Nationwide Ban On Alcohol This Weekend

[jdinasia]

Most people who enjoy a drink on a Saturday night will not be happy that they can't. People who could take or leave a beer probably won't care. People who enjoy a beer on Saturday night might critisise this law (Thai or foreign) People who don't care are more likely to agree with this law or defend it.

People who believe in god, bhudda or whomever will say they're great. People who don't will say..........? Especially on TV.

You can have a beer tonight if you want. Hell, you can have 12! What you can't legally do is buy one. There are 4 beers in my fridge and a case of beer in my storage area.

I was actually surprised to see the little no-license place near my house is closed tonight. Even though I live inside the old city of Chiang Mai this street is pretty much off-the-beaten track.

[HeavyDrinker]

Just came back from our local market. People all over the show drinking just as usual.

Who said the Thais are scofflaws....?

[HeavyDrinker]

Tombkk, you are displaying a lot of ignorance if you are really going to throw around "official figures" without even providing a source and ignoring the informal economy.

My you would really struggle in Academe.

What percentage of tourist income passes through the formal economic system in your learned experience as opposed to the informal economy?

I'll give you a clue here. It's not much.

Sit down and think about it...

[Richie1971]

Just for the record, I'm in hua hin and beers are being drunk openly in all areas apart from the main bar area in the centre of town, nice

[Seiborg]

Just walked through Soi Cowboy, was pitch dark and like a ghost town, at the end a bunch of guys in Tuk-Tuks offering to take me to an open bar but didn't take them up on their offer.

[tombkk]

Tombkk, you are displaying a lot of ignorance if you are really going to throw around "official figures" without even providing a source and ignoring the informal economy.

My you would really struggle in Academe.

What percentage of tourist income passes through the formal economic system in your learned experience as opposed to the informal economy?

I'll give you a clue here. It's not much.

Sit down and think about it...

Official figures:

The authority, as usual, is ThaiVisa (6%):

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/225728-how-much-does-tourism-contribute-to-thai-gdp/

A similarly reliable source echos this more or less (6.5%):

http://www.thaiwebsites.com/tourism.asp

BBC futher spreads the figure (6%):

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3666515.stm

Even the US State Department is not ashamed of copying ThaiVisa's figure of 6%:

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2814.htm

Of course, the newspaper-that-must-not-be-named got it totally wrong (6.7%):

[Link to Bangkok Post article removed, read rule 31]

We know that Wikipedia cannot be trusted as a source, as they just repeat the figure of 6%:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Thailand#Tourism

The World Bank does not mention how many percent of the GDP can be attributed to tourism:

http://go.worldbank.org/6YMP0K4060

I guess they wouldn't want to be caught plagiarizing ThaiVisa.

The world Travel and Tourism Council is clearly understating (5.7%):

http://www.wttc.org/eng/Tourism_Research/Economic_Research/Country_Reports/Thailand/

My point: Yes, there are different figures, depending on who you ask. But 6% can't be far from the truth.

There are also research articles about the shadow economy. But please, it's late and let me just give you an educated guess: Tourism is not the major contributor to the thai economy any more. Yes, it is an important industry, but all the "nail in the coffin" contributers don't know overall facts, they just observe how many passengers they see arriving and departing and call that "many" rather than having any comparative figures.

And yes, Bangkok is a major aviation hub in SE Asia. What does that have to do with a ThaiVisa member obvserving many people arriving and hence drawing conclusions about the GDP share of tourism?

Kindly advise what you know about "Academe".

Edited June 26, 2011 by metisdead
Link to Bangkok Post article removed, read forum rule 31.

[Bkkorupcountry]

Well you tell me (and every other international tourist wholesaler)why TAT are undertaking a massive Thai tax payer funded travel promotion launch over the next 6 months to tell us to tell the world that Thailand is 'Amazing'?...Let me guess...Is it to tell people that when they fork out 10.000 euros' to bring their family here or spend their honeymoon here ..or come on a golfing holiday,that they can't go to a bar on two consecutive Saturday nights and have a beer?F..king joke and you tell me seriously you'd be happy if it happened to you!!!!!

