No alcohol sells the next 2 weekends.

[khwaibah]

Life can be cruel. This is another attempt to control me, and I will not stand for it. I will not have my freedoms compromised!!! I remember once, once, I ran out of alcohol and had to go to my emergency underground stash. That was the low point of my life. Now I walk around with IV's filled with vodka.

I would protest, but it kegger night.

Like these..

or like these

[Eaglekott]

I must admit I did laugh when I went to buy a case of beer in Tesco and they pointed me to the sign banning sale during certain hours. But they told me if I bought two it was OK, so I did.

I was under the impression that the law was there to prevent alcohol sales.

Actually you can buy beer during the "non-sale beer hours" but you have to buy more than 10 liters, so of you buy one case + some bottles you are always ok. Guess this rule does not apply on election or religious banned days though.

I was a bit surprised when I did not know about this rule, tried to buy a case at 14.00 and the girl in the cashier asked me to buy more beer... My Thai GF had to ask and explain to me why.

Edited March 19, 2014 by Eaglekott

[Maroon Watcher]

When are the hospital liver departments going to start complaining about the impact this is having on business?

Some good football this weekend too. Chelsea vs Arsenal @ 19.45 Saturday.

...talking of footie

How do I watch

A: Premier League

B: The Worldcup

MY True Super Knowledge expires July

(Dont want to spend too much as may opt to leave...???)

[Benmart]

Live within the law and compliance becomes a second nature. I live life on life's terms. Much less pain and anguish I've found.

[Krataiboy]

Do we really have to put up with this infantile boo-hooing from expat dipsos every time somebody takes their dummy away for a few minutes? Time to pull the plug, Mr Moderator.

[ianf]

A few odd nights without alcohol and you are complaining here? Get a life. There's far more to life than necking a bottle I wish some of you would grow up.

[bigbamboo]

Stock Up.

Is that a young Chalerm driving the family car home from the local mom and pop shop in the days before he became a successful MP?

[little mary sunshine]

WOW !!! two weekends, no beer .....Those 10 AM drunks in Pattaya might give

their livers a break......The freaken drunk Russian in the next bldg will probably

go into the ER with the "shakes".....IDIOTS !!!

[soicee]

It's an illogical rule as it is only rigidly enforced in tourist’s areas (mainly in BKK) & encourages business owners to pay bribes to the MIB. I've never had a problem getting a drink on these "dry days" but in BKK it usually means finding a spot in off the beaten track or drinking out of a mug. But leaving that inconvenience aside what about business owners who pay taxes & other overheads 365 days a yr but have to forgo vital income on the multitude of dry PHs. Adult entertainment places are particularly hard hit since they usually have to close on these days.

[thaigold]

What a hoot! Tourists couldn't by beer at 7 / 11, while Thai bandits were stopping law abiding Thai people from voting - and all this going on while the Thai generals were calling the red shirts in the north "bandits" while allowing Muslim separatists in the south to continue murdering women and children.

Amazing Thailand.

[Krupnik]

Why are so many people not able to be social drinkers? Look at the people who cannot even sit on a plane for 12 hours without alcohol. I am so glad I never started.

Sent from my GT-S5360 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Why would you want to sit on a plane for 12 hours without alcohol?? It is one of the only times that it is free flowing, I paid enough for the flight, I will make the most of it. Also makes the 12 hours go a lot quicker.

[Chiengmaijoe]

It's an illogical rule as it is only rigidly enforced in tourists areas (mainly in BKK) & encourages business owners to pay bribes to the MIB. I've never had a problem getting a drink on these "dry days" but in BKK it usually means finding a spot in off the beaten track or drinking out of a mug. But leaving that inconvenience aside what about business owners who pay taxes & other overheads 365 days a yr but have to forgo vital income on the multitude of dry PHs. Adult entertainment places are particularly hard hit since they usually have to close on these days.

I don't know about Bangkok, but It's enforced in most of the city of Chiang Mai. Huge Thai places that never see a tourist are closed during voting. Out of the way backstreet places and small village bars may well get away with it, but for all intents and purposes the police will have achieved their objective. As regards to your concern for business owners, we can only assume that they were aware of the laws affecting their industry before they went into business. They are also restricted by the age of their customers and the legal hours in which they can serve them. They probably know that too.

