'dry' Songkran?

[Ping]

Alcohol may be banned for Songkran

Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai is at odds with his deputy over the banning of alcohol sales during Songkran this year.

Mr Witthaya on Friday said he wanted to be certain that any regulations announced for curbing alcohol sales during long holidays would not affect tha hotel industry.

"I don't want the anti-alcohol campaign to worsen the tourism industry,'' he said.

But his deputy Manit Nopamornbodee fully supported such a ban, saying the campaign has to be undertaken in a bid to reduce deaths and road accidents.

Mr Witthaya said he would discuss the issue with his deputy before making any decision on alcohol regulations. He would also listen to the Alcohol Watch Network's proposal aimed at reducing the number of road accidents during long weekends.

Mr Manit, who oversees the anti-drink-driving campaign, earlier said the sale of alcohol would be prohibited during Songkran holidays.

The official holiday for Songkran is between April 13 and April 15.

Bangkok Post 13/02/2009

Comment: It's highly unlikely to happen, but posted for information.

[TEFLMike]

Here is the link to the Bangkok Post article, dated 14th February 2009

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/1160...booze-sales-ban

[Lost in LOS]

might stop many of the thugs coming. i leave town to avoid the confrontations i am sure to have. either stop the alcohol [not the smartest way] or have a police presense to arrest the people that are out of hand.

[grantbkk]

The simple fact is that after last months Rohingya human right scandal and the defacto murder of several refugees the Thai government needed a completely new reason to shoot themselves in the foot. You would think they were running out of feet by now but long time observers know different.

Unless you live here you cannot believe the things this government can come up with. They've hid cigarettes from view but smoking is on the rise. They've wanted to turn the labels of alcoholic beverages so we can't see them but people somehow are still buying alcohol. Now we can have gross pictures on our beverage bottles.

For anyone living here these completely stupid rules and laws are common place and avoidable but for tourists they are truly inconvenient and divisive. The hours of sales is an example. I forgot what they are but the reason for the restricted hours was to reduce alcohol consumption by students and to lessen the chance a wife will be beat up by her Thai husband. Is this working? Why can we buy drugs 24 hours a day? Oh yeah, you can buy buy the case during restricted hours anywhere for some reason but cannot buy a single beer.

Now a holiday ban on alcohol sales. Tourists will simply love to spread this brain fart. I remember during a beverage ban while votes from some election or another were being counted, the Marriott honored the ban of course. A businessman friend of mine order a dish cooked with white wine sauce and was told he could not order the dish until midnight. Priceless! TIT!

[JSixpack]

Wrong liquid. Should have banned water and kept the alcohol.

[davyboy]

Wrong liquid. Should have banned water and kept the alcohol.

totally agree!

I'll just buy a few boxes of beer before Songkran!!

[davyboy]

Just a thought, is that why Pattaya wait till the 19th to hold their celebrations? No alcohol restrictions.

[grandpops]

The simple fact is that after last months Rohingya human right scandal and the defacto murder of several refugees the Thai government needed a completely new reason to shoot themselves in the foot. You would think they were running out of feet by now but long time observers know different.

Unless you live here you cannot believe the things this government can come up with. They've hid cigarettes from view but smoking is on the rise. They've wanted to turn the labels of alcoholic beverages so we can't see them but people somehow are still buying alcohol. Now we can have gross pictures on our beverage bottles.

For anyone living here these completely stupid rules and laws are common place and avoidable but for tourists they are truly inconvenient and divisive. The hours of sales is an example. I forgot what they are but the reason for the restricted hours was to reduce alcohol consumption by students and to lessen the chance a wife will be beat up by her Thai husband. Is this working? Why can we buy drugs 24 hours a day? Oh yeah, you can buy buy the case during restricted hours anywhere for some reason but cannot buy a single beer.

Now a holiday ban on alcohol sales. Tourists will simply love to spread this brain fart. I remember during a beverage ban while votes from some election or another were being counted, the Marriott honored the ban of course. A businessman friend of mine order a dish cooked with white wine sauce and was told he could not order the dish until midnight. Priceless! TIT!

Just as an aside. Does any other country in the world generate as many stupid policies and back downs as this one?

I know Zimbabwee and Burma have a few serious ones but here we are bombarded with them on a weekly basis.

At the moment we have major internet crackdowns, piracy crackdowns, the above abuses, high dudgeon about girls and sex... again, riots outside government house... again, this on top of the last coup, an airport open at the discretion of the PAD, dry days for elections, pre elections, re-elections etc.

Could "regional hub" be used in this context!

