Restricted Hours For Liquor Sale

[theslime]

<p>

If your drinking before 5 mabye you need to wonder about your life.

I always have one before 11,and wonder how you could go out till late and then miss the Sun Rise,feeling great and looking for my 9am Long Neck.

[SeaVisionBurma]

I have yet to see a Villa or a Foodland which does not adhere to the same 11.00-14.00 & 17.00-24.00 restrictions.

You've made that up.

I'm sorry SVB, but I don't think he has.

I was in Foodland on Sukhumvit 16 a couple of weeks ago buying something for dinner, I had a bottle of wine in the basket and looked at my watch, saw it was after 14.00 and went to put it back, I was told that I could buy it as it wasn't really an issue, so I did.

I cannot speak for Villa but I was near a Wine Connection recently, it was open so I popped my head and asked if I could buy of wine, I was told that I could. I did ask the lass about the rule and she said it didn't really apply to "farangs", so again I purchased a couple of bottles.

I don't suppose these instances are company policy, especially the remark about the "farangs", but it does indicate to me that the rules are not consistently applied.

Fair enough Mr TheOldGit - have never had that experience.

The post caught my eye as I went to the checkout in a Foodland (Ramkhamhaeng) the other day around 4:45pm, and I was made to wait until 5:00pm before I was allowed to purchase my bottle of wine.

I pleaded with the staff to try again a couple of minutes before 5 - but was told I had to wait.

This has happened in similar situations at several stores (both Foodland and Villa outlets) where I have been stopped from purchasing alcohol outside the gazetted times.

A blanket statement saying you can buy booze all day from any Foodland or Villa supermarkets is not correct. There may be exceptions, but from my experience at least it is certainly not the norm..

The Foodland downstairs at Thonglor 8 actually closes off their alcohol section outside the allowed hours with ropes/bollards....

As other posters have alluded to - its best to know the times, and work around it - rather than assuming booze will be available at other times. Saves a trip to the shops.....

SVB

[theoldgit]

A blanket statement saying you can buy booze all day from any Foodland or Villa supermarkets is not correct. There may be exceptions, but from my experience at least it is certainly not the norm..

I agree, that's why I added "but it does indicate to me that the rules are not consistently applied".

For the avoidance of doubt, I don't go from shop to shop testing their interpretation of the law, I do try and buy my drink during the permitted period.

[poanoi]

This is a non-issue.

mom&pop shop/resturant will sell you any time

[theoldgit]

This is a non-issue.

mom&pop shop/resturant will sell you any time

Indeed, and it's a point that's been made many times already on this thread.

But, with respect, I don't think anybody thinks it is an issue, as I have said before the OP just asked the reasoning behind this law.

[SeaVisionBurma]

The OP got me interested as to the reasons behind the law - I certainly couldn't remember why, and then I realized I couldn't remember how long it had been since the laws were brought in.

They have been in place a long time - I found this link to the last time the sale times were changed - and that was 7 years ago already:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/51068-new-alcohol-sales-laws/

All I remember is the fuss it caused at the time - but with a bit of effort and planning, it need never be a drama...

[lujanit]

Villa markets and foodland serve booze all day, it's NOT a law and nobody has ever been prosecuted for selling 'out of hours' it is an utter nonsense and has no effect as there is always somewhere selling

Ridiculous post.

I have yet to see a Villa or a Foodland which does not adhere to the same 11.00-14.00 & 17.00-24.00 restrictions.

You've made that up.

Utter rubbish. Our local Villa will sell any type of booze any time they are open. I mostly shop afternoons and the only time I have not been able to buy wine is on a Buddha Day and that is fine by me, mai pen rai. A little respect for Buddha is not a bad thing.

[McMagus]

Villa markets and foodland serve booze all day, it's NOT a law and nobody has ever been prosecuted for selling 'out of hours' it is an utter nonsense and has no effect as there is always somewhere selling

Ridiculous post.

I have yet to see a Villa or a Foodland which does not adhere to the same 11.00-14.00 & 17.00-24.00 restrictions.

You've made that up.

Not so not so... I have a Villa close by (name withheld to protect the guilty).. and I ask .. dai mai ??? and the answer has always been .. no problemo ... or the Thai equivalent thereof. And of course the massive brains here are already asking the question ... 'Then why bitch on about 7/11?' .... Obviously because of the absolute stupidity of this law / rule ... I enjoy time after time after time being refused so I can further confirm the stupidity of it all ... see ...makes perfect sense.

[wayned]

Aren't he laws similar to the old laws in the UK. I had an office near Heathrow and spent about 1 month a year there. If I remember right, the pubs would open at 1100 close at 1400, pen again at 1700 and close at midnight. I think that the UK changed them and after they did Thailand adopted them.

[HeavyDrinker]

I believe the official reasoning behind the 2 pm to 5 pm rule was to prevent Students and Schoolkids from being able to buy booze after their schooling was done for the day (Wouldn't it be easier just to not sell to under 18s?)..

The midnight to 11am rule was to prevent the workforce from being affected by the demon drink.

The "real" reason behind the ruling was speculated to be just another Thaksin step in his turning Thailand into an entity he could run like a business by removing basic liberties from the people.

A neighbour of ours works for BigC and according to him there was also some personal gripe between Thaksin, the large retailers and also the brewers who were most affected by the ruling.

