Bangkok To Have Alcohol Free Zones

[lapster]

Gutted, i was planning an all day drinking session down Immigration today. lol

[robert00]

So let me get this straight. We are not allowed to drink in police stations any more? They really are taking away the fun. At least we can still empty our suitcases on the floor of the police department and storm out.

I think this is a bloody good idea, I hope they get read of all the street stalls that sell alcohol, better sooner than later.

Edited September 1, 2011 by metisdead
Please do not post in all capital letters, bold, unusual fonts, sizes or colors. It can be difficult to read.

[lapster]

Gutted, I was planning an all-dayer at Immigration today.

[kraplung]

Forget the Miracle Thailand slogan and change it to Fun Thailand. You don't need to make fun of this goverment because they do it so much better themselves!

[rayw]

The parks and police stations and official public buildings (like courts and immigration offices) is perfectly reasonable to me. What I do find bloody crazy its this stupid prohibition of buying alcohol form shops and supermarkets only between 1100 and 1400 and between 17:00 and 24:00 each day. This is a really totally stupid rule that just causes mass inconvenience to ordinary folk who like to shop early mornings or afternoons. Totally pointless law as it honestly achieves absolutely nothing other than cause mass inconvenience. As it is it means I have to do my Tesco grocery shopping in the afternoon (for which I use my UK credit card as the cheapest way to spend Thai Baht form UK income) and then have to inconveniently go to a small corner shop to buy my week's beer for which I have to use cash which costs me 150 Baht ATM fee plus Cash Withdrawal charges in the UK (with all charges it just about comes to a minimum of 500 Baht to draw any cash out here). So not only inconvenient but more expensive too

We supposed to live in a democracy but if you asked everybody here (sure only Thais as it is their country) then from my little poll of Thai folk I know it would be massively rejected as an unwanted restriction. If it actually achieved something useful then fine but it really doesn't and don;t give me the school children crap as there is already a sensible law in place restricting the sale of alcohol to I thought those under 18 ( 20?? is this a change too, so you can fight for your country at 18 but not drink alcohol !!!!!!!!!!)

When are the Thai Government going to learn that adult prohibition NEVER works, history has shown this time and time again, will they never learn? Listen to what teh ordinary people want too as it is supposed to be a democracy.

[Deez]

If they think this will stop/slow drinking they are in a "brain free" zone

[flyfrog]

The SMS I got from Thai Visa read "Bangkok Administration plans to turn capital into an alcohol free zone".

An honest mistake, or a ploy to get like a gazillion panicking people to log onto the website?

Yes... I panicked (lol)

But I expect it will be business as usual inside bars and gogo's

Don't forget the schools, sidewalks, streets and vehicles!

Bangkok alkohohol free is like Pattaya bar girls free, KEEP DREAMING!!

[moe666]

Just more laws to be broken it is Thailand you know.

[Wavefloater]

Just more laws to be broken it is Thailand you know.

Ya, basically,

I think it's just another (of the many) cases where somebody in political office in Thailand felt they'd been sitting of their tongue too long, and although they really had nothing of value to offer felt they had to do or say something. Do these people never start their brains before putting there mouth in gear?

Edited September 1, 2011 by Wavefloater

[Jimjim]

No more beers while I wait in line at immigration. dam_n.

[animatic]

You can't even buy a beer in a police station if this new law comes it? <deleted>?

Another nail in the coffin of Thai tourism!

[luanghans]

Laws are already in place to forbid alcohol in public places (parks, office buildings, temples, etc). There's absolutely nothing new here.

Enforcement is a different story.

Thailand, the hub of April fools

[diehard60]

To all drunks out there I think this is a good start. Now all they have to do is enforce it. The first posts I read here were all about at the police stations. I think you all should open your eyes and learn how to read before you start making any stupid comments. This is a good start. I hope they keep going. And remember there is more to do then just get drunk here in Thailand. But then you drunks oh well I will try to be nice and say "GO TO PATAYA OR PHUKET."

[Beetlejuice]

So it`s a clamp down on drinking, a clamp down on beerbars and a clamp down on smoking and strictly no gambling permitted.

Next it will be compulsory to have to attend church every Sunday.

[jalansanitwong]

Are the police going to have crackdowns on police stations selling alcohol ? <deleted> ??????????????

[techboy]

Well if they are going to have 'alcohol free' zones its only fair that they should have 'free alcohol' zones too.

[sawadeeken]

I'd guess that drunk driving arrests will be down, along with the population, in those areas............

[dayverne]

Good Grief!

I heard the news just as I was going to the cop shop for a free binge. Maybe I'll turn to drugs, murder, massage and GAMBLING as it seems these are the only acceptable activities in BKK.... Paedophiles are now a little young for me and I can't be arsed about sodomy.

Seriously, as has been discovered in all democracies since Cromwell, having fewer crimes on the statute book increases the chance that the law will be observed. Otherwise, the law itself becomes a joke and even serious crimes unpenalised. Meanwhile, the "WATCH" increases its already infinite portfolio for graft.

Corruption remains the most common and pernicious crime in Thailand --- Do something about that if you want to sell "MIRACLE" Thailand and, incidentally, improve the rotten English skills of your ministries!!!!

Edited September 1, 2011 by metisdead
Font.

[Fishface]

"Bangkok will have alcohol free zones across the city with the move determined to curb violence that often stems from binge drinking....

...to enforce an alcohol free zone on every public park, government building and police station."

Does that mean there is binge drinking going on in government buildings and police stations???

Going on some of the recent economic policies I'd say yes.

If you have a non immigrant visa then its still OK but you can only drink for 15 days now if your not having a hair cut and you move your brothers clothes onto the lower peg before dinner after you write home providing you have reported your last 90 days in the same place as the last with copies 0f all visas complete with bus tickets.

