BMA inviting Thais to stop drinking alcohol during Buddhist Lent

BANGKOK, 12 July 2013 (NNT) – The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is inviting all Thais to stop drinking during the auspicious occasion of Buddhist Lent which lasts 3 months, starting July 23.

The BMA is launching the “No Drinking during Buddhist Lent” campaign, in which Thais are urged to make a pledge that they will not consume alcoholic drinks during the next three months. The campaign is also intended as a tribute to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. It is also aimed at reducing the number of drinkers and alcohol-related crimes.

According to Bangkok Deputy Governor Pusadee Tamthai, it has been found that the number of male drinkers is 5 times higher than women, especially teenagers aged between 15 and 24. These teens account for 15 percent of all drinkers in the country.

The average age that men start drinking is 19 years old and the majority of women start drinking at 24. The deputy governor went on to say that the number of drinkers rises every year with the northern region having the highest drinking rate of 39 percent, followed by the northeast at 37 percent, central and southern regions at 28 and 19 percent respectively.

-- NNT 2013-07-12

I'm sure all farangs will want to offer their full support to their hosts in this noble gesture. Not drinking for three months will be a huge sacrifice for all concerned but it is for the good of the nation after all.

So don't buy a Thai a drink for those three months.

Edited July 12, 201312 yr by bigbamboo

I wonder how the breweries and distilleries feel about this campaign.

They're probably not crazy about it but would certainly not criticize it when Buddhism and The Royalty are involved.

Edited July 12, 201312 yr by Wavefloater

BANGKOK, 12 July 2013 (NNT) – The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is inviting all Thais to stop drinking during the auspicious occasion of Buddhist Lent which lasts 3 months, starting July 23.

Most of the Thai's I know will suggest the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to stick their invite where the sun don't shine

This is akin to asking Dracula to stay away from the blood bank, it ain't gonna happen, and what's it got to do with the B.M.A. , now if it was the run away monk asking ,I could understand.

Is this to include all monks as well?

Seriously: are these clowns for real?

On the other hand: what do I care? I am farang and I am really happy NOT to be invited, this time!

It's like asking a Thai NOT to rub down tree barks or examine caged reptiles' skins and then buy lottery tickets based on their findings for a whole three months.

Or like "urging" a Thai to NOT discard their household trash in quiet sois for a whole three months.

Or like requesting all 7-Elevens in the country to NOT put every single softdrink can purchased into a tiny plastic bag together with at least three unwanted plastic straws for a whole three months.

Good luck!

Edited July 12, 201312 yr by Misterwhisper

It has taken me a couple of minutes to do this post as I cannot type while rolling up and down the living room floor. Are these people for real ?

Will the politicans lead by example ?

Ask a stupid question.

Thanks god I am not budhist

It has taken me a couple of minutes to do this post as I cannot type while rolling up and down the living room floor. Are these people for real ?

Yes these people are for real! Adressing a very serious problem, alcoholrelated domestic violence is extremely high in Thailand (in more than 30% of all relationships) and the deaths on the roads caused by drunken drivers is, as we all (?) are aware of, in the thousends every year.

If this campaign in the name of Buddha and the King can convince just a very small percentage of the Thais to refrain from drinking for 3 months, it has achieved something!

Just one Thai woman (and her kids) not beaten up by her husband, just one young man not killed on the road, is IMO a win.

I would like to hear the smartar55s here come up with a solution to the alcoholfueled domestic violence and the drunk driving?

Double the price of alcohol? OMG, I would like to read that thread on Thai Visa!

I solemnly promise to drink NO alcohol at all in the next three months, showing solidarity with the Thai people (=Buddhists). This promise will only be broken IF I see any Thai drink alcohol in the same period.

Most likely I will be drinking by tonight

As a non Thai, non Buddhist, can I politely decline?

Yes...and TAT is inviting all ski jet operators to be honest over the same period . What are these guys smoking?

This is akin to asking Dracula to stay away from the blood bank, it ain't gonna happen, and what's it got to do with the B.M.A. , now if it was the run away monk asking ,I could understand.

This may well get some folks to totally abstain from drinking for three months, but these won't be the ones that the campaign is aimed at. So what next, ask everyone to stop taking drugs to solve the country's drug problem?

The outcome in either case will be the same.

Well, at least they're asking - not telling.

All stocks to be deleted from shelves for 3 months. and mama and papa shops to go on holiday. Are Hotels included as normally they are exempt.

All brewers to close for 3 months as their stocks will be overflowing --same same Thai rice.

There is no such thing as Buddhist Lent

There is as much chance of the Thai's stopping drinking as there is of the administration stopping stealing..

Strange; all the local home breweries around here are busy brewing ever more hootch. Perhaps they haven't heard the news.

Does that include abstaining from ear medicine?

Thats like asking the girls in Pattaya to stop working or a lady boy to stop mincing or a politicion to be honest or a,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

It has taken me a couple of minutes to do this post as I cannot type while rolling up and down the living room floor. Are these people for real ?

Yes these people are for real! Adressing a very serious problem, alcoholrelated domestic violence is extremely high in Thailand (in more than 30% of all relationships) and the deaths on the roads caused by drunken drivers is, as we all (?) are aware of, in the thousends every year.

If this campaign in the name of Buddha and the King can convince just a very small percentage of the Thais to refrain from drinking for 3 months, it has achieved something!

Just one Thai woman (and her kids) not beaten up by her husband, just one young man not killed on the road, is IMO a win.

I would like to hear the smartar55s here come up with a solution to the alcoholfueled domestic violence and the drunk driving?

Double the price of alcohol? OMG, I would like to read that thread on Thai Visa!

just one dream too many ?

Good luck with that request. Don't hold your breath waiting for it to happen.

Is this to include all monks as well?

No, they are too busy making money

If only Thais knew and recognized thetruth behind the Royal family

Good luck with that request. Don't hold your breath waiting for it to happen.

----------------

I suppose it's almost a silly thing to say on Thai visa forum but here it is

I know many Thais who don't drink, and many more Thais who seldom drink.

Of course, I also know other Thais who drink heavily.

I also know other farangs who seldom if ever drink.

It wouldn't be unusual for me myself to go for 3 months without a beer.

In my Thai family also going for 3 or 4 months without alcohol wouldn't be something unusual.

Doesn't mean I occasionally won't drink a beer, I've even been known to do a night on Soi Cowboy now and then.

I'm not a non-drinker, I don't preach not drinking, it's just I can (at my own choice) drink or not drink as I feel like.

And if I don't feel like drinking for more than 3 months or even longer that's nothing to me.

So three months without a drink is just my choice if I want to ..... no problem with no alchohol for 3 months for me.

Being without alchohol for 3 months is just a non issue for me and my Thai family.

Three Months? Who are they trying to kid?

Not a chance.

Not a chance this side of the heat death of the universe