Second weekend with total alcohol ban in Thailand

[Eagleizer]

If you cannot get a beer today you are, I hate to say it an idiot. If you require entertainment with your beer maybe you will have a problem, but if you think you cannot carry on as usual you must live in a very strange world.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I beleive its a bad decision for tourists. Many come for beer and partying obviously.

Us expats can no doubt go a day without beer. Well most of us.

I just think if someone comes to Thailand for a couple of weeks holiday (party time holiday) its a shame they miss a couple of days due to this law.

Then again I live in the sticks and all my bars (village shops) were readily selling beer around 500 meters from the polling station. The lads who were officials at the vote even came for a beer after voting was complete.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I ageree..

[SkyRider]

I feel like the posters that are saying if you can't go a day without drinking you have a problem, are missing the points being made by many of the posters here. My point is not that I have to go out and drink everyday, my point is that this law is not good for tourism - for example, there may be a day when the drinking ban is in place, when a friend or family is here from out of the country on vacation, and you want to take them out for drinks and dinner, this law makes it difficult to do that. That's what happened to me last weekend, I didn't realize the ban was was in place, and we ended up stuck in a restaurant not selling beer because the waiter misunderstood us when we ordered beer before ordering food, and didn't tell us they weren't selling until they brought the food out. Now I have learned, if I want to go out for food and drinks, check to see if there is a drinking ban on that day in advance, and find a place that will still sell it.

[DiamondKing]

Cambodia is obviously smart in allowing tourist to have a beer or wine while they are on vacation and elections have nothing to do with them. A smart government would apply the law to THAIS only and have the police patrol the bars looking for Thais who are drinking and enforce their law.:

People spend all their time on Thai visa bitching about being discriminated against, yet here someone is arguing for it. I guess when there is self interest involved, it become okay...

Discrimination ? dont be a muppet its not discrimination when the law states THAIS cannot drink before voting, it would be perfectly ok to let visitors to the country drink since this circus they call elections has nothing to do with them and ONLY APPLIES to thai's according to their laws.

Discrimination would be if they only let tourists drink and not allow thais to drink even if there is no election.

[wym]

I feel like the posters that are saying if you can't go a day without drinking you have a problem, are missing the points being made by many of the posters here. My point is not that I have to go out and drink everyday, my point is that this law is not good for tourism

The Thais know that quite well and to be honest don't care.

Fact is if you go out to dinner and find you can't enjoy it as much because alcohol isn't being served, then IMO and that of the Thai mainstream, you have a problem with alcohol.

It shouldn't be any more important than them running out of say mango and sticky rice, a total non-issue.

for example, there may be a day when the drinking ban is in place, when a friend or family is here from out of the country on vacation, and you want to take them out for drinks and dinner, this law makes it difficult to do that. That's what happened to me last weekend, I didn't realize the ban was was in place, and we ended up stuck in a restaurant not selling beer because the waiter misunderstood us when we ordered beer before ordering food, and didn't tell us they weren't selling until they brought the food out. Now I have learned, if I want to go out for food and drinks, check to see if there is a drinking ban on that day in advance, and find a place that will still sell it.

So now you know, and are equipped to deal with it.

And the fact is even those outraged by my (and the Thai's) attitude toward your need to consume alcohol, no matter how much you might jump up and down in outrage here on TV it won't make an iota of difference to reality as it presents itself to us here.

Just have a drink and relax 8-)

[JHenry]

Although I do not drink anymore, from the "good old days" - drive to "Mumma-Papa" shops and they will sell you anything anytime

[gmac]

I feel like the posters that are saying if you can't go a day without drinking you have a problem, are missing the points being made by many of the posters here. My point is not that I have to go out and drink everyday, my point is that this law is not good for tourism

The Thais know that quite well and to be honest don't care.

Fact is if you go out to dinner and find you can't enjoy it as much because alcohol isn't being served, then IMO and that of the Thai mainstream, you have a problem with alcohol.

It shouldn't be any more important than them running out of say mango and sticky rice, a total non-issue.

I think you are wrong. I eat at home all the time and hardly drink any alcohol but on the very rare occasion I do go out it is normally for some kind of a celebration and an alcoholic drink to accompany a meal, while perhaps not a must, certainly detracts from the enjoyment of the occasion.

