Alcohol beverages ban during New Year and Songkran triggers outcry

[Jonmarleesco]

'... Dr Samarn assured ... he proposed only banning of sales but did not prohibit drinking.' For anyone, never mind a doctor of something, that really does deserve the prize for dumb stupidity.

[Plutojames88]

I am not surprised .

People here can't really say what they think here

So , it stands to reason a non elected Government might enforce measures on everyone as an extension of its powers .

Under the guise of loving care and a more profound happiness .

This should raise some international eye brows

[outsider]

Completely agree with the ban! It should be done! While we're at it, we should also ban car manufacturers from manufacturing cars and trucks in Thailand. Ban its import too. Then upheave all the roads and ban road-building. This should bring road mishaps very close to zero, if not zero. The Thai authorities are very intelligent - I'm sure they'll come around to this very soon. We'll all be saved.

Seriously, not a single day passes by without some stupidity from Thai officialdom. These idiots are making the movie 'Dumb and Dumber' look like a tribute to Einstein.

[connda]

If the BIB would stop harassing tourists and giving them piss tests, and reassign those office to 'traffic', and rigorously start stopping and testing drivers for drunk driving during those holidays, maybe, just maybe those numbers would go down. But the PTB would rather just issue a blanket ban which really only affects tourist and people who can plan their lives out further than 2 hours in the future.

[connda]

Duplicate

Edited December 9, 2014 by connda

[Phil Conners]

[Whidbeyboy]

So buy your booze early. Bans have never stopped me. Just bad for businesses.

[eddiekho]

despite ban of alcohol beverages. we are still able to procure alcohol in several occasions (mother day and songkran etc). if they really want to stop....they have to ensure all the pol**eman are working (inline with the policy).

[chainarong]

Mob of fruity tossy wowsers , humbug to the lot of yer

[Jim walker]

Only banning alcohol sales not banning drinking that would be non-alcohol stuff bring out the Bars Iron Brew oh what a god send then no alcohol to buy but you can dink as much as you like, as long as you take it with you from the duty free come to Thailand worlds No1 for booze fun parties without alcohol sales.

[Dublin]

Ban drink to curb driving with alcohol,,, like putting a band aid on a broken leg,,,people will just buy early or sales will go underground,,,

[jaapfries]

The president of the Medical Council Prof Dr Sonsaj Loleka has the FAR better idea: enforce the excisitng laws with great fervor and penalize those drivers who are, in fact, driving under the influence ! ! ! !

End of problem and no new silly arbitrary laws required ! ! !

[sambum]

"However president of the Medical Council Prof Dr Sonsaj Loleka said no countries has ever come out with such proposal, no matter they be the United States or Japan."

this is the key to the stupidity of this proposal.

​Repeatedly authorities in Thailand seem to come up with these cockamamie ideas in isolation - no research, not even a glance at what other countries do.

​I doubt if they even are are that in UK the accident and death rate over Xmas new year is LOWER than at other times - and the consumption of alcohol and of course sales rockets at that time of year. Maybe - if they spent just one second - they might wonder WHY.

​I find it hard to hide my utter contempt for this example of disgraceful thinking by a member of government.

I agree - this has got to be the most stupid suggestion I've heard this year, if not ever! And if what you say is true about the accident and death rate in the UK going DOWN at Xmas, then the reason for that is possibly the fact that the police are doing their jobs by breathalyzing and arresting drunk drivers?

[Jim walker]

Yes might save a few lives on the roads but that is caused by the police not enforcing the drink drive laws not the people selling alcohol and what about the Non drivers have they to suffer because royal Thai police are not fit for purpose need a few more police arrested for not doing their work and carrying out their duties to serve the public arrest the drunk drivers and don’t accept the 1000 baht bribe.

[EnzoRippo]

One more measure against the poor guys.

The rich ones will buy the bottles in advance but A LOT of people in Thailand have just a few hundred THB in their pocket and they buy what they need on a daily basis. These ones will not have stock when prohibition will arrive.

Anyway, a lot of reasons to make stock these days. Just in case.

[phantomfiddler]

The only reason that there are so many traffic deaths is because a huge number of thais have no idea of how to drive safely, unfortunately further enhanced by alcohol, but to make the farang holidaymakers suffer for the thai shortcomings would be complete lunacy

[kaobang]

i did not know drinkers in thailand are only in khaosan road

i see rivers of beer in sukhumvit and pretty much everywhere ladprao huai kwang ari....

and walking street and zoe bar and nimman and lotus bar and green mango....

and whisky too....wait what about the ban at koh phangan?buckets of green tea?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

The president of the Medical Council Prof Dr Sonsaj Loleka has the FAR better idea: enforce the excisitng laws with great fervor and penalize those drivers who are, in fact, driving under the influence ! ! ! !

