Phuket Bar Operators Fined For Holiday Trading

[webfact]

Phuket bar operators fined for holiday trading

Phuket Gazette

Several Phuket bar owners on Soi Bangla, Patong, complained that they were unaware of the legal requirement of not selling alcohol on Buddhist holidays. Photo: Gazette file

PATONG: -- Police arrested and fined some 12 bar operators for selling alcohol on the Buddhist holiday, Visakha Bucha Day, on June 4.

Comments from bar owners that no warning was given for bars to close for the holiday fell on deaf ears, although one bar owner pointed out that only months ago a senior police officer in Phuket was reported as saying that closing on religious holidays was a "formal request”, not a legal requirement.

Kathu Deputy Superintendent Lt Col Kittipong Klaikaew refuted this.

“Phuket alcohol retailers must know that selling alcohol beverages on Buddhist public holidays is prohibited,” he said.

He explained that ministerial regulations issued by the Office of the Prime Minister in 2009 specifically prohibited the sale of alcohol on Makha Bucha Day, Visakha Bucha Day, Asarnha Bucha Day and Buddhist Lent holidays.

[Ref: Notification of the Office of the Prime Minister RE: Determination of Days of Prohibition of Alcoholic Beverage Sales (No. 2) B.E. 2552 (A.D. 2009)

As for the lack of notice to publicans, he said, “We no longer conduct public relations campaigns to inform people about these alcohol sales bans because the regulations were introduced years ago. Anyway, many other media [organizations] run campaigns to tell people about the ban.

“Alcohol retailers should know by common sense what to do when people go to temples on religious holidays. You should not just say that you do not know the law,” he added.

However, Lt Col Kittipong confirmed that police will run public awareness campaigns to inform people of alcohol bans on election days.

Lt Col Kittipong did not reveal how much each publican was fined in the latest raids.

The Gazette was informed that the bar managers were taken to Patong Police Station, then released on payment of 5,000-baht surety – which was returned when the person charged presented him or herself to Phuket Provincial Court on June 5.

“The fine was about 1,000 baht,” one bar owner told the Gazette.

“Of course we don’t mind closing. We would just prefer to be informed first. But mostly it was the rough treatment of the bar managers that upset us. There was no need to place them in holding cells while they were waiting to appear in court,” the bar owner said.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ticle16126.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-06-07

[petedk]

Was there an alcohol ban on June 4th?

I was in Pattaya and had no problems whatsoever in finding alcohol. Judging by the number of drunken people around me, neither did they.

Edit: I forgot to mention that the majority of the people drinking were Thais.

Edited June 7, 2012 by petedk

[JohnAllan]

They must be joking. Every man and his dog is all too aware of the onerous - and often ludicrous - Thai laws banning the sale of alcohol on certain days, which certainly include religious holidays.

[Narratio]

Agree with the above. After spending any amount of time here you'd understand the official, if rather unusual, rules on selling alcohol on Buddhist holidays, election days etc.

The real situation, where nobody stops drinking, is beside the point. Most bar owners in Bangkok understand the situation and work around them. The net result is the same of course, but done in a legal manner.

[mikebell]

Was there an alcohol ban on June 4th?

I was in Pattaya and had no problems whatsoever in finding alcohol. Judging by the number of drunken people around me, neither did they.

Edit: I forgot to mention that the majority of the people drinking were Thais.

I was in Pattaya on Monday night & couldn't get a drink other than soft. There were no ladies about except in Massage parlours.

I don't know where you went but I toured Soi 6 and LK Metro with no success.

[rikkie]

i guess it is ok for monk's to buy xxx movie's on that day and i see them drink johny blue label to, and then they come to **** your gf.

But aw we can not do fun stuff on that day, why the do not ban liquor on catholic holiday??? if you have to close your shop on all monk holiday's no wonder they are so much poor people.

I guess i don't mind i always can buy drinks and have the police drink with me when dark, Bangkok.

Police closed down some Gambling joints but aw they forgot one here have 50 + scooters before the door but police don't see.

and sure farang can be Monk to, easy life.

[BigBillsDeli]

Back in the days of living in Virginia and publiclyrit involved in the change in Virginia Law to allow spirits by the drink .Previously until 1970 give or take a year or two , either way , you had to buy a whole bottle of spirits , there was no choice ! Our greatest "common sense" argument , for allowing by the drink establishments to be licensed was when you prevent people from buying a drink at a bar , you force them to go find and buy a bottle , if they want that drink. Which leads many to getting drunker by finishing a whole bottle more often than you might think,therefore accidentally creating many much drunker people commuting around the place.Not that that happens here ? But , studies on human behavior are globally quite , similar , even though cultures may have different reasons for prohibitive behavior!

Stopping people from doing things that are usually normal practice , always creates

one group that resents it , with no disrespect for others who accept it!

But who accused the world of making sense !!!

Did this even make sense to me ?

As a great Band once sang !

Same as it ever was !!!

[willyumiii]

1000 THB fine??? don't need to sell many drinks to recoup 1000 THB! kinda like paying the police 200THB for driving without a licence and getting a free pass to continue driving for the rest of the day......I LOVE THIS COUNTRY!

I was in Khorat for the last election day...it was sad to see all the farangs with drinking problems in a panic trying to find a place that would sell them a beer....should those who can't vote be exempt??