In the first instance, if someone is going to spend Euro 10,000 to come here, they would be spending more than a Saturday night which means they will be able to PURCHASE alcohol and drink it on the other nights they are here.

Secondly, if they can afford Euro 10,000, they are obviously educated and intelligent enough to respect the law and understand the rationale behind it.

Thirdly, golfers here on a golfing holiday came here first and foremost to golf and not to drink. Furthermore, if they are golfers and drinkers, then you can be sure that they would have purchased their duty frees at the airport so once again no issue.

You are trying to associate this ban with tourism. Let me "educate" you, as a 20 year travel professional, that such bans, as and when and if enforced, have absolutely no significance whatsoever on tourism to Thailand.

[Nisa]

Well you tell me (and every other international tourist wholesaler)why TAT are undertaking a massive Thai tax payer funded travel promotion launch over the next 6 months to tell us to tell the world that Thailand is 'Amazing'?...Let me guess...Is it to tell people that when they fork out 10.000 euros' to bring their family here or spend their honeymoon here ..or come on a golfing holiday,that they can't go to a bar on two consecutive Saturday nights and have a beer?F..king joke and you tell me seriously you'd be happy if it happened to you!!!!!

From a number of posts here it would seem many foreigners are simply bitter that this country doesn't revolve around their needs .. in this case their need to go to bar this Saturday & Sunday and next. However, it is helping me to understand the negativity towards Thais and Thailand that is so often voiced here. It would appear many people are simply upset that they are not somebody who is valued to Thais at the level they believe they should be. And that their worth to Thailand is never going to be what they believe it should be.

Tourism is an important part of the Thai economy but Thailand would not collapse without it .. especially with just the loss of the expat community who are the main complainers. Thailand has one of the fastest growing economies in Asia and tourism makes up about 6% of the GDP but at the same time the economy grew by 8% in 2010.

Bottom line is that it is time for many to realize they are just not as important here as they think and that the majority of tourist dollars are not coming from expats here.

Yes, it must be very upsetting for the tourists not to be able to bring their family to a bar for a few days a year because I'm sure in their homeland theirs bars never close and their are no laws governing when, where, how and to whom alcohol can be sold. This is really bizarre that people can get this upset about not being able to go to a bar for a short period while still being able to consume alcohol.

Every country has different laws, regulations, cultures and customs ... that is a big reason why there are tourists. It is absolutely illogical to believe a country should change or alter their ways simply to make bar going tourists happy. It seems a bit narcissistic to have such thoughts about ones own importance.

[rubl]

Just walked through Soi Cowboy, was pitch dark and like a ghost town, at the end a bunch of guys in Tuk-Tuks offering to take me to an open bar but didn't take them up on their offer.

With the ban till Sunday midnight and depending on how strict things will be enforced, you may look forward to another day of closed bars and dinner without a glass of wine. The fun of it is the coming weekend of 2nd/3rd of July will be the same or even stricter.

For residents no problem, only tourists seem to complain

[Nisa]

The Thai Constitution grants the EC this authority

Does it now?

Strictly speaking it isn't in the Constitution. However, the Constitution does directly refer [section 93 or 95 I think IIRC] to the organic law [The Thai equivalent of The Representation of the Peoples Act] under which elections to the House are held. Therefore such provisions do have constitutional force.

Regards

/edit format//

The

Election Commission of the Kingdom of Thailand

(

Thai

: คณะกรรมการการเลือกตั้ง;

RTGS

: Khana Kammakan Kan Lueak Tang;

Abrv:

ECT) is an

independent government agency

and the sole

Electoral Commission

of

Thailand

tasked with overseeing

Senate

,

House

, local and district elections throughout the

Kingdom of Thailand

. Established by the

Constitution

, the Election Commission (EC) has extensive powers to manage, oversee, and regulate the electoral process.

http://en.wikipedia....sion_(Thailand)

The EC is designed to be independent and not part of the political body. You may want to look up who appoints these commissioners ... hint it is somebody else outside the political realm who has many powers when it comes to Thailand.

but regardless ... it is just being delusional to believe this is not law in Thailand or that politicians are the only ones with the power to directly make specific laws in Thailand.

