Thai Public Health Ministry To Expand Booze-Free Zones

[webfact]

Ministry to expand booze-free zones

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Public Health Ministry will expand the zones where drinking is banned, including factories, state agencies as well as three-wheeled vehicles.

The ministry's permanent secretary Dr Paijit Warachit, who chaired a meeting with the alcohol-control committee yesterday, said the move was to cut down on deaths from road accidents and criminal activities.

"The Public Health Ministry will propose the regulations to the national alcohol-control policy committee, chaired by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who will consider it on May 16," he said.

He said another regulation that needed looking into was the one prohibiting the distribution and consumption of alcohol in public areas and pavements, though this ban is already covered by the Land Transport and Land Traffic Acts.

Hence, the ministry would have to forbid drinking in these areas, though this could possibly affect people. For instance, if a person drinking inside a pub walked out with his drink to have a cigarette on the pavement, would this be illegal or not?

Authorities need to clarify this part before issuing the regulation and should hold a public hearing on the subject. Also, the legality of small cocktail stalls has not been discussed.

-- The Nation 2012-05-05

[terryp]

Typical just when i've ordered a new 3 wheel drinking vehicle

[Mosha]

Will be banned in factories? The mind boggles at why it's allowed there in the 1st place.

[PoodMaiDai]

Well... so much for drinking in a government office, in a factory, and in my tricycle. Where or where shall I drink now?

At least NOW we understand why the government is so dysfunctional and just about everything made here is total crap.

[MEL1]

They should really make a start at the top: The House of Parliament.

Then a step down: Police stations.

Then, of course, hit 7/11.

-mel.

[DGS1244]

'He said another regulation that needed looking into was the one prohibiting the distribution and consumption of alcohol in public areas and pavements, though this ban is already covered by the Land Transport and Land Traffic Acts.'

Who is kidding who, there are over 33 bars on the pavements of Sukhumvit Road after midnight every night, each paying the BIB 3,000 per night. I guess these all will have more than 3 wheels and be classed 'excempt'.

[1weatherman]

And there goes my drinking whilst doing criminal activities.

[jacko45k]

Someone might walk outside to have a cigarette...... well actually people mostly don't.

[Guderian]

Just when I'd bought the teelac a sahmlor cocktail bar, too!

[Unkomoncents]

Great, that's a start, now we just need a thousand more laws to protect Thailand from Chalerm.

Edited May 5, 2012 by Unkomoncents

[PingManDan]

LOL h_ell I didn't know they even had drink & drug free zones, maybe they ought to make Pattaya a free zone

[geovalin]

Anyway, let's try to drink in a tuk tuk, you'll shirt will be wet fast enough.

[Jim walker]

Possibly the health minister had one to many and things became a little fuzzy while looking at a motor bike and came up with the three-wheeled vehicles

[ratcatcher]

Any mention of expanding the booze-free zone to Parliament.

After all, Thais shouldn't have to see drunken brawls and swaying politicians on their TVs.

They don't call them 'political parties' for nothing do they?

[Morgo]

Am I getting this straight, If I have a puncture, I have to ditch the beer.

[drdoom6996]

Great, that's a start, now we just need a thousand more laws to protect Thailand from Chalerm.

+1

[drdoom6996]

LOL h_ell I didn't know they even had drink & drug free zones, maybe they ought to make Pattaya a free zone

And Phuket

[oldsailor35]

If i modify my new 3 wheel drinking vehicle by taking one wheel off and fitting a skid. Will i be ok ?

[finnomick1]

" Victimisation " I can hear all the tuktuk drivers shout, why target just 3 wheelers ?

[gand]

Motorcycle taxis and auto taxis are still legal then?

[webfact]

Health Ministry to push for wider alcohol ban

BANGKOK, 5 May 2012 (NNT) – The Public Health Ministry is poised to declare more areas that are officially alcohol-free in the near future.

Permanent Secretary for Public Health, Dr. Paijit Warachit said that the 2012 Alcohol Beverage Control Committee meeting, on Friday, resolved to agree with the PM’s Office announcement draft to declare more alcohol-free areas in Thailand.

The Committee’s resolution stated that it concurred with a call to make factories, state enterprise offices and all types of vehicles free from alcoholic beverages.

Under the current law, religious premises, state-run public health offices, state offices, gas stations, public parks and student dormitories are to be alcohol-free.

The Alcohol Beverage Control Committee has decided to expand the alcohol-free policy after it found that road fatalities related to alcohol consumption rose during the country’s long holidays.

It planned to propose the draft announcement to the National Alcohol Beverage Policy Committee for consideration on May 16th, before presenting it to the prime minister for her signature to put it into effect.

-- NNT 2012-05-05

[WhizBang]

Brilliant!

[allan michaud]

LOL h_ell I didn't know they even had drink & drug free zones, maybe they ought to make Pattaya a free zone

How about Thailand becoming a Pattaya Free Zone?

[robertson468]

And who is going to Police these new laws? In seven years in Thailand on the lovely Island of Koh Samui and many, many nights out, I don't recollect seing a Policeman in the main bar areas. Will it also forbid us from sitting on a sun lounger on the beach drinking our cocktail from the little bar, listening to the peaceful lap of the waves and admiring the evening sky? That would be so sad! Me thinks this has not been thought through

[lavender19]

I am just waiting for

BREAKING NEWS

Thailand bans the drinking of alcohol in bars

[jimbeam1]

Health Ministry to push for wider alcohol ban

BANGKOK, 5 May 2012 (NNT) – The Public Health Ministry is poised to declare more areas that are officially alcohol-free in the near future.

