Prachuab Khirikan to hold alcohol free Songkran Festival

[Totster]

Anyone who reads my post will know I am very pro Thai and very seldom knock any of the but this Veera Sriwattanakul must have sh!t for brains.

They would be as well putting a sign up say Please Break The Law because no Thai who likes a beer or six will pay the least bit of attention to this unless they are in dager of being caught..

They would need an army of police to enforce this so why not use that army in another way.

Don't ban drink use the don't drink and drive laws they have already.

Set up road blocks and breathalse the obvious............they aren't that hard to spot.......a load of youngsters in the back of a pick-up. Obviously you couldn't breat test everyone.

A campagn saying no one will be able to drive through Hua Hin during Songkran without passing a breath test will make them think twice about driving at least driving back drunk after a day on the booze...

If they don't have the manpower to do that then hey don't have they manpower to check the hundreds of places that sell drink.

I'll give them 5 for trying

I haven't read any of your posts, including this one now (well, I read the first line and didn't bother with the rest)

totster

[alant]

It is time that Thailand went tea total. All bars closed down, no more licences granted, no off sales, nothing. End of problem.

[AhFarangJa]

It is time that Thailand went tea total. All bars closed down, no more licences granted, no off sales, nothing. End of problem.

Are you a Muslim from the south?

[EASYDOGG]

This is crazy, I agree deal with the problem.

Most people who celebrate are either on holiday or live there. They are not driving around.

Yes, put up road blocks, random checks, anything, and punish those who drink and drive. Not the people who just genuinly want to have a good time.

Everything is blamed on alcohol.

Yes it is a major cause of accidents, but not just at festivals, all year round. Its just another excuse to stop people enjoying themselves.

A lot of people come on holiday just for Songkran. Kill the tourist industry, stop the enjoyment, and kill Thailand. That is exactly what is happening.

Sort out the problem, they have a police force....use it !!!!!

I was agreeing with you until I read the police force bit!

[ukrules]

It seems to me that they should ban the real cause of the problem : Songkran

[Tanlic]

Anyone who reads my post will know I am very pro Thai and very seldom knock any of the but this Veera Sriwattanakul must have sh!t for brains.

They would be as well putting a sign up say Please Break The Law because no Thai who likes a beer or six will pay the least bit of attention to this unless they are in dager of being caught..

They would need an army of police to enforce this so why not use that army in another way.

Don't ban drink use the don't drink and drive laws they have already.

Set up road blocks and breathalse the obvious............they aren't that hard to spot.......a load of youngsters in the back of a pick-up. Obviously you couldn't breat test everyone.

A campagn saying no one will be able to drive through Hua Hin during Songkran without passing a breath test will make them think twice about driving at least driving back drunk after a day on the booze...

If they don't have the manpower to do that then hey don't have they manpower to check the hundreds of places that sell drink.

I'll give them 5 for trying

I haven't read any of your posts, including this one now (well, I read the first line and didn't bother with the rest)

totster

It's Kewl I only read the 2nd line of your bawjaws

[ggt]

This is the drought season...they should ban the use of water at Songkran...use only alcohol and beer instead...that would be more appealing to the population...

[harber8]

Everyone Thai person I've spoken to in the past two weeks has told me they are going to "stay home" for the 4 days over songkran. When I ask why they response is always "too dangerous"

Is this really a celebration ??

[Halion]

This could easily backfire on the with more people driving out to areas where they can buy drink. There is little or no enforcement only officers taking kickbacks to look the other way.

[Gandtee]

It's bit late for April fools day isn't it?

[Andre0720]

Well,

If all that is needed is a wishful declaration,

Let's declare it also ''Yaa Baa'' free...

[DrTuner]

Oh crap. So they'll be heading Pattaya as well.

[ableguy]

I just canceled my reservation for the resort in Hua Hin for 4 rooms (4 foreigners + wifes). We have decided to go somewhere where there is no ban on alcohol.

