shop, noodle restaurant, can, doesn't bother you at all?

And really, I was unaware this country was muslim. The words 'self' 'righteous' and 'prig' spring to mind.

I guess reading AND understanding what you read is an issue .... see where I said "in a bar" ? No it doesn't bother me at all that some people break the law, I have even taken advantage of it on occasion, buying beer from a 7-11 when the party we were hosting ran low.

I am sorry, but I do not understand why you brought Muslims into this other than to draw upon bigoted anti-muslim sentiment!

Get real we are talking about election days and 3 or 4 other days a year. It has been this way for years and years and no real tourist is gonna be all tweaked out about not being able to drink in a bar for a day.

If I were to sink to your level the three words that come to mind are 'bigoted' 'alcoholic' '____' (the last word is not fit to print) but since I am above that .... oh wait I guess I am not

3 OR 4 DAYS A YEAR.

In the village with elections,weddings,funerals and public holidays equates to about 170 days per year.

Weddings and funerals etc are not alcohol ban days .... but wow you have an AMAZING imagination!

I lived in Kamala Beach for a year (small predominantly muslim village over the hill from Patong) and there were 2 days in a year that the bars were not serving that I noticed and not a single day you couldn't buy a beer from the 7-11 down the street Now in BKK I live next to a police housing area and there was ONE holiday that the minimart wasn't selling beer .... oooooops they ran out!

The point is ... it is the tourist that is coming to Thailand ... Thailand is NOT somewhere else ... it is Thailand. There just isn't a major issue giving bar employees a night off every 4 months. I know some of you have never seen it but I know some places that use those days to take the staff (that want to go) to temple to make a donation and then to the beach etc to relax.

I have friends that own bars and I have never heard them cry that there was a night they had to close once in a blue moon!

(as for the goofball that thinks I am in recovery, he's obviously never been to a ThaiVisa Pissup with me!)

Oh right I remember now! You were the one sobbing over your lager shandy about the fact you'd failed yet another stint in detox, right?

[desertrat]

I wish they had a TOTAL ban like the Pohibition, then I might not keep forgetting and doing unexplainable things

[ThaiPauly]

I can not imagine that a tourist will be happy if he has to sit in his room from 6 pm on,because to dark to do anything other then shopping,because these clever goverment says that he can't have a beer.

Tourist should get a life then and find something else fun to do.

Are you for real?

basjke's post is completely logical, whilst your "off the cuff" remark shows your complete lack of understanding of what a tourist wants when he goes on holiday

[kmart]

Whatever is the most convenient, expedient, knee-jerk reaction (never pro-action) to the problem du jour, will suffice. Pointing the finger at alcohol is always an easy target. Down my way, all the visible foreign-orientated pubs and bars are shut down, whilst the karaoke places and Thai bars / beach bars do not give a flying <deleted>.... Go figure.

[Mosha]

We were down in Patong last year at election time. Most of the bars shut shop at around 6:00 pm. The tourists decided to enjoy the "culture" in the hotel bars instead. Meanwhile the bar girls all looked gobsmacked.

[GuestHouse]

Come to your senses. Think about the consequences for others, especially those who don't share the holier than thou attitude this booze ban proposal's supporters love to flaunt. [And don't suggest it will help address the problems of alcohol abuse. Do you think those with serious alcohil problems will be affected by this ban?

It seems to me that the Holier than Thou attitude here is on the part of people who can't go a day or two without alcohol.

Perhaps ranting on the internet about this 'infringement of liberties' is a distraction from addressing the clear signs of a drink problem that are at the root of the complaint.

[bkkjames]

Well, we just went through two nights of booze ban in Bangkok due to the Governor election.

I assume the ban is put in place to qwell any potential violence and stimulate voter turn-out.

Well at 54% or thereabouts, it seems they need to start offering a beer to everyone that does come out and vote.

[bendix]

God help us. This old subject again?

In my view, any arbitrary and unannounced changes to the law which discourages thick-necked, tattooed single white scum tourists from coming to Thailand and pushes them instead to some other rancid shithole to get their annual shag (because, let's face it, they can't get it at home) is to be applauded.

[midasthailand]

I had a doctor from Australia visit for a business meeting on Monday, she arrived Sat evening and left Monday evening, is she an alcoholic? No! Was she pissed off that she could not have a cleansing ale in her hotel after her nine hour flight? Bloody oath she was. I have no problem with the Thais stopping alcohol sales during elections but does the law have to apply to tourists who have no interest in the election nor any reason to become violently drunk when one party or another loses.

At the end of the day, we all know when there is going to be a ban on sales and if we need booze on thet day we stock up beforehand or go to a place that we know is selling despite the ban. Tourists/business visitors do not have that luxury!

Those TV members that say there are other things to do seem to have forgotten a small thing called freedom of choice.

