New Alcohol Bans Will Be Made Aware To Public: Thai Interior Minister

[PhilipCook]

we have a mild infestation of russian bears who stroll the boulevards openingly staggering while toting their drink of choice, what to tell the bears? while grabbing some groceries yesterday I was in line behind some of these said bears who were purchasing the economically priced local whiskey in small glass flasks x 20. won't it be risky to separate the bears from their liquid energy drinks or is this policy just another announcement to create yet another hub, this time a hub of social order? lets start one step at a time, for example, allow citizens to file complaints online with photo evidence against any police officer for violating traffic laws(ie riding a motorcycle on sidewalks or in the middle of the road) by forcing the police officer to wear a large numbered vest(front and back) while riding his motorcycle. Hard to talk about social order when the most basic traffic laws can't be followed by the people hired and trained to enforce the very same laws.

[Thai at Heart]

Does make u wonder what process they go thru to think this stuff up.

[animatic]

Evidently the good minister has never visited Esaan.

Or Phuket

Or Thailand...

[khunken]

Does make u wonder what process they go thru to think this stuff up.

Process? Some government phu yai decides that another crackdown will get media attention & off we go.

[notmyself]

I remember the days when I would arrive early morning at Don Muang, and behind the immigration desk would be a table with some offiials and a large Chang on the table .

Ahhh, the good old days.

[Thai at Heart]

Does make u wonder what process they go thru to think this stuff up.

Process? Some government phu yai decides that another crackdown will get media attention & off we go.

But is that really all it takes? Consult absolutely no one?

[Mudcrab]

So Parliament House will now have ear medicine on tap?

[dighambara]

Why make laws that the BiB have no interest in policing.

Such behavior is cultural - as long as the culture suports such behavior, no laws will be effective - USA is a case in point with alcohol & drug laws...

Every American kid experiences his first drunk in his (or her) teens, long before they are legally allowed to drink.

Need I mention other behaviors..??

[khunken]

Does make u wonder what process they go thru to think this stuff up.

Process? Some government phu yai decides that another crackdown will get media attention & off we go.

But is that really all it takes? Consult absolutely no one?

In many cases IMO yes. Consultation, if any, takes place behind closed doors & the public are told, not consulted.

[ratcatcher]

They had better go and enforce this law in the road at the side of Central Lapro, There are tables on the pavement right outside Horwang school. It's completely blocking the right of way and you have to walk on the road to get past a load of low life's sitting there most nights with their Changs, Leos and Laow cows.The law's definitely an ass.

"Laow cows"? That's no way to refer to their female companions is it?

Edited January 18, 2013 by ratcatcher

[Jayroo]

Evidently the good minister has never visited Esaan.

Or Phuket

Why would anyone in the know what to visit Phuket?

[jaideeguy]

There's not enough cops in LOS to enforce all the little whiskey shops in the country. In a 1 kilometer stretch outside our moobaan, there is at least 10 shops.

One part of the law that is enforceable is the selling of alcohol by the Watts. The watts around us profit big by throwing several drinkathons a year where you pay 1,000thb per table for 8 with a bottle of whiskey and mixers, then have vendors selling more and most end up with teenage gang fighting and I've witnessed gunshots on a couple of occasions.

The monks are getting rich on alcohol sales!! and promoting drunken violence!!

[Pimay1]

There's not enough cops in LOS to enforce all the little whiskey shops in the country. In a 1 kilometer stretch outside our moobaan, there is at least 10 shops.

One part of the law that is enforceable is the selling of alcohol by the Watts. The watts around us profit big by throwing several drinkathons a year where you pay 1,000thb per table for 8 with a bottle of whiskey and mixers, then have vendors selling more and most end up with teenage gang fighting and I've witnessed gunshots on a couple of occasions.

The monks are getting rich on alcohol sales!! and promoting drunken violence!!

You must live in Isaan. I see it all the time here.

[jaideeguy]

In CM, but it's a national/cultural/religious/social dysfunction of the beautiful people of LOS....especially the poor.

[BigSkip]

In my area in Isaan nobody bother's about alcohol sale hours nor selling cigarettes and alcohol to minors. These village shops sell all hours and if they are closed you just knock on the fence and they open up and sell... "Open all hours" here and to everybody, kids from 6 up can buy the stuff.

Nothing will change in my area of the woods... ever... !

Nor Mine, I live half way between Pattaya and BKK, right accross the street in the 4 row town house/shophouses one bar,(undercover)lol, the next a witch doctor/fortune teller, and last but not least a karoke..........

[jaideeguy]

The laws here are so insanely enforced.....I'm a moderate wine drinker and have to buy my cheap south african swill at the superstores that ARE closely monitored or enforced by that stupid liqueur curfew that makes it only legal for me to buy between 11am and 2pm. How much wine abuse is there in this country??

