Attempt to ban sale of alcoholic drinks during New Year's festival renewed

[FangFerang]

love the picture showing the worst moonshine product ever made cheapest and strongest our local shop even decants the stuff in energy drink containers certainly not my tipple but have tried it but maybe that's what they are targeting

This is a yearly happening crackdown on reducing traffic accidents sort of worked last sonscran without banning sales on mass

In a similar and not funny vein, the moonshine brand with the red label that has a tiger on it has numbers on the bottles. I was told that a number of years ago a bad batch killed a few people and blinded more. Instead of shutting the factory down, they made them put lot numbers on the label, so if anything else happened and you had a bottle you didn't drink yet, you could throw it away and be safe.

[Jeremy50]

Asking the police to actually enforce laws instead of sitting in a tent at the side of the road watching tv for 7 days would be a start.

I wonder who makes those tents that appear at the side of the road and even in the middle of the road at all festive occasions. They must do well. As must the makers of red plastic chairs.

[bapoboy]

Just ban or highly tax this disgusting super cheap whiskey which destroys the life and families of the poors. For under 100THB you can buy this stuff and get yourself drunk the whole day.

are you socialist?

[smedly]

Did this man get his degree free with a case of Tiger Beer - what on earth is he going on about

If he really wants to campaign about something - how about forcing the police to clamp down on drink driving 52 weeks a year and increasing the penalties when caught - add to that the use of mobile phones while driving and the wearing of seatbelts

Two accidents I personally witnessed on main roads here both drivers had mobile phone stuck to their faces and slammed into the back of traffic stopped at red lights - when the police arrived I told them what I saw - Mai Pen Rai

[Squeegee]

The Association Of Investigations For The Institute Of Research Into Inquiries Of Enquiries are planning to think about considering subcommittees for the formation of seminars to discuss dialogues towards canceling the New Year until such time as it happens or not as the case may be. For further information, please contact The Ministry Of Haven't A Clue What Anyone's On About.

[brucegoniners]

And the source of those numbers is? Amazing journalism!

People will stock up ahead of time and still drink and drive.

The people you have to worry about will still get in accidents and die.

The foreigners who are here for holiday who are most affected will not come back.

Great move!

[harryfrompattaya]

Citing the data, Dr Samarn claimed that the ban has helped lower casualty rate from road accidents by 40 percent and assault rate against women by 50 percent.

If that's the case, Alcohol should be banned at all times, not just new year.

I agreed and pray to God that Alcohol is banned at all times

[harryfrompattaya]

Just ban or highly tax this disgusting super cheap whiskey which destroys the life and families of the poors. For under 100THB you can buy this stuff and get yourself drunk the whole day.

So let only rich drink

100 baht is a 1/3 daily wages alcohol is cheaper in your country

[Rickster]

It'll never happen end of....Dr Samarn Futrakul could be compared to a scarecrow masturbating i.e he's grasping at straws!!

[sgtsabai]

All you "ban alcohol" wackos that escaped from the southern baptist hypocritical church troglodytes can crawl back in that do gooder hell you can from.

[upena]

Actually, road deaths drop during New Year and Songkran. According to WHO, there are approximately 72 road deaths per day (average). During New Year and Songkran 7 Dangerous Days, Thai Government reports approximately 35 road deaths per day.

[kingstonkid]

And if the hotels are not having enough trouble selling rooms and tickets for expensive Gala's

Can you imagine being at a 5 star hotel and they bring out soda water for toasting the new year???

The solution in Thailand is the same as any other country.

Roadside checks near a parking area.

V rangsit has many spots and all they do is pull the cars over smell the inside and that is it.

Pull the car to the side give them a breath test and then take away the keys

OH Yeah close the Toll way.

[geovalin]

Citing the data, Dr Samarn claimed that the ban has helped lower casualty rate from road accidents by 40 percent and assault rate against women by 50 percent.

If that's the case, Alcohol should be banned at all times, not just new year.

Who is responsible of all this mess? Alcohol or the guy drinking it without any measure?

[Bangmod]

It also might help, if they gave real punishments to people having been caught for drunk driving, like a fine of 10.000 baht and after second time take their license for a year or so.......