[syd barrett]

Stopping selling alcohol, at garages for example might help, but if people know sales of alcohol during songkrawn are restricted they will just stock up and fill their fridges. The annual death toll has come down during the last few years, but it is just a sad fact of life; people drink and drive.

[G54]

The simple fact is that after last months Rohingya human right scandal and the defacto murder of several refugees the Thai government needed a completely new reason to shoot themselves in the foot. You would think they were running out of feet by now but long time observers know different.

{snip}

The government was really a centipede in disguise until it realised its mistake and changed the rules so it has now become a millipede - with more feet to shoot itself in

[edwardandtubs]

The government would be better off doing something about men walking around groping women without their consent, also called indecent assault in most countries but perfectly acceptable in Thailand during Songkran.

[BigSnake]

Good ideal however most serious drinker will just buy a few day early and still be drunken fools on the roadside and behind the wheel, good luck to us all that have to share the road with them.

[Tigs]

Perhaps instead of Alcohol bans (which as many have said will just result in people stocking up) the Thai government ought to invest in a Thai equivalent of the video linked below. It is very powerful, and typically I showed it to my wife who could barley watch saying 'it is too much'. It is a video highlighting the consequences of speeding, inattention, machoism, texting, mobiles etc etc. I asked my wife why Thais would find it difficult to watch, yet they are happy watching violent slash em up martial arts movies, she said 'because this video is about real life'. It is her birthday soon, i have warned her that I will buy her a bucket full of sand for her to stick her head in.

Anyway any thoughts, I have the Thai version already storyboarded in my head!

Speeding - No one thinks big of you!

[bruceboy]

Drinking and driving is still a big problem in Thailand.

[JetsetBkk]

The government would be better off doing something about men walking around groping women without their consent, also called indecent assault in most countries but perfectly acceptable in Thailand during Songkran.

Not only during Songkran, unfortunately for the young country girls.

[jaideeguy]

The sad fact is that these alcohol bans have no enforcement out in the moo baan, where at any small shop, you can buy a bottle of any swill that the natives drink themselves stupid on 7/24. There is absolutely no enforcement on alcohol sales outside of 7-11's, superstores and other hi profile outlets.

Another sad fact is that most of the accidents happen out in the moo baan as well, where the other laws are not enforced like the helmet laws, motorcycle registration, alcohol sales, talking on mobil phones etc....

I think statistacally most of the accidents and injuries occur out in the moo baan and not in the city and will [or can] they enforce any of these laws out here>>>>>>no

Edited February 15, 2009 by jaideeguy

[bkkjames]

Why not ban motorbikes during Songkran? - for 9 years now - I have been watching the death toll climb each and every year, despite initiatives to deter drinking and driving.

If that is not feasible (because people need them to get to work) then propose motorbike taxis still ok...not that I see many people taking them and risk getting soaked during this holiday anyway.

Never happen I know, but wishful thinking.

[PhilHarries]

What I don't understand is how they've let this little disagreement become public knowledge. Most un-Thai, now one or the other is going to lose face big time whichever way the cookie crumbles.

In many other democracies this would end up with the deputy seeking a new post. In certain other "democracies" the deputy would end up feeding the fishes.

[yabaaaa]

Perhaps instead of Alcohol bans (which as many have said will just result in people stocking up) the Thai government ought to invest in a Thai equivalent of the video linked below. It is very powerful, and typically I showed it to my wife who could barley watch saying 'it is too much'. It is a video highlighting the consequences of speeding, inattention, machoism, texting, mobiles etc etc. I asked my wife why Thais would find it difficult to watch, yet they are happy watching violent slash em up martial arts movies, she said 'because this video is about real life'. It is her birthday soon, i have warned her that I will buy her a bucket full of sand for her to stick her head in.

Anyway any thoughts, I have the Thai version already storyboarded in my head!

Speeding - No one thinks big of you!

Most of that looked like lack of attention to me , i mean a kid using a mobile phone steps into the road without looking??? Flame away, I did like the bucket of sand idea though

Edited February 16, 2009 by yabaaaa

[thaihome]

What I don't understand is how they've let this little disagreement become public knowledge. Most un-Thai, now one or the other is going to lose face big time whichever way the cookie crumbles.

In many other democracies this would end up with the deputy seeking a new post. In certain other "democracies" the deputy would end up feeding the fishes.

You and I appear to be the only ones that actually read and understood what the article said.

TH

[geeky]

natural selection ... I juts love it !

live and let die!

[pop_corn]

Good if they do, so many people dying for that celebration