Edited June 25, 2011 by Nisa

[Bkkorupcountry]

Just walked through Soi Cowboy, was pitch dark and like a ghost town, at the end a bunch of guys in Tuk-Tuks offering to take me to an open bar but didn't take them up on their offer.

With the ban till Sunday midnight and depending on how strict things will be enforced, you may look forward to another day of closed bars and dinner without a glass of wine. The fun of it is the coming weekend of 2nd/3rd of July will be the same or even stricter.

For residents no problem, only tourists seem to complain

Now, if TG is really the 5th best airline in the world, then they should announce to arriving passengers about the election and the ban. TAT should also then be putting up posters at the airport and King Power, if a well run business should be pressing this point home because we don't want the poor tourists to be deprived of their right to consume alcohol, right?

[rubl]

Just walked through Soi Cowboy, was pitch dark and like a ghost town, at the end a bunch of guys in Tuk-Tuks offering to take me to an open bar but didn't take them up on their offer.

With the ban till Sunday midnight and depending on how strict things will be enforced, you may look forward to another day of closed bars and dinner without a glass of wine. The fun of it is the coming weekend of 2nd/3rd of July will be the same or even stricter.

For residents no problem, only tourists seem to complain

Now, if TG is really the 5th best airline in the world, then they should announce to arriving passengers about the election and the ban. TAT should also then be putting up posters at the airport and King Power, if a well run business should be pressing this point home because we don't want the poor tourists to be deprived of their right to consume alcohol, right?

Let me think about this for a moment. I may be able to envision another 'Thailand hub of ...', maybe 'hub of pre-election booze sales'? No, doesn't sound right. Let me get another beer from the fridge, I'm sure I can come up with something

[Nisa]

The 6% of Thai gdp re tourism is way out, keep this silly stat, in the real world look at from the Airport down to transport resorts hotels-food alcohol wives and girl friends/boyfriends-houses businesses bars and bar persons attractions national parks temples boats islands I could go on for ages, one has to look at the whole thing rather than pick the lowest stat ever to highlight your point of view.

Kind of little point in debating if you are unable to accept a widely & globally accepted figure compiled by folks whose job it is to understand how to compile and do so using commonly & globally accepted accounting measures. Of course, we all can ignore these official figures and believe what you have come up with from your thoughts while working the fields up north. By the way, since you are so sure it is not approx. 6% of the GDP what do you recon it is? And what proof do you have to show that areas you claim weren't considered actually weren't?

[philhal2]

<br />

<br />So we can pay 400 Baht to enter a temple, but we can't get a beer? (Foreigners who don't look Thai). I believe this is called profiling. If profiling works so well when entering temples, why can't it work the other way when ordering a drink in a bar? <br /><br /><br />Oh well, I'll just stay home, drink whiskey alone and cry. <img src='http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/jap.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':jap:' /><br />

<br /><br /><br />What are you talking about? Paying to enter a temple... never heard of it.<br />

<br /><br /><br /> .

Yes Temples do charge , so does the Palace . Yes they do practice discrimination in Thailand and not just on prices , Its a legal form of discrimination , so it must be ok .

FAILED TO READ THE BIT WHERE IT SAYS ROOM SERVICE WAS BANNED IN HOTELS

Cant see the ban affecting Thais as my girlfriend says her brothers haven't been into my booze every day , as they stay pissed naturally for several days after we have a party ? (: not to sure if she is 100% on here but they do seem to have a better hangover and get more mileage for the baht than me

There are no straight politicians , there is no integrity where $$ are involved in this world .

The only "straight" politicians , are the ones that were buried " lying " ( no pun intended ) flat in a coffin

[diehard60]

The idea of this is to keep that day safe for the voters. But then you drunks out there don't understand that or can't understand or don't want to understand or just don't care. You only care about your booze that's all.

[diehard60]

<br />

<br />So we can pay 400 Baht to enter a temple, but we can't get a beer? (Foreigners who don't look Thai). I believe this is called profiling. If profiling works so well when entering temples, why can't it work the other way when ordering a drink in a bar? <br /><br /><br />Oh well, I'll just stay home, drink whiskey alone and cry. <img src='http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/jap.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':jap:' /><br />

<br /><br /><br />What are you talking about? Paying to enter a temple... never heard of it.<br />

<br /><br /><br /> .