Oh and dont forget to keep those little elastic bands from the noodle bag I ve been told they will be asking for those on next years immigrant visas.

[tombkk]

What next ??? Soon they will want to ban prostitution and gambling also !

yea seems like the new government is on a mission to clean up Thailands reputation by promoting it to be a place to take families on holiday. Changing the image of the country as far as tourism is a step in the right direction. I believe their ultimate goal is to say "Hey theres a new kid in town! Families , and people with family values are welcome!!!.

Define "family". In Germany, a family usually includes a father. Hence "family restaurants", such as McD and the like, will serve beer. Otherwise, no family would go there.

[tombkk]

Mmhh. The alcohol ban has been in place in 7-11 and shopping malls for a long time, however if you bought a full pack of 12 bears, as you wear purchasing for a shop, all legal. other hours. Besides that there's always a place to buy!

Thanks for the info. I have never bought 12 bears, let alone one. Is that legal? And 7-eleven sells them at which branch?

I also don't know the current rules what I should wear when I purchase a shop, can you enlighten me? What are the current rules?

I am sure that there is always a place to buy, but in Thailand we are not allowed to own land. But then, maybe Manhattan Bridge is for sale.

Thank you for your very useful contribution!

[tombkk]

Anyway that's the final straw, I'm off to Cambodia. They let you get rat arsed in government buildings there.

Good bye then. Please don't forget to send a postcard.

[tombkk]

You can still buy alcohol as long as its atleast 10 items at your friendly neighborhood Foodland during the no sell periods.

This law has been in effect for many years already, i dont think ive ever been in a restaurant that wouldn't sell me a beer during those times. But 7-11 won't, mom and pop shops dont give a rip about the law.

Not 10 items, but 10 liters of alcoholic beverages. The law accommodates the serious alcoholics only. Or, those people who can plan more than a couple of hours ahead, which the government does not think includes the average citizen over 20 who buys at a store in Bangkok which is a franchise of a multinational company.

This law (check on Google who introduced it...) never made any sense.

[tombkk]

"Bangkok will have alcohol free zones across the city with the move determined to curb violence that often stems from binge drinking....

...to enforce an alcohol free zone on every public park, government building and police station."

Does that mean there is binge drinking going on in government buildings and police stations???

Going on some of the recent economic policies I'd say yes.

If you have a non immigrant visa then its still OK but you can only drink for 15 days now if your not having a hair cut and you move your brothers clothes onto the lower peg before dinner after you write home providing you have reported your last 90 days in the same place as the last with copies 0f all visas complete with bus tickets.

Oh and dont forget to keep those little elastic bands from the noodle bag I ve been told they will be asking for those on next years immigrant visas.

:cheesy:

[BigRick]

Ahh the joys and advantages of not being a drinker I think this is a very good start they should start clamping down on public drunkenness while they are at it. Everyone gets upset but in most of our home countries have open container laws as well as public intoxication laws. There seems to be a good % of alcohol related problems in Thailand. The number of times I have seen belligerent farangs completely smashed wandering around being trouble makers is not a rare occurrence. I have known people who are such alkis they buy a beer at 7-11 so they can drink on the street waiting for a cab. These same idiots offer the driver a beer and wonder why me be a non drinker gets upset.

[AngelofDeath]

Wow, look at the number of alcoholics on the board. "Oh my God, this is the death of tourism for Thailand." "what a dumb move." Recently, Thailand has this project that they called "Miracle Thailand". It would be a miracle if those alcoholics can lay off their drinks and stay sober fo a week. Life in Thailand is not about "getting drunk". A crippled health is the death of your stay in Thailand.

Edited September 2, 2011 by AngelofDeath

[metro33777]

April fools, right??

What if since advertising alcohol in these places is illegal, you pick up a magazine in the Police station and open it and WOW there is an ad for alcohol. VIOLATION, right? WHo get's in trouble? The cops or you for looking at the ad?

Just saying.

[tombkk]

Ahh the joys and advantages of not being a drinker I think this is a very good start they should start clamping down on public drunkenness while they are at it. Everyone gets upset but in most of our home countries have open container laws as well as public intoxication laws. There seems to be a good % of alcohol related problems in Thailand. The number of times I have seen belligerent farangs completely smashed wandering around being trouble makers is not a rare occurrence. I have known people who are such alkis they buy a beer at 7-11 so they can drink on the street waiting for a cab. These same idiots offer the driver a beer and wonder why me be a non drinker gets upset.

You are not a drinker? Then you are the second person I meet who does not drink. The first one only ate fruits. That's right, he ate fruits and never let anything else down his throat. He said that fruit has enough water as needed by the human body. He did look a bit skinny though. What do you ingest instead of fluids?

I don't know what you mean about container laws. Containers are inspected on behalf of the shipping lines, and they come in 20' and 40' sizes. Containers don't drink, they are made from steel.

There seems to be a good percentage of trouble related to alcohol everywhere in the world, that is true. The alternative is prohibition, which the US tried, and the trial utterly failed. What does that tell us? That the world is ruled by alcoholics? - No, it tells us that the majority of the population feels that they have a right to be intoxicated. And that a lot of trouble is caused by people who are not intoxicated.

Actually, the right of intoxication is manifested by law in many European countries. But of course, that does not give the users a right to smash around.

There are some people who don't know when to stop, and yes, I include foreigners in Thailand. There are some people who cannot behave as they should, true. This says nothing about the majority of people, who like a beer or two, a glass of wine or two, in the evening and are fully-functioning members of society.

[InseeDaeng]

Another meaningless decision