So Hua Hin businesses will receive at least 100.000 THB less this year. (3 nights @ 3980/room) Stupid government !!!

Nobody said there is a ban on alcohol. Learn to read.

[spectrumisgreen]

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It is time that Thailand went tea total. All bars closed down, no more licences granted, no off sales, nothing. End of problem.

Err. yeah! Good one! End of tourist industry!!!

[ukrules]

Nobody said there is a ban on alcohol. Learn to read.

A good point, the article was very ambiguous and left me wondering exactly what they are planning.

[IamNoone88]

Thai logic at work.

[Watertoy]

This is crazy, I agree deal with the problem.

Most people who celebrate are either on holiday or live there. They are not driving around.

Yes, put up road blocks, random checks, anything, and punish those who drink and drive. Not the people who just genuinly want to have a good time.

Everything is blamed on alcohol.

Yes it is a major cause of accidents, but not just at festivals, all year round. Its just another excuse to stop people enjoying themselves.

A lot of people come on holiday just for Songkran. Kill the tourist industry, stop the enjoyment, and kill Thailand. That is exactly what is happening.

Sort out the problem, they have a police force....use it !!!!!

The Government could triple the Salaries paid to the Police Bosses and then penalise them (by x% per complaint and then remove them from Office once the % Minimum has gone below the Target Threshold) for every complaint made against the Police Force for "unfair / illegitimate" activities made against the Force.

[Sydebolle]

Just overheard - cancelled our Songkran-vacation there and booked all of us (10 pax) to Bali instead. Maybe a good idea to leave matters in the gifted hands of those smart ass officials who themselves will be partly intoxicated throughout the period.
Thailand belongs to the Thais, so let them sort it out and once its done and dealt with we shall see if we want to spend our money in Thailand - again!
Interesting point of view indeed .......

[Thaiready]

Best news I heard.....but the wanna be drunks are gonna whine.

[Thaiready]

Just overheard - cancelled our Songkran-vacation there and booked all of us (10 pax) to Bali instead. Maybe a good idea to leave matters in the gifted hands of those smart ass officials who themselves will be partly intoxicated throughout the period.

Thailand belongs to the Thais, so let them sort it out and once its done and dealt with we shall see if we want to spend our money in Thailand - again!

Interesting point of view indeed .......

if thats the only reason you come to Thailand is to drink and show you IQ level......bye bye

[stephenterry]

I would suspect the reasoning behind this is to make it a fun family occasion, where children can be relatively safe from tanked-up adults. As such I applaud the sentiment, and hope that the mindless go elsewhere to make mayhem.

I, for one, hope it works for them - but as I live in Chiang Mai it doesn't impact on my plan to keep a low profile throughout the festival.

[gp2002]

"The risk of fatal road accidents is much higher during the festival, especially where the drinking of alcohol is involved."

NO...........the fatal road accidents are higher because idiots throw water at people on motorbikes who crash. Or the bike loses control causing the car behind them to try and avoid hitting them which causes the car to crash.

Set up REAL checkpoints where the driver's keys are taken away. Not checkpoints where the cops can make some holiday spending money.

[Arkady]

It might be better to ban water rather than alcohol. I have never seen anyone throwing alcohol around during Songkran.

[mok199]

here in pattaya we have a new approach to songkran it is the eco freindly festival...we save water and throw beer....

[Usual Suspect]

Yep, we've just been told by Hua Hin police we cannot sell beer etc on the 13th..& risk 20,000B fine if we do!

So the tourists missed out on being able to drink on Valentines day, then Buddha days & 4 election days, now this..Many vistitors won't be booking next year for sure!.. TiT

[DLP]

Yep, we've just been told by Hua Hin police we cannot sell beer etc on the 13th..& risk 20,000B fine if we do!

So the tourists missed out on being able to drink on Valentines day, then Buddha days & 4 election days, now this..Many vistitors won't be booking next year for sure!.. TiT

What with the no alcohol ban and the water shortage. Welcome to a very very dry Songkran.