Crackdown On Happy -- Only Unhappy Hours From Now On

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Not sure if everyone is familiar with the CM governor's latest bright idea: happy hours are actually outlawed currenlty.

This is of course hard to police, and I also wonder if there aren't very easy ways to get around it.

I chatted about this with a Thai bar owner last Sunday afternoon, over a jubilantly priced 40 baht SSC, and made some suggestions. Clearly the ban means that you shouldn't write "HAPPY HOUR" on a sign or blackboard somewhere. However you can likely send the same message with some creativity, especially to an English speaking target audience.

So you could either use different verbiage ("Cheerful Time 4pm-9pm", "Enjoy Hours 4pm-9pm") or just any text followed by a indication of the time period, and I'd personally understand right away what that would mean. Especially when also combined with specific drinks, if the happy hour applies to specific drinks only (Chang/Leo beers are common for example, or 'all beers', or 'Local Whisky' and so on.

So you'd write: "Early Bird - Get the Worm: All Beers & Local Spirits"

I'd say that's clear enough.

EDIT: Note that I'm not bothering even to address the utter lunacy of trying to baby-sit adult foreign tourists; there's no sane goal or reason, so best to focus on working the system.

And by the way, when will we finally see the back side of this governor, appointed by the previous government?? Seems quite urgent for this dude to get moved on to some-place-other-than-Chiang Mai.

Edited July 24, 2012 by WinnieTheKhwai

[insertmembernamehere]

I think law enforcement, whatever else you think about them, can read a sign as pedestrian as your camouflaged happy hour ideas.

[Rama]

Happy hour has been outlawed in many parts of the US for decades now.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I think law enforcement, whatever else you think about them, can read a sign as pedestrian as your camouflaged happy hour ideas.

Maybe they can, maybe it makes it easier to look the other way, like they are apparently willing to do for many other things.

Remember, these are people who are looking the other way when there are 16 year old girls working in bars, as indicated on ID cards they are required to carry. With that in mind, they can probably manage to let a business conduct its pricing the way they see fit.

Edited July 24, 2012 by WinnieTheKhwai

[iainiain101]

Does it inclube the 'buy 3 beers' for a discount deals at Thai restaurants?

[uptheos]

Happy hour has been outlawed in many parts of the US for decades now.

Makes sense, who has the right to be happy in the US?

[khwaibah]

http://www.tabc.state.tx.us/education/pdfs/Happy-Hour-Laws.pdf

[eyecatcher]

The phrase happy hour did originate from sales of alcohol during that witching hour of late afternnoon/early evening;when it is usually quiet; but it is now used extensively in other businesses for the same reason.

spas/massage have happy hours which are usually 3hrs long

hotels can have similar offering buy 1 night get one night free over a weekend

spectacle shops again buy 1 get 1

cosmetic shops "happy days" first monday each month everything half price.

botox buy 5 needles get 10 for your mother.

the words happy hour is now dressed up in several forms all designed to increase sales in the quiet times.

[Mestizo]

Does it inclube the 'buy 3 beers' for a discount deals at Thai restaurants?

According to this post, yes:

-Mestizo

[hellodolly]

The phrase happy hour did originate from sales of alcohol during that witching hour of late afternnoon/early evening;when it is usually quiet; but it is now used extensively in other businesses for the same reason.

spas/massage have happy hours which are usually 3hrs long

hotels can have similar offering buy 1 night get one night free over a weekend

spectacle shops again buy 1 get 1

cosmetic shops "happy days" first monday each month everything half price.

botox buy 5 needles get 10 for your mother.

the words happy hour is now dressed up in several forms all designed to increase sales in the quiet times.

Yesit would be nice if they were specific on what they mean. I know that the river market had a happy hour but it also included sushi. Is the law to include happy hour on food also?

Not being a drinking man if I had walked into a bar and ordered a Pepsi Max during the happy hour would it have been the same reduced price. Or as I did many times back in Canada I would order a lemon lime was that included in the law. Or when I go into a restaurant that has bottom less drinks such as Sizzler are they included?

Can just see that now uniformed police in Sizzler making sure you pay a separate charge on each glass of pop.

[MrRed]

BOGOF HOUR is much better anyway and also goes with the normal unhappy service one gets in these bars anyway!

Alternatively go with unhappy hour that should keep everybody unhappy for a an hour

[rotary]

Happy hour has been outlawed in many parts of the US for decades now.

I bet thats right, and a good reason not to live there also. Not so much the happy hour ban, its the micro management of the citizens personal life's in general as nanny states practice.

Edited July 24, 2012 by rotary

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I prefer Happy Endings myself.

Thank heavens those are still legal.

[rotary]

Happy hour has been outlawed in many parts of the US for decades now.

Makes sense, who has the right to be happy in the US?

Ha ha Truer words were never typed! LOL

[stevehaigh]

why not just crack down on happy and be done with it

[how241]

Happy hour has been outlawed in many parts of the US for decades now.

Makes sense, who has the right to be happy in the US?

ha ha ha

[Lifer]

What comes after crackdowns? More HUBS!

[pattayadingo]

No Happy Hour?

LOS ...... Lack of Smiles

[Aardvark]

Thailand will lose it's support base very quickly with type of Law. Neibouring Countries are already out performing Thailand with the Welcome Mat ...

[Beetlejuice]

So you heard this from a man in a bar?

[Trentham]

("Cheerful Time 4pm-9pm", "Enjoy Hours 4pm-9pm") They could call it "Gay Time" lol

[toenail]

The government (such as in Europe and in North America) should focus more on encouraging people not to drive after drinking - having a designated driver. This campaign (along with stiff penalities, and lost of driving rights) has worked in the USA. But trying to get the police in LOS to enforce anything is a challenge (with bribes), so I guess it is easier to punish everyone with NO happy hours.

[howzat]

If bar owners reduced the prices generally they wouldn't need a happy hour and the bar would have plenty of customers all the time not just at happy hours. Increased turnover increased profits based on volume.

[Endorphin]

Happy hour has been outlawed in many parts of the US for decades now.

It is a totalitarian, third-world country.

[techboy]

Happy hour has been outlawed in many parts of the US for decades now.

Makes sense, who has the right to be happy in the US?

Heyyy!!!!! Ah-Fungoooool!!!!!

[yummypizza]

Lucky i left Happy and became Yummy....

[CrazyKid]

Happy hour has been outlawed in many parts of the US for decades now.

That is news to me. Please provide a source for that. I am still in US and have never seen a city that has made happy hour laws but there are a few, very few, with no drinking on Sundays.

[KarstenBoAndersen]

Thai police can not read !

It took them 15-20 years to find out that "fuc_k You Bar" etc, was bad language, there was quite some more bars in Pattya that had to change name i remember !!

But you can get around with everything, as Jhonny Walker do with all their "Red & Black" signs !

[WinnieTheKhwai]

So you heard this from a man in a bar?

Are you asking Aardvark in response to his post, or me in response to the OP? The Crackdown on Happiness was mention in Chiang Mai Citylife and was also mentioned by someone at Olde Bell who attended the meeting.

[HarrySeaman]

Happy hour has been outlawed in many parts of the US for decades now.

Yep, had that in Florida.

They just gave you a shot with your first drink. Buy a rum and coke, get a free shot of rum to go with it. They also gave you a free fefile on coke but couldn't mix the shot into the coke for you. They were operating within the letter of the law since they weren't selling you a discounted drink, just giving you a free one.

Made perfect sense to me.