Most People Support Ban On Alcohol Sales During Songkran: NIDA Poll

[webfact]

NIDA Poll: Most people support ban on alcohol sales during Songkran

BANGKOK, 12 April 2012 (NNT) – Most people agree with the idea of banning alcohol sales during the Songkran holiday according to a recent opinion survey by National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA)

The poll which covers 1,200 people throughout the country has found that 86 percent of the respondents view a ban on liquor sales as a way of reducing road accidents and brawls during the Songkran festival. The remaining 14 percent who disagree are of the opinion that Songkran is the time for family reunion and alcoholic drink should part of the celebration.

Despite the majority showing support for the ban, as much as 72 percent of the respondents believe that restaurants and shops will be a little cooperative with the Public Health Ministry in the prohibition of liquor sales during certain periods.

As much as 68 percent of the respondents intend to refrain from liquor during the Songkran festival while 19 percent say they will definitely drink. The remaining 13 percent are still uncertain.

-- NNT 2012-04-12

[sparebox2]

great. Let's shut all the bars as well, so bargirl can dance on the street pick-ups.

[Pond Life]

Banning Songkran would be more effective.

[chrisinth]

Do people honestly think that all alcohol will be purchased on the day of consumption? What is to stop people taking the drink with them? That is what I would do anyway.

To me, the problem has nothing to do with the selling of alcohol, but the people that are drinking it, ie. the drivers. This is the area they should be concentrating on and not destroying the party atmosphere that Songkran has now developed into.

Would love to know where they found the 1,200 people for the poll and what choices they were given. I notice also that "72 percent of the respondents believe that restaurants and shops will be a little cooperative with the Public Health Ministry in the prohibition of liquor sales during certain periods"

If the restaurant has a valid licence and are allowed to be open, then they can sell to customers? The ban/time restriction on the sale of alcohol was for retail outlets and not licenced premises.

[Greer]

What it fails to provide is the percentage of respondents who dont drink alcohol in any case... that 68% who will refrain from alcohol during Songkran is probably a fair indicator that many of the people in the poll are non-drinkers, so it seems that the results may be a little skewed shall we say?

Reducing road deaths is definitely a good target to aim for, so I am OK with the idea of greater enforcement of drink driving regulations - but it needs to be hand in hand with greater safety violation enforcement as well... speedlimits, and passenger safety regulations. Pickup trucks must not be allowed to routinely transport passengers in the back. Even a minor collision under such circumstances can cause injury or the death of passengers.

[RegularReader]

Just a headline looking fora story.

1,200 people in a population of more than 65 million could hardly be representative of the Thai population.

The problem with this sort of story is that they just perpetuate alcohol = bad myths, but do absolutely nothing to address what is a very serious matter.

[Greer]

If the restaurant has a valid licence and are allowed to be open, then they can sell to customers? The ban/time restriction on the sale of alcohol was for retail outlets and not licenced premises.

I agree completely with your comment, but I wonder about the ban...many pubs in Bangkok dont seem to worry about the 2pm to 5pm ban, nor the midnight to 11am ban, but restaurants that are (presumably) licensed, all seem to stop selling alcohol in concert with these bans...so I wonder whats going on there...

[RichardSlack]

Bleh! Booze didn't stop for the funeral, I doubt it will stop for Songkran. Also, as RegularReader said, a 1200 people poll don't mean <deleted>.

[sjjmmi]

If the restaurant has a valid licence and are allowed to be open, then they can sell to customers? The ban/time restriction on the sale of alcohol was for retail outlets and not licenced premises.

I agree completely with your comment, but I wonder about the ban...many pubs in Bangkok dont seem to worry about the 2pm to 5pm ban, nor the midnight to 11am ban, but restaurants that are (presumably) licensed, all seem to stop selling alcohol in concert with these bans...so I wonder whats going on there...

BIB

[DiamondKing]

1200 people complete waste of a post and means absolutely nothing

Sheesh

DK

[alant]

the other 10 million didn't understand the question :-)

[drdoom6996]

Banning Songkran would be more effective.

I like the not drinking part. Too many cars and crazy people. But Banning Sonkran is the best idea I have heard of since I heard of Sonkran.

[h90]

Just a headline looking fora story.

1,200 people in a population of more than 65 million could hardly be representative of the Thai population.

The problem with this sort of story is that they just perpetuate alcohol = bad myths, but do absolutely nothing to address what is a very serious matter.

never heard from statistics? 1200 is a very large sample if the people are selected carefully.

polls for elections have often a sample of 400 in Europe and it is enough.

[RichardSlack]

Just a headline looking fora story.

1,200 people in a population of more than 65 million could hardly be representative of the Thai population.

The problem with this sort of story is that they just perpetuate alcohol = bad myths, but do absolutely nothing to address what is a very serious matter.

never heard from statistics? 1200 is a very large sample if the people are selected carefully.

polls for elections have often a sample of 400 in Europe and it is enough.

Talking of statistics....apparently only 1 in 7 dwarves are happy.

[CHANGOVER]

Statistically speaking 80% of statistics are wrong.

[RubbaJohnny]

In stats Mean distribution and margin of error are the key ,who chooses the samples.

We all know most poll shere at all levels are skewed ,meaningless self serving or outright propaganda unexamined by impartial advertising standards ,ethics,

How else could the skin lightening ,sugary slimming drinks etc survive.

