Two Alcohol Free Days

[richardjm65]

What an interesting couple of days. I've heard that (bar-wise) Pattaya, Phuket, CM, and Bangkok have been pretty much closed down. However, up here in the boonies, we were able to sit at tables out there on the main road, in front of God and everyone, outside a Chinese owned grocery store, and have our usual libations during the last two days. Thai driven cars, pick-ups and motor cycles arrived in a constant stream, to buy cases and trays of beer, bottles of spirits and lao khao. However, any place that had any sort of foreign involvement was issued with a written warning against alcohol sales, with the threat of dire penalties if the ruling was not obeyed. How curious! So most establishments with foreign connections closed for Friday and Saturday.

As in previous years, it appeared that the ruling was not applied to locally owned Thai businesses, but only to those operated or owned by foreigners. Perhaps this is all to do with showing the foreigners (quite rightly in my opinion), how pious and law-abiding the authorities really are.

Personally, I could not give a dam_n about alcohol bans - good planning allows me to lay in an adequate supply of whatever I want to drink at home during such "crackdowns". I learned that many years ago. What I do not, quite understand is why visiting tourists and expat residents should be targeted for alcohol bans when, (in the majority), they are neither Thai nor Buddhist, whilst up country, things for the locals continue as usual. This is not quite a gripe - more an attempt to understand yet another of the anomalies of this country. What do you guys think?

[PattayaParent]

Always the same.

When there's a crackdown on in Pattaya all the Farang places have to obey the early cloing time to the dot, but the local Thai places are still jumping.

[Tonto21]

I take it you lived here for a while now OP, I know, I live in the sticks and if I want a bottle of SangSom, anytime I just go to my local shop, (not after 7pm…..As all the locals are in bed) This whole alcohol ban thing is typical Thai politics,looks great from a satellite, but at ground level, it only seems to hit the very people that should be exempt from this rule…….Farang can't vote……We can't affect the result…..But we are the easy target to enforce this law.

I remember a few years ago, a new law passed banning water pistols, for Song gran, what a friging joke. I spent some time in the forces, and giving an order is a bitlike enforcing a law, (in my opinion) it your unable, can't or just don't want to enforce it…………………….keep your mouth shut, better to be thought a fool, than open your mouth and remove all doubt …………………….Amazing Thailand, I think that's why I'm still here it never fails…..

Edited July 16, 2011 by Tonto21

[PattayaParent]

How was I affected?

I went to a bar and got drunk, which I most probably wouldn't have done had there not been a ban 'cos I'd have been able to buy a couple of cans from 7-11.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I went out for a nice dinner. The restaurant can't sell wine, but customers could bring their own. Easy solution.

[rodentwarrior]

I went to Bohol, a beautiful island in the Philippines, where they think alcohol bans are the work of the Devil.

I am still in Bohol.

I agree.

Edited July 17, 2011 by rodentwarrior

[Thaddeus]

It's a bit odd Rich.

Yoon was closed for two days but Pim & Hary were open on both, to the best of my knowledge neither had received any official instruction to close. Sat outside Pim's on the first night, a police pick-up came up the road and I thought 'Ok, here we go' but he just tooted his horn, smiled and waved to us then went on his merry way.

Just when I think I've got a handle on this place, I get a <deleted> moment.

[Darrel]

I went to Bohol, a beautiful island in the Philippines, where they think alcohol bans are the work of the Devil.

In the good old days when Marcos was in charge, they used to have alcohol bans on election days in the RP also. The ban was not applicable to farangs, only to Pinoys.

Seems unlikely that they would have changed this under the self-serving religious maniacs enlightened beautiful people who have run the country since he was deposed.

[Darrel]

I drink one beer per day and always have two in the fridge. So I didnt even notice the ban, apart from the peace and quiet emanating from the closed bars.