[axact]

Why make laws that the BiB have no interest in policing.

To bring in more tea money of course

[axact]

Alcohol laws will be "strictly enforced" in Thailand. For example the drunk driving hit and run Ferrari killing of the cop in Thonglor. How could any Thai take Thai government threats to 'enforce " laws on alcohol when cases like the Red Bull Ferrari never get enforced? How could the newspaper print stuff like this without raising up an investigative challenge on this duplicity of alcohol law enforcement in Thailand?

Strictly enforced means what its says but only if you are not in a powerful position (or related to someone who is) or have lots of money. Is that not how justice works almost anywhere in the world ? Maybe its a little more obvious in some countries than others but its pretty general.

[Teddy3943]

I think Thailand is the best in the world of creating plans and laws. Government and parliament react mostly very enthousiastic on these creative products. When all the papers are signed they are put away in a beautiful archive and that is the end of the story. Up to new plans and laws...

I have a translated copy of the Thai traffic law. No one on the road seems to know this law, not even the police.So forget that this law can be enforced, which is also the case with other laws.

Anarchism is the daily rule. That makes this country so attractive. Everybody can choose his own benefits and make their own small kingdom.

One of the best safe havens for criminals from all over the world.

[rayw]

Well that is fine and now they are (or say they are) going to control the sale and use of alcohol by under aged juveniles then they can remove that stupid and totally irrelevant law that prohibits sale under 10 litres of alcohol to ANYONE between certain popular hours to shop like 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM or before 11:00 AM in the mornings. Really stupid and totally inconvenient to millions of ordinary adults in Thailand. Most Thais I know even agree that it is a totally stupid pointless law as there is already a strict law banning to the sale of alcohol to under aged folk and it is that law that needs and seems is to be more strictly enforced by the BiB.

Anyway that limited time for selling alcohol is only really applied byt Tesco Lotus and Big C even the other supermarkets ignore it quite rightly. Sure they should not and do not though ignore the law about selling to under aged buyers. Stupid and pointless prohibition laws applied to adults NEVER EVER work as folk will and do just ignore it as they always have and not only in Thailand either. Most countries on the world are now easing and stopping many prohibitions like for example the far more harmless Marijuana has been now fully legalised in a few USA states and this is just the sensible start, and since my youth the unwanted Sunday trading laws particularly on alcohol have been removed rightly giving freedom of choice to adults.

Main point of this post is for Thailand to look at and remove this silly, and pointless, time restrictions on the retail selling of alcohol law. Currently I shop a lot at Tesco Lotus and often conveniently in the mid afternoon and it means I then have to go to another shop to buy my beer for my fridge. Very inconvenient and time wasting and I usually cannot use my free to use UK based VISA credit card which I use for all my shopping, bills and petrol etc, to avoid using cash with the high cost of ATM fees, UK bank charges, or the cost of transferring money to a Thai bank. Yes I have looked into ti s closely and for me it is far cheaper and easier to use my UK credit card and pay it off monthly with one payment using internet banking from my UK bank account where my sterling pensions income goes.

Anyway that is my personal inconvenience but most others I speak to have also similar or other related and pointless inconveniences from this really stupid totally irrelevant alcohol sale time restriction law. If somebody can explain accurately and honestly and LOGICALLY what this law achieves then I will listen carefully but cannot think of any valid argument to have such a ridiculous law. Other good laws prevent the sale to under aged folk so that is no reason for having this law too which effects all of us normal adults. Why oh why cannot the Government apply some logic and see this point and remove this law ASAP and make the vast majority of folk a lot happier.

Jesus Rayw This law has been in place for years, have you just arrived in Thailand?

Buy 2 cases of beer for your fridge or 1 case and 7 cans if you are that tight. That will

cover the 10 litre rule!!

Get over it, and get a life man

Been here for nearly 10 years mate and remember this totally stupid pointless law being introduced. I have got a great life thank you but not helped by annoying inconveniences like this that are soooo very unnecessary. Some folk have not got the spare money to buy two cases of beer, I certainly only tend to buy a dozen cans for the week as I am not a big drinker..

[koto]

Thank you Buddha, God and the Coconut Tree, maybe, just maybe, it would, could, slow up some of these out of control drunks, wake up some of the youth, less drunk drivers, accidents, just maybe, I give an E for Effort, if it flies great, if not, at least they are trying to head in the right direction.

Being here till I go to sky, I Applaud their words, even if it gets lost in the shuffle.

I may not agree with many things that happen in Thailand, but I still find it better then what became of what I left.