Yes Temples do charge , so does the Palace . Yes they do practice discrimination in Thailand and not just on prices , Its a legal form of discrimination , so it must be ok .

FAILED TO READ THE BIT WHERE IT SAYS ROOM SERVICE WAS BANNED IN HOTELS

Cant see the ban affecting Thais as my girlfriend says her brothers haven't been into my booze every day , as they stay pissed naturally for several days after we have a party ? (: not to sure if she is 100% on here but they do seem to have a better hangover and get more mileage for the baht than me

There are no straight politicians , there is no integrity where $$ are involved in this world .

The only "straight" politicians , are the ones that were buried " lying " ( no pun intended ) flat in a coffin

I have never paid going into a temple. maybe your girl friend or her brothers? are charging you.

[chooka]

JDINASIA you state " I don't disagree now. Drinking alcohol is not a basic human right"

Well I guess eating fish is not a basic human right either.

I am over 18 and alcohol is legal and it is my basic human right to drink it whenever I want.

Nope it is not. You may wish it to be, but there are many places and many times when drinking is not legal. Additionally legal drinking ages also vary. Eating is a basic human right. Consuming alcohol is not.

Well unless you have to be over 45 yrs old then I am of the legal drinking age, Unless you are in a country that has less human rights than another or is dominated by a certain religion that forbids alcohol consumption then I can consume alcohol whenever I want. In places like Australia and Thailand it is a basic human right for citizens to drink if they choose to do so. I have not heard of a law forbidding the consumption of alcohol in these countries between any dates or times. I do not know where you live or come from but it appears you are not afforded the same basic rights as citizens of many free countries around the world. I enjoyed a lovely glass of Penfolds last night with my dinner and did not have the alcohol police kicking in my front door to drag my wife and I off to the slammer. We used our basic human right afforded to us to eat and drink what we wanted for dinner.

Edited June 25, 2011 by chooka

[chooka]

The idea of this is to keep that day safe for the voters. But then you drunks out there don't understand that or can't understand or don't want to understand or just don't care. You only care about your booze that's all.

Please explain how the day is going to be less safe than any other day. When did they start to install polling booths in the bars frequented by tourists? (Most of the bars in places like Pattaya/Phuket are frequented by tourists and not expats. Do you really think after having a wine with dinner that the tourists are going to form a lynch mob and start hunting down thais going to the polls? You give the impression that everyone who enjoys a quite drink is a drunk and out to cause mayhem. I would suggest that it is a very small monority that would do this and they should refrain. Lets ban it on every second wednesday so that all those that drink are not running rampant through the department stores/markets beating staff/shoppers and causing mass destruction.

I have no problems with the restiction of alcohol sales as you can always purchase outside the times.

[ronz28]

Top ten reasons your falang has a drinking problem:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx8MlrMji3E

[Nisa]

The idea of this is to keep that day safe for the voters. But then you drunks out there don't understand that or can't understand or don't want to understand or just don't care. You only care about your booze that's all.

Please explain how the day is going to be less safe than any other day. When did they start to install polling booths in the bars frequented by tourists? (Most of the bars in places like Pattaya/Phuket are frequented by tourists and not expats. Do you really think after having a wine with dinner that the tourists are going to form a lynch mob and start hunting down thais going to the polls? You give the impression that everyone who enjoys a quite drink is a drunk and out to cause mayhem. I would suggest that it is a very small monority that would do this and they should refrain. Lets ban it on every second wednesday so that all those that drink are not running rampant through the department stores/markets beating staff/shoppers and causing mass destruction.

I have no problems with the restiction of alcohol sales as you can always purchase outside the times.

When Thailand passed this law long ago, I assume they could give a rat's a@@ if you or other outsiders understood it or not .. as should be. The law has to do with Thailand and its people's election process. It is what it is and it is the way Thailand works ... simply accept it. The bottom line is the law has a number of reasons that you will probably never understand or accept because your sole focus is on what you want and how you think Thailand should work. But what you should understand is that you (we) are insignificant when it comes to defining Thailand, its politics and most of its laws.