End of problem and no new silly arbitrary laws required ! ! !

Your plan assumes the sudden appearance of a competent, honest and efficient police force.

The Medical Council's president likely knows that hell will freeze over long before that.

[neilyboy]

Usually these proposals are made to cover up something else going on behind the curtains. I wonder what that was this time ..

What is wrong with police patrolling the roads for drink drivers and leave the tourists alone as they all walk or get taxie's Answer TOO HARD FOR LAZY THAU POLICE.

[smotherb]

Usually these proposals are made to cover up something else going on behind the curtains. I wonder what that was this time ..

Just a shot in the dark, but maybe, just maybe, the horrific numbers of traffic casualties caused by drunken drivers during those holiday times may have something to do with it.

[sambum]

Complete and utter contradiction in a few sentences!

1. "alcohol sales during New Year and Songkran has forced Dr. Ratchata Ratchata-nawin, the Public Health Minister, to come out and say that the proposal was just an idea to tackle the number of traffic fatalities as a result of drunk-driving."

Followed by:

2. Under Dr Samarn proposal, violator faces six month imprisonment and a fine of a maximum 10,000 baht. The proposal intends to tackle sellers, not customers, he said.

The idiot can't even hold a valid argument in 2 sentences, and obviously has no idea what he's thinking! Toss-pot to that!

I agree that the proposer of this suggestion is an idiot, but is Dr Ratchata Ratchata-nawin the same person as Dr Samarn?

[siamsina]

Stupidest stuff I have ever heard comes from Thailand.

Can't say better.

[smotherb]

"However Dr Samarn assured, however, he proposed only banning of sales but did not prohibit drinking.

Customers still can buy before the banned time goes into effect, and then take them out for drinking during the festive time, he said."

So what is the point of the ban then?

Perhaps the thought that so many of you would-be drinkers are beeroholics--you know, only drink beer because you go crazy with spirits and think you can handle beer--and may not have the foresight to purchase a case of beer prior to the dates in question. Go ahead, show them wrong; run out and get your beer supplies.

[sambum]

If the goal is to avoid road killing, why not....enforce the law???

The law is to "don't drink and drive", not "don't drink"

Banning drink to ensure people don't drink and drive is like banning matches because some people commit arson.

Edit - just realised this may well be the point you're making aaacorp, apologies if so, I initially read your comment as 'If the goal is to avoid road killing, why not?... enforce the law!'

Amazing how the placing of a "?" can drastically alter the meaning of a statement!

[Kevin Quinn]

Is Dec 9th in Thailand the same as April 1st in the UK?

[bernd1616]

just a great idea this proposal. if there a a outcry than only from the alcoholic drug addiicts. every healty on earth is asking why the worst drug in the world wich is without any doubt alcohol, killing yearly millions of people all over the world is legal but the healty hashish and marihuana illegal.

Edited December 9, 2014 by bernd1616

[In Search of Space]

"However Dr Samarn assured, however, he proposed only banning of sales but did not prohibit drinking.

Customers still can buy before the banned time goes into effect, and then take them out for drinking during the festive time, he said."

So what is the point of the ban then?

Exactly right, instead of banning sales, why not prosecute those who do drink and drive or become disorderly. I appreciate that you cannot compare, but we have the Christmas and New Year coming up, in the UK everyone knows that there is a heavy Police presence at this time of the year and so only a fool would drink and drive. But this would take a complete mind change and an honest Police Force !

[eddie61]

How about banning driving on new years eve and songkrahn, That will have even more effect on the accident rate, and is easier to enforce. plus everyone can get legless and not worry about going anywhere,....

[smotherb]

Boxclever post # 10

I think it's a good idea. Get's rid of all the undesirable drunks with one stroke of a pen. Imagine how many pimp bars would close down over night. Bring it on I say

Ease off my good man.where are the Hi So's going to be able to congregate if their venues are closed..

What will happen to the good Mr Chalerm if alcohol sales are stopped?

Anyone for a Red Bull hangover cure if of course Red Hull heir hair of the dog can be found?

Beware the knock on the door in the middle of the night concerning your comments .Might be a Chalerm boy looking for some fun:cheesy:

The hi-so venues will not be closed, they will have the wherewithal to purchase alcohol beforehand and have a place to go, and I'll wager they may even know where to get more alcohol before the ban is lifted.

[Alwyn]

I think it's a good idea. Get's rid of all the undesirable drunks with one stroke of a pen. Imagine how many pimp bars would close down over night. Bring it on I say

You and your Amish friends don't have to go and mix with the "undesirable drunks". You could just mind your own business and sit at home reading Dickens or something.