[northernjohn]

Why are so many people not able to be social drinkers? Look at the people who cannot even sit on a plane for 12 hours without alcohol. I am so glad I never started.

Sent from my GT-S5360 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Agreed

Show me a social drinker who gets upset when he can not have a drink on a few selected days and I will say he is nor a social drinker.

Denial is a part of the disease. If it bothers them they best do some thing about it. I agree with the poster who says it seems like it is the long term Ex Pats that seem to be having the problem.

[Tony125]

Tourists are unlikely to be aware of the bans - are the dates even publicised to tourists?

Many tourists enjoy a glass of wine, or a glass of beer with their evening meal. After all, they are on holiday.

It's not a nice feeling to order a drink at a restaurant and then be told "no".

Since Thais and expats aren't really affected by the law, it's only the tourists who will be irked by it.

Oh well guess they will have to endure maybe 1 weekend without ,second I think they would buy beforehand like most of us do in USA when big sporting event is coming up on a weekend, we stock up on cases of beer ,call friends and order pizza and barbecue. . I don't drink and feel bad for you guys who figure the worlds a terrible place if you can't get a drink. Seen what has happened to friends addicted to alcohol or drugs but guess that 1 reas0on Thai immigration tries to get selective they don't want a bunch of drunks living here because housing and healthcare is cheap as well as the beer.

[northernjohn]

Live within the law and compliance becomes a second nature. I live life on life's terms. Much less pain and anguish I've found.

Agreed but being the kind of perverse person I am I do enjoy them struggling with it.

Entertaining to watch them put the blame on some one they have never met and know nothing about but they are sure it will ruin their entire one month holiday.

[Chicog]

If you think buying it ahead of time and drinking alone is a good idea then you are an alcoholic. The point is the social atmosphere and the suppression of that is why people are miffed.

Sorry, I didn't realise you were lonely.

If we're only talking about sad loners, who spend all their time propping up a bar, having to prop up the kitchen table in their postage stamp-sized rented 'condo' instead, they probably already are alcoholics - especially if they can't go 24 hours without finding company or entertainment that doesn't involve alcohol.

If you can't enjoy a social atmosphere without alcohol, you have a problem.

If you are talking about people who buy a bottle of wine and invite friends round for dinner on non-alcohol days, I would disagree.

[BudRight]

Nothing more insufferable than an ex-drinker.

Edited March 19, 2014 by BudRight

[Fullstop]

Start crying.

These threads ... <deleted>.

[heybruce]

Why are so many people not able to be social drinkers? Look at the people who cannot even sit on a plane for 12 hours without alcohol. I am so glad I never started.

Sent from my GT-S5360 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Agreed

Show me a social drinker who gets upset when he can not have a drink on a few selected days and I will say he is nor a social drinker.

Denial is a part of the disease. If it bothers them they best do some thing about it. I agree with the poster who says it seems like it is the long term Ex Pats that seem to be having the problem.

I like that rule; "Denial is part of the disease." Doesn't that make teetotalers alcoholics? After all, they deny it.

I also like the disease designation; any pleasant, regular indulgence or over-indulgence is now called an addition and a disease. "Somebody help me, I'm a sex-addict! But don't help me right away, I have plans for the evening."

[Stan7444]

do people really have any problems finding alcohol on ban days??? I have only been here 2 years now but have never had a problem finding a cold beer on Wan Makabucha or the like...it really ISNT that hard if you know where to go...i.e. NOT 7-11 and those shops, but your mom and pop store on the corner...ain't nothing going to stop them from selling the stuff

Agreed. There are 5 options available during these periods:

1. Pre-purchase whatever your poison of choice is.

2. Down many sois are the mom & pop stores which sell booze as long as they are open.

3. Go to a major hotel and visit their bar.

4. Visit a farang pub and many of them will sever up in paper cups.

5. Abstain.

It has been explained to me that these Thai laws, which in most countries would be considered pretty dumb, were set up so children on their ways home from school could not buy booze for their parents (or personal use) so no selling before 11 AM or between 3-5 PM. However, with all of the soi stores selling this is all ridiculous. Never seen any school kids drinking anyway so does not seem to be a problem.