[InActionMan]

Evidently the good minister has never visited Esaan.

Or Phuket

Will Chalerm be in charge of enforcement ?

[ginjag]

Evidently the good minister has never visited Esaan.

Or Phuket

Will Chalerm be in charge of enforcement ?

Suppose he will, you have to have vast knowledge about the subject, a- to understand and implement the laws, and b- be so intellegent to request shops to sell at certain times, to suit his lunchtime binges.

The only contril needed is at the sellers, enforced by an IMPARTIAL police force------or set up a trading standards department seperate from the BIB. Fine parents-yes give them more stick, most seem oblivious to the antics of their kids, and really don't give a toss anyway.

crackdown on this -crackdown on that.....these guys are playing silly games NOT serious politics.

[zyphodb]

Well that is fine and now they are (or say they are) going to control the sale and use of alcohol by under aged juveniles then they can remove that stupid and totally irrelevant law that prohibits sale under 10 litres of alcohol to ANYONE between certain popular hours to shop like 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM or before 11:00 AM in the mornings. Really stupid and totally inconvenient to millions of ordinary adults in Thailand. Most Thais I know even agree that it is a totally stupid pointless law as there is already a strict law banning to the sale of alcohol to under aged folk and it is that law that needs and seems is to be more strictly enforced by the BiB.

Anyway that limited time for selling alcohol is only really applied byt Tesco Lotus and Big C even the other supermarkets ignore it quite rightly. Sure they should not and do not though ignore the law about selling to under aged buyers. Stupid and pointless prohibition laws applied to adults NEVER EVER work as folk will and do just ignore it as they always have and not only in Thailand either. Most countries on the world are now easing and stopping many prohibitions like for example the far more harmless Marijuana has been now fully legalised in a few USA states and this is just the sensible start, and since my youth the unwanted Sunday trading laws particularly on alcohol have been removed rightly giving freedom of choice to adults.

Main point of this post is for Thailand to look at and remove this silly, and pointless, time restrictions on the retail selling of alcohol law. Currently I shop a lot at Tesco Lotus and often conveniently in the mid afternoon and it means I then have to go to another shop to buy my beer for my fridge. Very inconvenient and time wasting and I usually cannot use my free to use UK based VISA credit card which I use for all my shopping, bills and petrol etc, to avoid using cash with the high cost of ATM fees, UK bank charges, or the cost of transferring money to a Thai bank. Yes I have looked into ti s closely and for me it is far cheaper and easier to use my UK credit card and pay it off monthly with one payment using internet banking from my UK bank account where my sterling pensions income goes.

Anyway that is my personal inconvenience but most others I speak to have also similar or other related and pointless inconveniences from this really stupid totally irrelevant alcohol sale time restriction law. If somebody can explain accurately and honestly and LOGICALLY what this law achieves then I will listen carefully but cannot think of any valid argument to have such a ridiculous law. Other good laws prevent the sale to under aged folk so that is no reason for having this law too which effects all of us normal adults. Why oh why cannot the Government apply some logic and see this point and remove this law ASAP and make the vast majority of folk a lot happier.

This law only applies to Falang owned Businesses, Tescos Big c 7-11 etc. it's just protectionism for Thai businesses, & I agree its f-----g annoying...

[Semper]

I was in Chiang Mai Railway Station. Big sign up (in Thai and English) saying "Drinking of alcohol here banned - result in prison sentence and / or fine" blah blah blah.

Directly under the sign was a fridge stocked full of cans of beer for sale.

TIT

I would guess that the beer would be consumed during the train ride, not in the station.

[OldeBellPedr]

Just another pointless law. The only beneficiaries will be the B.i.B. hitting on Farang tourists. The 2,000 Baht hit for cigarettes was a terrific rort but faded out quickly. Perhaps this law should be passed by TAT for their opinion as they seem to be struggling a bit these days with too many scams, unexplained deaths, unaccounted suicides and of course the Duty Free ripoffs. Makes you think they want to keep Thailand strictly for Thais.

What are you going on about? You think they made the new law to extort money from tourists?

The effect is often just that. The BiB have to be seen to be doing something in reponse to these pronouncements and the easiest way to enforce it is to pester bars and restaurants well away from where Thais drink - that means tourist/farang bars.

The Minister also indicated that he would step up a campaign to promote alcohol-free celebrations in various festivals and other social events such as Buddhist ordination and funerals

​A Thai funeral with no booze!! What a hilarious idea. The great thing about Thai funerals is that everyone gets pissed before the funeral, so that, by the time they come to throw the deceased on the funeral pyre, most people have such a hangover that they can hardly remember who's being buried, let alone grieve or mourn for them.