[wym]

Listen to yourself "it's just not as enjoyable without the drug"!

Anyway, I simply stated my opinion, how can that be "wrong"?

And explaining the logic behind it - mainstream Thai opinion - certainly among the politically dominant subcultures - is similar to mine.

And again, pointless complaining, just work around it, not at all difficult.

[gmac]

Anyway, I simply stated my opinion, how can that be "wrong"?

Oh dear!! Mr always right strikes again.

[samran]

Cambodia is obviously smart in allowing tourist to have a beer or wine while they are on vacation and elections have nothing to do with them. A smart government would apply the law to THAIS only and have the police patrol the bars looking for Thais who are drinking and enforce their law.:

People spend all their time on Thai visa bitching about being discriminated against, yet here someone is arguing for it. I guess when there is self interest involved, it become okay...

Discrimination ? dont be a muppet its not discrimination when the law states THAIS cannot drink before voting, it would be perfectly ok to let visitors to the country drink since this circus they call elections has nothing to do with them and ONLY APPLIES to thai's according to their laws.

Discrimination would be if they only let tourists drink and not allow thais to drink even if there is no election.

dis·crim·i·na·tion[dih-skrim-uh-ney-shuhn] Show IPA

noun

1.

an act or instance of discriminating, or of making a distinction.

2.

treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit: racial and religious intolerance and discrimination.

3.

the power of making fine distinctions; discriminating judgment: She chose the colors with great discrimination.

4.

Archaic. something that serves to differentiate.

um, I think number 2 sums it up.

[baneko]

Listen to yourself "it's just not as enjoyable without the drug"!

Anyway, I simply stated my opinion, how can that be "wrong"?

And explaining the logic behind it - mainstream Thai opinion - certainly among the politically dominant subcultures - is similar to mine.

And again, pointless complaining, just work around it, not at all difficult.

The french are known for their great food, wine and dinner parties. I was in Bordeaux where my Auntie stayed on Bastille Day and were invited to a meal with her at their French friends house.

Before the meal it was the 'drug' a large dram for me. During the 7 course meal 'copious amounts of 'the drug' red or white wine. After the dessert some more of 'the drug' More whisky and brandy. I beleive when it comes to food the french know how to do it. For me also its not the same without 'the drug'.

Having said thay Wym your correct. Just work round it. It is a shame for the tourists though.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[laislica]

Matt K, you will be telling me next that you can't get a drink in the ME. How is the Sid?

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I don't know what "Sid" is...sorry?

Sid is short for Siddiqui...Arabic for friend.....the drink is.distilled from a fermentation of sugar, water and yeast......typically 150% proof...then cut with water 3 to 1........................or so I am told.............................

Spot on, that's exactly what it was called when I worked there in 1970.

You had to be lucky not to get the bad stuff, methile will make you blind and worse....

We used to make home brew in huge plastic bins, it was disgusting.

Or, get an invite to an Aramco compound where everything was de restricted - then - I don't know about now LOL

[Deaw]

Don't care, don't like alcohol and I think it turns people into instant morons.

If alcohol was banned forever I wouldn't care one bit.

I wouldn't care one bit if you were banned forever.

Btw, congrats on winning the dullest post on TV award. You sound a barrel of laughs, I bet your other half is just chuffed to bits.

And once again, someone pops up with the inane "if you don't drink alcohol you must not be any fun" mentality. You, sir, are an idiot.

Edited April 5, 2014 by Deaw

[baneko]

Don't care, don't like alcohol and I think it turns people into instant morons.

If alcohol was banned forever I wouldn't care one bit.

I wouldn't care one bit if you were banned forever.

Btw, congrats on winning the dullest post on TV award. You sound a barrel of laughs, I bet your other half is just chuffed to bits.

And once again, someone pops up with the inane "if you don't drink alcohol you must not be any fun" mentality. You, sir, are an idiot.

Live and let live. Your not an idiot for not drinking. Hes not an idiot for drinking.

Boring stuff.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[anon11]

Bury this topic it's old news if you have lived in Thailand for anytime you would know the rules...get over it move on