Permanent Secretary for Public Health, Dr. Paijit Warachit said that the 2012 Alcohol Beverage Control Committee meeting, on Friday, resolved to agree with the PM’s Office announcement draft to declare more alcohol-free areas in Thailand.

The Committee’s resolution stated that it concurred with a call to make factories, state enterprise offices and all types of vehicles free from alcoholic beverages.

Under the current law, religious premises, state-run public health offices, state offices, gas stations, public parks and student dormitories are to be alcohol-free.

The Alcohol Beverage Control Committee has decided to expand the alcohol-free policy after it found that road fatalities related to alcohol consumption rose during the country’s long holidays.

It planned to propose the draft announcement to the National Alcohol Beverage Policy Committee for consideration on May 16th, before presenting it to the prime minister for her signature to put it into effect.

-- NNT 2012-05-05

WOW free alcohol in all those areas?

jb1

[hellodolly]

They should really make a start at the top: The House of Parliament.

Then a step down: Police stations.

Then, of course, hit 7/11.

-mel.

You were going great guns until you hit 7 11s.

Why them I know they sell it but I cant recollect seeing people drinking in them.

[LTGTR]

Wow,prohibited from drinking at state agencies-what a novel idea!

Once Third World,always...........

[otherstuff1957]

"one prohibiting the distribution and consumption of alcohol in public areas and pavements, though this ban is already covered by the Land Transport and Land Traffic Acts"

So, it's already illegal to drink in these areas but no-one obeys this law and now they are going to pass another law that says the same thing???

[rayw]

Well a good thing if it reduces accidents caused by drink driving but this should be enforced by the traffic police NOT by more silly and ill advised prohibition (never works anyway!) which affects the millions of folk who do not drive or have no intention of driving under the influence, so why punish innocent folk for the crimes of the few?.

If they want to saves lives the police should become more concerned with arresting and prosecuting those that really cause most of the accidents. i.e.vehicles going the WRONG WAY down dual carriageways or on the wrong side of the road, 3 or more passengers on a motorbike, jumping traffic lights and not waiting for the green light before moving forward, going the WRONG WAY around roundabouts, no lights or no rear light at night, cutting across other vehicles from the WRONG LANE at road junctions and many more misdemeanours that we all see every day and we all clearly know about. Yet every day I see the police turn a complete blind eye towards these dangerous offences, totally crazy and stupid IMHO !!!

All these serious road crimes listed above are ALMOST exclusively committed by Thais and rarely falangs (though to be fair falangs are often guilty of drink driving), so the police seem not to bother to take action as just maybe these mainly Thai offenders cannot provide any tea money, just a thought hmmm ??? I do not say that to be in ANY WAY racist, as I am most definitely and always have been anti-racist, but just trying to be factual which we need to be if the Government REALLY want to see the road deaths and injuries reduced significantly. So back to topic, it really is NOT JUST drink driving that causes the problems though of course it is a significant cause and does need policing well. However, IMHO recently introduced breathalyser acceptable legal blood alcohol levels are way too low and should be raised from 50mg/L to 100 mg/L, though in all fairness ANY such level should be a contributory factor in apportioning blame in any road accidents.

I remember back in the 1950's and 1960's in the UK when driving standards were poor as many folks were getting used to motor vehicles for the first time and were not street wise as to driving, mush like here over 50 years on. What the Government then did very sensibly was to take advertising space on TV and newspapers, and road side signs too, that gave much needed driving tips for road safety. A memorable one was Clunk Click Every Trip to promote using seat belts before it became law, and many TV adverts with animated films showing how to properly manoeuvre at a road junction, how to handle roundabouts and to wear something bright at night and to protect your head with a crash helmet, and finally of course Don;t Drink And Drive. These had a major influence on most drivers particularly new drivers trying to become good drivers. I firmly believe that doing so here would maybe make a big difference to hammer home some bloody common sense into the Thai people, and a much more positive step than trying for silly localised prohibition which will do next to nothing to improve road safety IMHO.

Finally I must say I DO NOT approve of crash helmet and seat belt laws making them compulsory. Why do I say this??? Well because although I strongly recommend everyone wearing them it is surely down to each individual as it does not directly affect other road users or cause injury to others. It is all about personal freedom like to take whatever drug you want as it is only your body that is being harmed. One thing though is that free national health service (or here the 30 Baht whatever scheme for Thais) should not apply when injury has been caused directly by NOT wearing a seat belt or crash helmet. Then it would be your choice as to wearing them or not, or as the Thais say "Up to you", but rightly not for others to have to pay for your stupidity by not easily and sensibly protecting yourself. Only exceptions is minors say under 15 must be made to wear seat belts and helmets with their parents/guardians responsible for this. Get rid of this unneeded law and free up more police time to catch the real dangerous culprits like three on a bike, wrong way down roads etc as outlined above and stop worrying about bloody tea money being the primary motive for stopping motorists and riders. Sure with stupidly low levels of police pay I hear, then fairly taken tea money is understandable (and for minor offences then to me preferable than expensively going to court with licence endorsements etc) or else better still is to raise police pay scales here with strict codes of ethics as say in the UK, won't happen though I am sure.