In fairness to the minister, Thailand does have a huge problem with alcohol abuse, but stopping law abiding citizens from buying a can of beer between 2-5pm or having a pop at Farang orientated bars is not even beginning to address the real problem.

[chrisinth]

In a country where it is law for all nationals to carry their ID cards at all times (visitors to the country to carry passports/identification), what is the problem with asking for ID if in doubt, before selling anything to the potential customer?

The kids get their ID cards at the age of 15 (?) and it would be unlikely for anyone under that age to pass for an adult! No ID, no purchase, easy!

It has always amazed me that they brought in these idiotic laws (for a country deemed as a tourist destination) when the laws of selling to underage persons was already there. All it would have taken would have been visual verification of ID, with no need to impose non-sale periods throughout the day.

[mrtoad]

Just another pointless law. The only beneficiaries will be the B.i.B. hitting on Farang tourists. The 2,000 Baht hit for cigarettes was a terrific rort but faded out quickly. Perhaps this law should be passed by TAT for their opinion as they seem to be struggling a bit these days with too many scams, unexplained deaths, unaccounted suicides and of course the Duty Free ripoffs. Makes you think they want to keep Thailand strictly for Thais.

Nothing to do with tourists. Are you another one of the Thailand is out to get me crew?

[mrtoad]

Evidently the good minister has never visited Esaan.

Or Phuket

Will Chalerm be in charge of enforcement ?

Yeah, by drinking all the supplies in 90 days

[phuketjock]

Well that is fine and now they are (or say they are) going to control the sale and use of alcohol by under aged juveniles then they can remove that stupid and totally irrelevant law that prohibits sale under 10 litres of alcohol to ANYONE between certain popular hours to shop like 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM or before 11:00 AM in the mornings. Really stupid and totally inconvenient to millions of ordinary adults in Thailand. Most Thais I know even agree that it is a totally stupid pointless law as there is already a strict law banning to the sale of alcohol to under aged folk and it is that law that needs and seems is to be more strictly enforced by the BiB.

Anyway that limited time for selling alcohol is only really applied byt Tesco Lotus and Big C even the other supermarkets ignore it quite rightly. Sure they should not and do not though ignore the law about selling to under aged buyers. Stupid and pointless prohibition laws applied to adults NEVER EVER work as folk will and do just ignore it as they always have and not only in Thailand either. Most countries on the world are now easing and stopping many prohibitions like for example the far more harmless Marijuana has been now fully legalised in a few USA states and this is just the sensible start, and since my youth the unwanted Sunday trading laws particularly on alcohol have been removed rightly giving freedom of choice to adults.

Main point of this post is for Thailand to look at and remove this silly, and pointless, time restrictions on the retail selling of alcohol law. Currently I shop a lot at Tesco Lotus and often conveniently in the mid afternoon and it means I then have to go to another shop to buy my beer for my fridge. Very inconvenient and time wasting and I usually cannot use my free to use UK based VISA credit card which I use for all my shopping, bills and petrol etc, to avoid using cash with the high cost of ATM fees, UK bank charges, or the cost of transferring money to a Thai bank. Yes I have looked into ti s closely and for me it is far cheaper and easier to use my UK credit card and pay it off monthly with one payment using internet banking from my UK bank account where my sterling pensions income goes.

Anyway that is my personal inconvenience but most others I speak to have also similar or other related and pointless inconveniences from this really stupid totally irrelevant alcohol sale time restriction law. If somebody can explain accurately and honestly and LOGICALLY what this law achieves then I will listen carefully but cannot think of any valid argument to have such a ridiculous law. Other good laws prevent the sale to under aged folk so that is no reason for having this law too which effects all of us normal adults. Why oh why cannot the Government apply some logic and see this point and remove this law ASAP and make the vast majority of folk a lot happier.

Jesus Rayw This law has been in place for years, have you just arrived in Thailand?

Buy 2 cases of beer for your fridge or 1 case and 7 cans if you are that tight. That will

cover the 10 litre rule!!

Get over it, and get a life man

Been here for nearly 10 years mate and remember this totally stupid pointless law being introduced. I have got a great life thank you but not helped by annoying inconveniences like this that are soooo very unnecessary. Some folk have not got the spare money to buy two cases of beer, I certainly only tend to buy a dozen cans for the week as I am not a big drinker..

So lets get this right Ray.

You have been here nearly ten years.

You refuse to go shopping before 2pm or after 5pm when you can buy any quantity of booze you want.

You refuse to purchase 10 litres at a time, which would allow you to buy between 2 and 5 pm.

So you want Thailand to change its law to accommodate your preferred shopping habits.

IMO you deserve to be annoyed and inconvenienced.

Just you keep buying your weekly dozen cans Ray that will show them