Police, City Hall to strictly enforce alcohol-free Songkran
By English News



BANGKOK, April 6 -- Metropolitan Police Bureau and Bangkok's Bangrak district office are jointly enforcing strict measures to ensure that the upcoming Songkran Festival at Silom Road would be run safely and free of alcohol.

Deputy Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Pol Maj Gen Worasak Nopsittiporn said during Songkran Festival, April 13-15, Silom Road between the Saladaeng intersection to Nararom intersection would be closed from 2pm-9pm daily for Songkran celebration.

He said more than 200 trafic police and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA)'s City Law Enforcement Department officials with additional company of riot police would be assigned to ensure safety at the event.

Gen Worasak said members of the public who join the party would be urged to enjoy water splashing in an appropriate manner, talc would be banned, volume of music from loundspeakers would be reduced.

Pick up truck carry passengers and tanks of water would be prohibited along with racing, he said.

On April 11-12, the Bangrak district office will conduct a launch strong campaign to promote Silom Songkran festive as fun, safe, without weapons and alcohol free. (MCOTonline news)


-- TNA 2013-04-06

It will be as strictly enforced as everything else illegal is. Talc will be banned, I haven't met a Thai lady yet who doesn't carry a travel size container

"... more than 200 traffic police... ? What pray tell can 200 cops do throughout a country of 60+ million? And what happened to the other 298,800? I guess Thailand is clearly showing how much importance is being placed on enforcing this decree.

An utter crock of sheee-ite. Laow Kaow drinking from sunup to sunset has been deeply engrained into this holiday since the dawn of Siam. Songkran will be an alcohol free holiday when durians fly... More verbal diarrhea from the nitwit authorities in charge. Yaaawn...

Does this mean all bars will be closed in the Silom/Patpong area?

I see the authorities doing their best to make the songkran celebration a pleasant event.

fun and safe with water splashing in an appropriate manner - isn't that that what so many here demanded. they should be thankful.

I see the authorities doing their best to make the songkran celebration a pleasant event.

fun and safe with water splashing in an appropriate manner - isn't that that what so many here demanded. they should be thankful.

I think there exists a degree of sceptism about whether these rules will be enforced. I don't have a problem with songkran, I just don't want to take part. Tend to stay indoors to be honest when it's at it's peak and anyone moving/not moving is considered to be part of the "fun" and therefore a legitimate target. Many years ago tried to explain I didn't want to take part, made no difference. Still I needed a new phone anyway.

Oh come on!

Enough already!

This is the I-don't-know-how-many'est article about this within the last 7 days and NOTHING will change!

Is there no one at the newspapers who says:"Do we really need another of these articles? Does anybody REALLY believe this?"

Police, City Hall to strictly enforce alcohol-free Songkran

Where can I sign-up for this free alcohol?

Police, City Hall to strictly enforce alcohol-free Songkran

Where can I sign-up for this free alcohol?

in the alcohol free zone look for a bar where you can see funny people hanging around and drink from big coffee mugs and all seems to enjoy their lipton. if you place your order point at one of the coffee mugs and say you want the same drink. there comes your free alcohol. you pay only for the lipton.

Drinkers can just go to Nana, Koa san, or soi cowboy and a myriad of other places which are always fun.

The real problem during Songkran is the number of people killed in the provincial area in road accidents through drink driving.

This is a knee jerk reaction to the video of the topless girl dancing last year that caused a bit of a fuss.

I don't think the Thai officials are in touch with reality.

Blah,Blah,Blah

RT@RichardBarrow: 1:40pm Beer now being openly sold on Khao San Rd despite the ban on alcohol (Pic @Rangsima_s)

RT@RichardBarrow: 1:40pm Beer now being openly sold on Khao San Rd despite the ban on alcohol (Pic @Rangsima_s)

Who would have thought....

By the way: I was just out on Silom. I guess, I am dizzy from all the mineral water, orange juice and Diet Coke

What do they hope to achieve?

Less what?

My part of the Jungle (khet Dusit, Bangkok) obviously has suffered from a police concentration along BangRak and so. Lots of pickup with drinking, water throwing youngsters. Even I was accosted by my younger brother-in-law and his friends when I just peacefully walked to 7/11. White, wet, and a beer :-)

RT@RichardBarrow: 1:40pm Beer now being openly sold on Khao San Rd despite the ban on alcohol (Pic @Rangsima_s)

I wonder how much they had to pay the police to be allowed to sell there?

Honestly, they really just need to burn the law books here. All of them. They are more or less suggestions anyway. Thailand may have been removed from the 3rd world list, but it is a lawless 3rd world country at heart. Always will be. No shame in that, but stop with the BS press releases and new laws that will never, ever be enforced.

I don't think the Thai officials are in touch with reality.

Ya think?

But it doesn't stop with officials.

RT@RichardBarrow: 1:40pm Beer now being openly sold on Khao San Rd despite the ban on alcohol (Pic @Rangsima_s)

I wonder how much they had to pay the police to be allowed to sell there?

Honestly, they really just need to burn the law books here. All of them. They are more or less suggestions anyway. Thailand may have been removed from the 3rd world list, but it is a lawless 3rd world country at heart. Always will be. No shame in that, but stop with the BS press releases and new laws that will never, ever be enforced.

Totally agree, but when did Thailand step out of 3rd world status? As far as I am concerned it went deeper into, the last couple years.