Understand there is no "lets ban it on every second Wednesday" because you have no say-so in the matter and shouldn't. The right words would be 'let them ban... " It is not your country and Thailand isn't going to bat an eyelash if you or the rest of the expat community decide to move to Cambodia nor are they overly concerned with tourists who decide to boycott Thailand because they can't drink in a bar on certain days of the year .... in fact, my guess is they would probably think they are better off without this element.

You and others are in Thailand and should stop complaining so deeply about such minor things that you don't understand and simply accept them or don't stay in Thailand. It is there country, not ours and if people are going to come to Thailand they should try to learn something from locals such as not getting so worked up about things you neither can control, that will pass and that are insignificant unless you choose to make them significant.

I also think the average Joe who likes to have a glass of wine with dinner isn't going to be upset or greatly impacted by this law unless they choose to be ... especially considering this is not a short ban on drinking but simply the selling/serving of alcohol. For those who are unable to consume food without their glass of wine for a day or two then they simply can eat at home.

Edited June 25, 2011 by Nisa

[Nisa]

I have never paid going into a temple.

Then you have not likely visited some of the largest tourist attractions in Thailand.

[daoyai]

Nisa.... for someone advising people to "not getting so worked up about things you neither can control, that will pass" you sure seem to be worked up over others (insignificant) expressions of opinion. This is an amusing thread though.....so much passion !

[Nisa]

JDINASIA you state " I don't disagree now. Drinking alcohol is not a basic human right"

Well I guess eating fish is not a basic human right either.

I am over 18 and alcohol is legal and it is my basic human right to drink it whenever I want.

Nope it is not. You may wish it to be, but there are many places and many times when drinking is not legal. Additionally legal drinking ages also vary. Eating is a basic human right. Consuming alcohol is not.

Well unless you have to be over 45 yrs old then I am of the legal drinking age, Unless you are in a country that has less human rights than another or is dominated by a certain religion that forbids alcohol consumption then I can consume alcohol whenever I want. In places like Australia and Thailand it is a basic human right for citizens to drink if they choose to do so. I have not heard of a law forbidding the consumption of alcohol in these countries between any dates or times. I do not know where you live or come from but it appears you are not afforded the same basic rights as citizens of many free countries around the world. I enjoyed a lovely glass of Penfolds last night with my dinner and did not have the alcohol police kicking in my front door to drag my wife and I off to the slammer. We used our basic human right afforded to us to eat and drink what we wanted for dinner.

Chooka - as you state alcohol is legal but what you fail to see or mention it is also governed (in most all countries) in terms of when, where and to whom it can be sold. The election ban is no different than the 2am ban or the age requirement ban. You are welcome to consume as much alcohol as you want, within the law, during the election period as you are any other day. However, as you surely are aware, there are laws dictating when establishments can sell alcohol. Although you are free to consume fish, you are not free to take it from wherever you want without obeying the law which may include paying to buy it or needing a fishing permit.

PS. You are in Thailand .. the drinking age at a bar is 20, not 18.

Edited June 26, 2011 by Nisa

[Nisa]

Nisa.... for someone advising people to "not getting so worked up about things you neither can control, that will pass" you sure seem to be worked up over others (insignificant) expressions of opinion. This is an amusing thread though.....so much passion !

I think your perceptions are a bit off in terms of my emotional state. I'm simply trying to help folks see the reality of this situation in terms of alcohol being restricted during certain times across the globe, as well as this not being an illegal law, not being a violation of human rights, that tourists rights to drink in a commercial establishment are not a significant enough issue for the EC to make special exceptions for them especially when many of the bar / late night entertainment staff need time to travel to vote in their home district ... as well as other irrational and incorrect thoughts regarding this law.

As I stated earlier, I can see people make a complaint about this, especially if they had plans this weekend and this has come as a surprise but equating it to basic human rights and having a perception that you should be treated special and have privileges locals don't is going a bit far over such a minor thing.

Edited June 26, 2011 by Nisa

[sydneyjed]

"Let me educate you"are you f..king serious?Get yer hand off it mate!

