PM Prayut orders ban on alcohol sales near universities and vocational colleges

[Beng]

This will not help tackling under age drinking at all.

1. Wether it is 300 or 500 m doesn't matter, as students can still drive to a far enough place, or simply have booze stored in their vehicles.

2. Certain alcohol selling times do not help either, as students, like the rest of us, can buy alcohol during legal hours.

3. These silly rules are affecting all adult residents, tourists, shops and restaurants and will therefore further weaken the economic

situation.

4. The only way to ban underage drinking effectively, is asking youg looking folks always to show an ID, no matter the time or location.

[GaryAdriaenssens]

That's going to help a lot. Are these so-called "rulers or politicians" really so naive or plain stupid...???

[Guest]

I know the calendars are different .. is there a Thai version of this???

[cumgranosalum]

yet another baseless dictum......but it does show how scared Prayuth is of Universities.

At least this time when they riot he won't be able to claim they were drunk....or admit his policies weren't working?

Edited July 23, 2015 by cumgranosalum

[Stradavarius37]

I sense a strange disturbance in the force, as it a million bar stool warriors cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced.

[NoBrainer]

This will not help tackling under age drinking at all.

1. Wether it is 300 or 500 m doesn't matter, as students can still drive to a far enough place, or simply have booze stored in their vehicles.

2. Certain alcohol selling times do not help either, as students, like the rest of us, can buy alcohol during legal hours.

3. These silly rules are affecting all adult residents, tourists, shops and restaurants and will therefore further weaken the economic

situation.

4. The only way to ban underage drinking effectively, is asking youg looking folks always to show an ID, no matter the time or location.

Most of the students in these institutions are already old enough to drink legally anyway. If anything, they should make the ban 300 Metres from Elementary schools where alcohol is more of a problem. By the time these students get to university they have been drinking for many years, and having to go a few hundred metres further will not deter them. Let's work on stopping the younger kids from getting hooked on alcohol & cigarettes first.

[sammygood]

yes, because they cannot buy it near home or at 301 meters

make perfectly sense

[brain150]

Only people who wish others to think for them or are happy to be ruled by others

will agree to a law like this !

Every freethinking mind or anybody who has the value of FREEDOM not forgotten

will NEVER agree to a law like this !

[says much about FREEDOM in the US or the UK for this matter :-)]

... shows pretty much the way it will go from here:

Governments will restrict freedoms and people will be happy about it until

everybody realises how controlled everything already is ... and that's when it will be too late !

[terryp]

someone at donkynuts or whatever idiotic article this is from NEEDS A TAPE MEASURE...Cowboy is way more that 300 mtrs from the Uni (more like 800-900 mtrs) and at least 700mtr from the small school near Abasits house

[Baerboxer]

More evidence that the current "govt." should be a care taker govt. and wait for an elected body to make changes and decisions affecting the country, they are so in over their heads.

Funny, because about 20 states in the US have similar laws. When I was a student at UC Berkeley, no takeaway alcohol sales were allowed within 1 mile of campus. But, you're probably from the UK or EU where free flow is the rule. I wouldn't expect you to be worldly enough to understand that the government is following a model which has been used elsewhere in the world.

Student Union bars were big sales outlets for UK breweries in the 80's. Don't know if that's still the case. A friend of mine coached martial arts at a prominent sports orientated university in the UK. I used to go over 2 or 3 times a week to train with him. After training, everyone went straight to the Uni bar. No need to leave the campus. Packed with people who'd been enjoying various sports from Rugby to Badminton and Martial Arts.

Not sure there is such a drinking culture now.

[kannot]

total waste of time and paper, how about fixing the roads instead and doing something useful..

[andrewrooney]

A newspaper report states Thailand leading the way in banning alcohol sales.

piffle! The bars and clubs will simply relocate ! (if their businesses suffer!)

Been around any provincial campus sites where there are hundreds of small apartment blocks designed for students ? These are well "off-campus" and the nightlife is vibrant !