[PoorSucker]

Here on Samui everybody boycotted the last election so everybody sold alcohol.

[StevieH]

Pwersonally it does not effect. But I feel sorry for all the businesses and workers who lose money nor get paid. Typical arroganceof ruling class to not give a <deleted> about the majority working class. Plus, its all crap because there are still plenty of bars opened disguised as a pub or hotel

it seems pretty hypocritical that expensive hotels with in-house bars can sell alcohol on election days but old city bars and restaurants almost all of whose customers are farang tourists cannot. their businesses and livelihoods are suffering through no fault of their own, hotels and their owners get a free pass.

[khwaibah]

Pwersonally it does not effect. But I feel sorry for all the businesses and workers who lose money nor get paid. Typical arroganceof ruling class to not give a <deleted> about the majority working class. Plus, its all crap because there are still plenty of bars opened disguised as a pub or hotel

it seems pretty hypocritical that expensive hotels with in-house bars can sell alcohol on election days but old city bars and restaurants almost all of whose customers are farang tourists cannot. their businesses and livelihoods are suffering through no fault of their own, hotels and their owners get a free pass.

You have the Cheap Charlie back packer hotels that have this license and have a bar and are authorized to sell alcohol.

[Rooney860]

Well go and drink there!!!!!

[Chicog]

do people really have any problems finding alcohol on ban days??? I have only been here 2 years now but have never had a problem finding a cold beer on Wan Makabucha or the like...it really ISNT that hard if you know where to go...i.e. NOT 7-11 and those shops, but your mom and pop store on the corner...ain't nothing going to stop them from selling the stuff

Agreed. There are 5 options available during these periods:

1. Pre-purchase whatever your poison of choice is.

2. Down many sois are the mom & pop stores which sell booze as long as they are open.

3. Go to a major hotel and visit their bar.

4. Visit a farang pub and many of them will sever up in paper cups.

5. Abstain.

It has been explained to me that these Thai laws, which in most countries would be considered pretty dumb, were set up so children on their ways home from school could not buy booze for their parents (or personal use) so no selling before 11 AM or between 3-5 PM. However, with all of the soi stores selling this is all ridiculous. Never seen any school kids drinking anyway so does not seem to be a problem.

That's the reason for the "no alcohol during certain hours" law; the "no alcohol during elections" law is a completely different thing.

[Aceicol]

I'd be a bit gutted if my holiday crossed the two weekends when alcohol was banned. I do enjoy a beer when on holiday with my family and friends.

I'm not sure that makes me an alcoholic but to some it may.

[Gonsalviz]

Been living in Nong Bua Lamphu for over 5 years. I never track holidays and never seen the day I couldn't by alcohol.

[northernjohn]

I'd be a bit gutted if my holiday crossed the two weekends when alcohol was banned. I do enjoy a beer when on holiday with my family and friends.

I'm not sure that makes me an alcoholic but to some it may.

Lets see here 14 days and no alcohol on 4 of them and you are gutted.

Maybe you do have a problem or maybe you need different friends you don't have to drink with to have fun.

[Aceicol]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I'd be a bit gutted if my holiday crossed the two weekends when alcohol was banned. I do enjoy a beer when on holiday with my family and friends.

I'm not sure that makes me an alcoholic but to some it may.

Lets see here 14 days and no alcohol on 4 of them and you are gutted.

Maybe you do have a problem or maybe you need different friends you don't have to drink with to have fun. alt=cheesy.gif width=32 height=20>

I think you might be missing the point. When I go on holiday I like to have a choice, I may or may not drink but I like the choice to be mine.

I don't expect the Thai people to change their ways for me, but as I said I'd be a bit disappointed almost in the sense of wanting what I can't have.

[BlackArtemis]

Awesome, should be a fun birthday for me, oh wait, I decided to go to Malaysia for my Birthday, so I don't have to suffer this bullshit.