[bkkjames]

God help us. This old subject again?

In my view, any arbitrary and unannounced changes to the law which discourages thick-necked, tattooed single white scum tourists from coming to Thailand and pushes them instead to some other rancid shithole to get their annual shag (because, let's face it, they can't get it at home) is to be applauded.

I find it a bit funny to find someone needs to spend his time complaining about the regurgitation (sp) of certain threads / topics because there are new developments as announced recently by the government that could affect visitors to the country - regardless if they are tattooed or not.

Perhaps the poster believes (like certain other well thought out people who gave us Elite Cards etc) that only the rich and famous should be allowed to spend their hard earned money here.

So instead of casting down insults and expleting high and mighty comments, I would suggest he come off his preacher's pulpit and offer something constructive to the conversation - failing that, pehaps one could just keep their mouth shut?

[desertrat]

I think rationality and logical thinking is not a strong suite of TPTB

Does this qualify as the least original observatiom ever posted ?

Edited October 7, 2008 by desertrat

[bendix]

I find it a bit funny to find someone needs to spend his time complaining about the regurgitation (sp) of certain threads / topics because there are new developments as announced recently by the government that could affect visitors to the country - regardless if they are tattooed or not.

Perhaps the poster believes (like certain other well thought out people who gave us Elite Cards etc) that only the rich and famous should be allowed to spend their hard earned money here.

So instead of casting down insults and expleting high and mighty comments, I would suggest he come off his preacher's pulpit and offer something constructive to the conversation - failing that, pehaps one could just keep their mouth shut?

Here we go again *sigh*

The government decides to make a minor change to the law, and all we can do is sit around and bleat about how much it's going to affect a handful of thirsty tourists.

Well, here's the rub. Laws in Thailand are not designed exclusively for tourists. They may affect them occasionally, but I think a tourist's desire to get a beer on a dry night comes pretty low down on their list of priorities.

Who gives a shit? Stop whining.

This will have absolutely no effect on tourism numbers at all. In fact, I'd go further. If a handful of disgruntled idiots decide to go somewhere else instead of Thailand because they might not be able to buy a beer on a particular night, I venture to suggest that they are no great loss to the country. Good riddance to them. Is that constructive enough for you?

One final point. I like my preacher's pulpit, thank you very much.

[desertrat]

Who gives a shit? Stop whining.

Great..If only this was in Banner at the top of the Forum page.

[Lost in LOS]

People don't flood into Thailand to drink beer!

I just went on holiday for 6 days to hongkong, just got back. had 2 large glasses of draft beer each day. thats more than i have had in the 3 years i lived here since I dont drink it here for health and weight reasons.

Of course I was on holiday there as all these poor tourists are here

the problem is not just drinking, many of the go gos and bars are made to close even if they don't sell alcohol on those days. i sit in the street front chairs on walking street most nights and drink water. On the non drinking days I have heard many tourists including families very upset at the bar since they cant have a drink. ridiculous law for tourists in a tourist town.

[bendix]

Who gives a shit? Stop whining.

Great..If only this was in Banner at the top of the Forum page.

I think I might pitch this to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Instead of that Land of Smiles bullshit, they could adopt this as their new marketing slogan.

Imagine - large posters at the airport, an additional 'who gives a shit, stop whining' stamp in your passport next to the entry permit. I reckon I'm onto a winner here.

[bonobo]

To set the table, I rarely drink (maybe a glass of wine a month), so I personally could care less if alcohol is banned.  And I grant that the Thai government can do whatever they want with regards to extending the number of days where alcohol is not available.

But posters who think this will have no affect on tourism are not really living in reality.  A tourist who comes here for a week wants to relax and enjoy himself or herself. That may include a glass of wine with dinner, a cocktail on the beach, or yes, loads of beer at a bar.  It this tourist cannot get a drink for one, two, or three days, he or she is going to be upset and form a bad opinion on the degree of how tourist-friendly Thailand really is. He or she will probably not return and will rather pick other destinations (look at how hard Malaysia is courting the tourist trade right now.)  And this upset tourist will tell his or her friends at home, the travel agent who booked the ticket, and maybe the local papers or travel forums.  So not only will this person not return, but he or she will convince others not to come.

Yes, there a a mulitude of ways to enjoy Thailand without drinking. But most tourists, I dare say, do not want to go to places where their choices are limited, and limiting alcohol sales will affect the industry.  So if the Thai government wants to place more days on the alcohol banned list, then they should do that with full knowledge of the deleterious effect that will have on tourism.

Personally, I think it is odd that alcohol is somehow OK for some days, but not for others. If alcohol is bad, then it should be banned on all days. If it is OK for use, then it should not be banned. You can make arguements for or against alcohol use, but whatever your conclusion, I don't see how on any given day it is OK to use it, then the next day it is not OK because that day has a religious or national implication.