He also informed me that the retailers and brewers are to lobby parliament in the coming months to repeal this law so there is hope for those who can't organise their lives well enough to go booze shopping between 11 and 2...

I think the fuss this issue raises is more about the fact that the ruling is just plain ridiculous. It protects no-one, serves zero function in reality and all it does do is cause inconvenience. I haven't met one person who has benefited from it. It was nice in theory but as pointed out in many posts here, utterly useless in actually preventing anyone getting a drink if they wanted to get one.

Edited November 4, 2012 by HeavyDrinker

[negreanu]

Ridiculous post.

I have yet to see a Villa or a Foodland which does not adhere to the same 11.00-14.00 & 17.00-24.00 restrictions.

You've made that up.

Really? Ill give you 3 examples, This morning 2 bottles of corona and 2 bottles of red. Time check of reciept 9:52am from Villa 33.

1. Villa Sukhumvit 33

2. Villa Sukhumvit 49

3. Foodland Soi 16

Not sure they will sell to a Thai national tho - but probably. Helps if you have good police connections if you run a supermarket chain I guess.

It's even possible to buy on Buddha days if your prepared to buy 6 bottles+ of vino in certain supermarkets apparently but discretely.

Edited November 4, 2012 by negreanu

[BigJohnnyBKK]

WRT the OP's desire for some rationale behind these and other laws in Thailand.

Such a quest will soon drive you batty.

The legislators probably were just trying to make a good impression on some powerful conservative factions at the time (what I call Buddhist fundamentalists).

Same with the occasional crackdowns on closing hours, girls dressing modestly for Song Kran, etc.

Think of the legal system here as a semi-psychotic but very sexy, beautiful woman.

Take the good with the bad, but don't look for logic as you understand it as the motive behind her actions.

[nong38]

Any mum and dad shop can help you at any time I found, if its a chain store then there are restrictions, just like they used to be in the UK!

11-2 and 5-9 is when you buy.

[h90]

If your drinking before 5 mabye you need to wonder about your life.

half of Europe drinks wine or beer at lunch....

[h90]

Villa markets and foodland serve booze all day, it's NOT a law and nobody has ever been prosecuted for selling 'out of hours' it is an utter nonsense and has no effect as there is always somewhere selling

Ridiculous post.

I have yet to see a Villa or a Foodland which does not adhere to the same 11.00-14.00 & 17.00-24.00 restrictions.

You've made that up.

For Villa he is right, I bought several times outside the allowed time at one of these shops, which I won't name (beside in a PM if you are interested).

But to my knowledge it is a law...

[Gonzo the Face]

Some of you may be interested in a similar thread running in the CM Forum that pertains not so miuch to 7-11;s and wholesalers, but to bars and restaurants. They are discussing having lunch at a restaurant or bar and have the 2 PM curfew come into effect.

[h90]

Villa markets and foodland serve booze all day, it's NOT a law and nobody has ever been prosecuted for selling 'out of hours' it is an utter nonsense and has no effect as there is always somewhere selling

Ridiculous post.

I have yet to see a Villa or a Foodland which does not adhere to the same 11.00-14.00 & 17.00-24.00 restrictions.

You've made that up.

Utter rubbish. Our local Villa will sell any type of booze any time they are open. I mostly shop afternoons and the only time I have not been able to buy wine is on a Buddha Day and that is fine by me, mai pen rai. A little respect for Buddha is not a bad thing.

respect for Buddha? Buddha told: "and punish everyone who don't follow my teaching with the full force of law!"? Somehow this part escaped me. More likely some wannabe Buddhist want to gain power over others.

[h90]

Some of you may be interested in a similar thread running in the CM Forum that pertains not so miuch to 7-11;s and wholesalers, but to bars and restaurants. They are discussing having lunch at a restaurant or bar and have the 2 PM curfew come into effect.

yes once I didn't get a beer....I think airport had yai or trang because out of time

[BigJohnnyBKK]

respect for Buddha? Buddha told: "and punish everyone who don't follow my teaching with the full force of law!"? Somehow this part escaped me. More likely some wannabe Buddhist want to gain power over others.

&lt;deleted&gt;? Not at all implying I agree with these silly laws, but I'd appreciate a source for that quote please, my understanding is that practicing Buddhists generally leave it to the universe to "punish" you for the consequences of your actions. . .

[poanoi]

There is one catch with this law, i run into trouble getting bacardi breezer for a girl i try to get back.

mom&pop don't have it.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

I keep my breezers on ice in an eski at the foot of the bed.

Nitrous works as well, but only needed for extreme cases. . .

[SeaVisionBurma]

My sincere apologies to all those who are able to buy alcohol at their local Villa/Foodland - good for you.

I must give off a 'don't sell this guy any booze out of gazetted hours' type of vibe

Now, if only we could start a thread with a list of said outlets.....

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Now, if only we could start a thread with a list of said outlets.....

The smaller the shop the more likely, at the bigger ones I suspect much is due more to the discretion of those currently staffing the checkouts rather than official store policy.

When they're on their high horse about it it can even be impossible to buy ginger ale and root beer, even had issues with club soda sometimes.

[Cylon]

Macro,my Thai girlfreind is 51,could not buy 4 little bottles of Spy wine mix at 4.20pm &lt;deleted&gt;.And ive have just read today ,You are not allowed to overtake another car in public &lt;deleted&gt;.