The key will be restraint (where enforcement depends on size of car staus wallet etc) ad self restrant.

I to think whole water blessing religeous significance has got too moist

Edited April 12, 2012 by RubbaJohnny

[sprq]

Right, let's get this straight. Because lots of people drive drunk and get into fights, there should be no drinking during Thailand's biggest annual festivity and family reunion.

I have got that straight, haven't I? There's no failure of logic, is there?

[chrisinth]

If the restaurant has a valid licence and are allowed to be open, then they can sell to customers? The ban/time restriction on the sale of alcohol was for retail outlets and not licenced premises.

I agree completely with your comment, but I wonder about the ban...many pubs in Bangkok dont seem to worry about the 2pm to 5pm ban, nor the midnight to 11am ban, but restaurants that are (presumably) licensed, all seem to stop selling alcohol in concert with these bans...so I wonder whats going on there...

I have always been baffled by it ever since they introduced it. Up here, every hotel (and there are a lot of hotels in Phitsanulok!) and a lot of the restaurants close for these times. Whether the hotels are saving on wages, or it is a complete misunderstanding, who knows. Again, perhaps someone thought up a seperate set of rules for hotels..........

[cgphuket]

Most people here would rather give up their children than give up alcohol, even for one day. Nice idea, but will never happen... Kind of liking hoping barstool warriors stop trying to give unsolicited advice.

[TAWP]

I support a ban of selling alcohol for all that don't want to buy it...

Anything else is typical social-fascism.

[Gers1873]

Why not ban motorcycles during Songkran that would reduce the accident rate.........

[kawaiimomo]

The problem is not selling or drinking alcohol but driving drunk and fightInc. Of course, if the start stopping drivers for alcohol test the traffic would be even worst.

[wzupdoc]

Well, having worked for a large market research firm as a quantitative researcher, a sample of 1200, if truly randomly chosen and then properly weighted to represent the population of Thailand (ie approximately 60m people) should be pretty accurate to a known degree of confidence (ie 95%). It is all about having a good sampling methodology. Obviously, we don't know how this survey was sampled. This is the problem with surveys being used to create headlines. The readers don't know anything about the underlying data. Best taken with a bucket-load of salt!!

[WhizBang]

I agree completely with your comment, but I wonder about the ban...many pubs in Bangkok dont seem to worry about the 2pm to 5pm ban, nor the midnight to 11am ban, but restaurants that are (presumably) licensed, all seem to stop selling alcohol in concert with these bans...so I wonder whats going on there...

No restaurant that I have been in has ever refused to serve me a beer during the ban hours (2-5pm). Except, of course, on the National 'no alcohol' days.

The 2-5pm and midnight to 11am ban is on the retail sale of alcohol (as in bottles to take home). It does not, as far as I know, apply to pubs, bars or eateries who sell alcohol for consumption on the premises. Or have I missed something?

[chrisinth]

Well, having worked for a large market research firm as a quantitative researcher, a sample of 1200, if truly randomly chosen and then properly weighted to represent the population of Thailand (ie approximately 60m people) should be pretty accurate to a known degree of confidence (ie 95%). It is all about having a good sampling methodology. Obviously, we don't know how this survey was sampled. This is the problem with surveys being used to create headlines. The readers don't know anything about the underlying data. Best taken with a bucket-load of salt!!

I think lines like this would make you wonder who was used for the poll:

"As much as 68 percent of the respondents intend to refrain from liquor during the Songkran festival while 19 percent say they will definitely drink. The remaining 13 percent are still uncertain."

For a country that is typically low percentage rich, high percentage poor, the above figures don't equate to me the drinking trends of working/middle class v upper class.

The 13 percent are the closet alcoholics

[belg]

if the polll has no option to state that you NEVER DRINK alcohol, because you are not one of those crazed alcoholics that need their quantity of drinks every day, the poll is pretty useless

or as general population ? babies, kids, elderly counted in the polls ?

the statistician drowned in a lake that was averagly only 60 cm deep

[JohnAllan]

Thai logic, as always: alcohol sales does not equate to alcohol consumption. Clamping down HARD on drinking and driving, for example, and even harder on drink-drivers involved in accidents resulting in death and/or injury, is the only way of getting even close to achieving a reduction in Songkran drink incidents.

[Thai at Heart]

Good luck......

[h90]

Statistically speaking 80% of statistics are wrong.

I made a statistic course at university and the teacher made a lot surveys for government. He told us there are always 2 results. The real one for the government and the fake one for public.

He was soon to retire and showed us the old statistics (forecasts) he made decades before and the results, the official results and what happened really.

The real things was always very close +/- 1 %. Just something complete different was published...

[enricobkk]

Do people honestly think that all alcohol will be purchased on the day of consumption? What is to stop people taking the drink with them? That is what I would do anyway.

To me, the problem has nothing to do with the selling of alcohol, but the people that are drinking it, ie. the drivers. This is the area they should be concentrating on and not destroying the party atmosphere that Songkran has now developed into.

Would love to know where they found the 1,200 people for the poll and what choices they were given. I notice also that "72 percent of the respondents believe that restaurants and shops will be a little cooperative with the Public Health Ministry in the prohibition of liquor sales during certain periods"

If the restaurant has a valid licence and are allowed to be open, then they can sell to customers? The ban/time restriction on the sale of alcohol was for retail outlets and not licenced premises.

they probably found them on the way to Laos to visit Thaksin...555