[Graemej100]

Quite right! New Zealand has NOT banned alcohol sales over New Year - and never have. We have 'alcohol free' areas for those who want to participate in the New Year festivities but who do not want to be involved with alcohol. Great for families. Conversely we have areas that are cordoned off where alcohol is able to be consumed. To say that New Zealand does not allow the sale of alcohol over New Year is false! The only time we ban the sale of alcohols is on Xmas Day, Easter Friday and until 1pm on Anzac Day.

[Alwyn]

The worst problem is how do you get anywhere on these days? In a normal country you'd book a taxi. In Thailand the chances are the taxi driver you book will be more drunk than you. That's if of course the taxi you book remembers anything about the booking...

[Jimbo2014]

The good Dr. is back... loonier than ever

[ChrisY1]

I wonder by how many per cent the road death toll could be lowered if existing traffic laws and legislation against drunk driving were actually enforced. And I mean not only during long holidays, but year-round.

Has Dr. Samarn ever looked into that approach or is he just a narrow-minded bigot wearing blinkers?

Thousands would most likely be alive if the RTP did their job properly...........but sadly.....no-one really cares

[harada]

Just ban or highly tax this disgusting super cheap whiskey which destroys the life and families of the poors. For under 100THB you can buy this stuff and get yourself drunk the whole day.

Lao Khao nectar of the gods.

[charmonman]

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

Citing the data, Dr Samarn claimed that the ban has helped lower casualty rate from road accidents by 40 percent and assault rate against women by 50 percent.

If that's the case, Alcohol should be banned at all times, not just new year.

Careful, don't give them any ideas!

[SiSePuede419]

Which 'New Year' festival?

Farang, Chinese or Thai?

[toolpush]

Just ban or highly tax this disgusting super cheap whiskey which destroys the life and families of the poors. For under 100THB you can buy this stuff and get yourself drunk the whole day.

Lao Khao nectar of the gods.

Ambrosia, the essense of life. Ha Ha

[Robert24]

the PM already decided that there will be no ban on New Year and Songkran. No need to discuss this anymore.

[The manic]

No dope! No booze! Welcome to Taliban Thailand. Just say no to fun.

[malt25]

Ban all alcohol sales from street food vendors, Ban all alcohol sales from 711s should do the trick. Alcohol should only be sold at registered stores and nowhere else.

So, 7-11 not registered ? What are they ? I kinda guessed a multi national company franchise operating in numerous countries world wide, just might be registered with the appropriate government department in every country they operate. Or am I stretching my imagination ?

Just wondering..... Cheers..... Mal.

[charmonman]

I would suggest to the good doctor that it might be more sensible and effective to bring in a law against driving while drunk (if it doesn't already exist), bring in serious penalties for breaking that law (confiscation of driving license and vehicles, jail time), and get the police to do something useful and enforce it. I realize that last part might be difficult, but they could pull some of them away from making tourists pee into little bottles and instead have them set up checkpoints for drunk drivers as they do in other countries?

[malt25]

Citing the data, Dr Samarn claimed that the ban has helped lower casualty rate from road accidents by 40 percent and assault rate against women by 50 percent.

If that's the case, Alcohol should be banned at all times, not just new year.

I agreed and pray to God that Alcohol is banned at all times

An attempt at sarcasm ?

[wabothai]

Ifbthe police would do their job on the Eve, there would be no need for such stupid suggestions.

moreover educating people about the results of drunk driving might work better than just forbidding.

well i guess the good doctor has not read American history and find out that forbidding may make things worse. So iw he a good doctor? I doubt.8

[Lupatria]

It is said that old men always come a little too early. And due to this terrible disease which name I can't remember, I'm not good with dates anymore. And then there are these new proposed difficult and (L)awful circumstances.

Anyway,-

I wish all TV members a merry x-mess!

[masuk]

Citing the data, Dr Samarn claimed that the ban has helped lower casualty rate from road accidents by 40 percent and assault rate against women by 50 percent.

If that's the case, Alcohol should be banned at all times, not just new year.

An article in the BKK Post on Sunday suggested that if the police did their job, there would be no need to ban alcohol sales on such holidays.

An active, honest, breathalyser squad doing their job, and the courts issuing realistic sentences, would see a drastic drop in fatalities.