Edited October 7, 2008 by bonobo

[bendix]

Personally, I think it is odd that alcohol is somehow OK for some days, but not for others. If alcohol is bad, then it should be banned on all days. If it is OK for use, then it should not be banned. You can make arguements for or against alcohol use, but whatever your conclusion, I don't see how on any given day it is OK to use it, then the next day it is not OK because that day has a religious or national implication.

What is your home country? Does it have licencing laws? Are the bars open 24 hours a day, seven days a week?

No, I thought now.

OK, so now explain the difference please.

[bkkjames]

Who gives a shit? Stop whining.

Great..If only this was in Banner at the top of the Forum page.

I think I might pitch this to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Instead of that Land of Smiles bullshit, they could adopt this as their new marketing slogan.

Imagine - large posters at the airport, an additional 'who gives a shit, stop whining' stamp in your passport next to the entry permit. I reckon I'm onto a winner here.

I reckon you should be hired by TAT, you obviously have the in_sufficient qualifications to be both a lawyer and a tourism master, but then again, who gives a shit mate as long as there are no tourists here and you can go to bar and regain your old charm with the ladies.

But for someone who obvously doesn't give a shit about this subject (booze ban remember), you sure spend alot of time in this tread.

[jdinasia]

To set the table, I rarely drink (maybe a glass of wine a month), so I personally could care less if alcohol is banned.  And I grant that the Thai government can do whatever they want with regards to extending the number of days where alcohol is not available.

But posters who think this will have no affect on tourism are not really living in reality.  A tourist who comes here for a week wants to relax and enjoy himself or herself. That may include a glass of wine with dinner, a cocktail on the beach, or yes, loads of beer at a bar.  It this tourist cannot get a drink for one, two, or three days, he or she is going to be upset and form a bad opinion on the degree of how tourist-friendly Thailand really is. He or she will probably not return and will rather pick other destinations (look at how hard Malaysia is courting the tourist trade right now.)  And this upset tourist will tell his or her friends at home, the travel agent who booked the ticket, and maybe the local papers or travel forums.  So not only will this person not return, but he or she will convince others not to come.

Yes, there a a mulitude of ways to enjoy Thailand without drinking. But most tourists, I dare say, do not want to go to places where their choices are limited, and limiting alcohol sales will affect the industry.  So if the Thai government wants to place more days on the alcohol banned list, then they should do that with full knowledge of the deleterious effect that will have on tourism.

Personally, I think it is odd that alcohol is somehow OK for some days, but not for others. If alcohol is bad, then it should be banned on all days. If it is OK for use, then it should not be banned. You can make arguements for or against alcohol use, but whatever your conclusion, I don't see how on any given day it is OK to use it, then the next day it is not OK because that day has a religious or national implication.

ummmm .. how long have you been in Thailand? These are NOT new rules. In fact in the years that I have been here they have added 2 drinking days, in the past you were not able to buy alcohol on father's day and mother's day but that changed 3 years ago. So ... if the alcohol sales ban is so bad and so deleterious to tourism It would have had its affect years and years ago.

I doubt the "Pattaya single male" tourist as described earlier in the thread is gonna raise much stink about not being able to go to a disco one night of his vacation

--------------------------------

For jack who can't manage reality about my personal drinking habits, I encourage you to search the forums for non-alcohol related things to do in Pattaya including cultural shows and events. It isn't as if it hasn't been covered, from concerts to Alankarn to temple fairs to night markets .....

but jack, your resentment towards people that don't drink and problem drinkers seems to be an issue, check with one of the forum sponsors and they might be able to help!

[dannyman]

jdinasia and bendix,who in hel_l! do you think you are !

[bendix]

I reckon you should be hired by TAT, you obviously have the in_sufficient qualifications to be both a lawyer and a tourism master, but then again, who gives a shit mate as long as there are no tourists here and you can go to bar and regain your old charm with the ladies.

But for someone who obvously doesn't give a shit about this subject (booze ban remember), you sure spend alot of time in this tread.

Are you on the booze a bit early today, james?

A lawyer? What does being a lawyer or not have to do with anything? Insufficient qualifications to be a lawyer? I dont understand. I have never been a lawyer, never claimed to be a lawyer and never wanted to be a lawyer. I do, though, have a law degree. Does that count? It was doing the degree that made me not want to be one.

As for going to the bar to regain my old charm? My dear befuddled chap, you really are confused. Bars are boring. I wander in for a beer once or twice a week, but have no interest in being charming to ladies. I'm married, you see, and very happily.

[bendix]

jdinasia and bendix,who in hel_l! do you think you are !

I don't know who jdinasia thinks he is (perhaps he can share his thoughts on that).

I think I'm bendix.

Who the hel_l are you?