Well you tell me (and every other international tourist wholesaler)why TAT are undertaking a massive Thai tax payer funded travel promotion launch over the next 6 months to tell us to tell the world that Thailand is 'Amazing'?...Let me guess...Is it to tell people that when they fork out 10.000 euros' to bring their family here or spend their honeymoon here ..or come on a golfing holiday,that they can't go to a bar on two consecutive Saturday nights and have a beer?F..king joke and you tell me seriously you'd be happy if it happened to you!!!!!

In the first instance, if someone is going to spend Euro 10,000 to come here, they would be spending more than a Saturday night which means they will be able to PURCHASE alcohol and drink it on the other nights they are here.

Secondly, if they can afford Euro 10,000, they are obviously educated and intelligent enough to respect the law and understand the rationale behind it.

Thirdly, golfers here on a golfing holiday came here first and foremost to golf and not to drink. Furthermore, if they are golfers and drinkers, then you can be sure that they would have purchased their duty frees at the airport so once again no issue.

You are trying to associate this ban with tourism. Let me "educate" you, as a 20 year travel professional, that such bans, as and when and if enforced, have absolutely no significance whatsoever on tourism to Thailand.

[DP25]

Over 12 hours since the ban, I hope people stocked up before hand to keep the delirium tremens at bay

[phutoie2]

Thirdly, golfers here on a golfing holiday came here first and foremost to golf and not to drink. Furthermore, if they are golfers and drinkers, then you can be sure that they would have purchased their duty frees at the airport so once again no issue.

You must know a whole different bunch of golfers to me!. That has to rank as one of the dumbest comments I have read about LOS for donkies!

No ban in our small republic, just had 6 x 15L bottles of water delivered and my weekly box of big LEO's.

[binnsy]

Over 12 hours since the ban, I hope people stocked up before hand to keep the delirium tremens at bay

As the BIB cannot spend those drinking vouchers that they collect from us Falang I take they wont be stopping us this weekend or next?

[Thaddeus]

I think that you are missing the point here somewhat, and by a fair margin.

I like a drink, but I rarely get drunk, I can quite easily not have a beer if I choose not to, I can quite easily not have a beer in certain places if there is a good reason for it.

Having some holier than thou prat in a uniform with a chest full of undeserved fruit salad telling me that I can't because he doesn't like it is not a good reason.

You are missing the point! You are a guest in this country and as such shall comply with whatever rules and laws are imposed here. If you cannot do that or really mean that Thailand shall make different rules to suit your ideas and thoughts, then you are in the wrong place. I suggest you relocate somewhere where the authorities can have understanding for your needs and make their rules accordingly. Here, you only show your complete lack of intelligence and understanding what this is about.

And you sound like a table banger that freaks out at the first sniff of a wine-gum.

If your obviously superior intellect can spare the time, please point out where I said I wouldn't comply with any laws or rules of this country.

I have absolutely no problem with adhering to any and all laws that exist where ever I happen to be, but I will always stand by my right, and everyone's right for that matter, that if I think something is wrong I should be able to say so without some moralistic bombastic cretin calling me dumb.

As foreigners (my apologies to you if you are a Thai citizen), I don't think we have any right to criticize. We either accept or get out. We can discuss and comment, that's all.

Oh, I get it now, it's ok to discuss and comment and then say nice things, but if we say bad things, we have to leave the country.

[cardholder]

[quote name='Bkkorupcountry' timestamp='1309022883' post='4513720'

Secondly, if they can afford Euro 10,000, they are obviously educated and intelligent enough to respect the law and understand the rationale behind it.

Thirdly, golfers here on a golfing holiday came here first and foremost to golf and not to drink. Furthermore, if they are golfers and drinkers, then you can be sure that they would have purchased their duty frees at the airport so once again no issue.

You are trying to associate this ban with tourism. Let me "educate" you, as a 20 year travel professional, that such bans, as and when and if enforced, have absolutely no significance whatsoever on tourism to Thailand.

I don't know 1) ANY golfers and ANY tourists who will relate to these comments - I have spent 30 years being both.

You are making yourself look a bit of an arse now.