Students will just find the nearest legal (or illegal) place to drink ................. get real people!

The students, as well as most others in Thailand, get their alcohol from 7-Eleven and other convenience stores. I doubt that there are many countries in the world where access to alcohol is as easy as here.

In most of Europe, alchohol is available everywhere......corner stores, supermarkets etc

Thailand has around 15,000 convenience stores that are open 24 hours per day selling alcohol with few restrictions, some of it (cheap whisky) at absurdly low prices. I know of no European country that has anything similar. In addition, there's a culture around alcohol in Europe. Although many drink to get drunk, most drink for the enjoyment of a good drink. In Thailand, with very few exceptions, people drink to get drunk. Period.

I'm astonished by how many Thais who frequently publish photos of themselves on FB with a bottle of whisky, as if the fact that they are drinking somehow increases their status in society.

In many states in the US alcohol is available everywhere as well. In California, for example, there are convenience stores everywhere, and you can buy alcohol between 6AM and 2AM. Prices are comparable to or cheaper than those in Thailand, unless you're drinking Lao Kao.

There's really nothing special about the availability of alcohol in Thailand, unless you're coming from a country with Sharia law or something similar

[realenglish1]

Hum not a bad idea just like prohibition in the United States back eons ago

[ukrules]

There was always a bar ran by the student union on campus back in the UK, they probably still have them.

[MobileContent]

I drink that even per day but as a German I do hit around 300 liters a year if Thai beer or 500 liters if it is a good German beer

[upena]

Thai government solutions that don't fix problems - their specialty

[Gifford]

More evidence that the current "govt." should be a care taker govt. and wait for an elected body to make changes and decisions affecting the country, they are so in over their heads.

Funny, because about 20 states in the US have similar laws. When I was a student at UC Berkeley, no takeaway alcohol sales were allowed within 1 mile of campus. But, you're probably from the UK or EU where free flow is the rule. I wouldn't expect you to be worldly enough to understand that the government is following a model which has been used elsewhere in the world.

Why don't you <deleted> off back there then ?

[godden]

Not banning sex so no problem.

[Briggsy]

Lots of opportunity for graft by the police. Like the smoking ban.

[Emster23]

They must have doctorates in stupidity. Nightlife which often includes drinking, is part of the attraction to most tourist spots (Mecca gets lots of visitors, so is exception). Too bad those in power haven't a clue that best way to make economy grow is to stay the hell out of it. Students will find ways to get booze. Always have, always will. Far easier than when I was in high school in USA. I wouldn't mind government so much if it would just confine it's stupid edicts to itself

[CNXTim]

The phrase "fiddling while Rome burns" springs to mind.

[ukrules]

So in Bangkok this will mean no alcohol can be sold along a large chunk of Silom, Sukhumvit, all of Soi 23 including Soi Cowboy and the once popular Khao San Road party area.

I'm going to be very surprised if this actually happens.

As this is a law I guess it will apply to the whole country. If so then I believe it will close down alcohol sales in a huge number of the tourist destinations nationwide.

[lostmebike]

More evidence that the current "govt." should be a care taker govt. and wait for an elected body to make changes and decisions affecting the country, they are so in over their heads.

Funny, because about 20 states in the US have similar laws. When I was a student at UC Berkeley, no takeaway alcohol sales were allowed within 1 mile of campus. But, you're probably from the UK or EU where free flow is the rule. I wouldn't expect you to be worldly enough to understand that the government is following a model which has been used elsewhere in the world.

Nice idiotic, offensive, bordering on racist post there.

Well done.

[Vogele123]

Completely stupid rule, why cant they just inforce the fact that you must be over 18 to buy alcohol, and heavily fine anyone breaking the rule. This means students will ride their bikes EVEN more dangerously to get out of the 300 mtr zone. We had government officials come into my restaurant yesterday and tell me to run my alcohol stock down as we are inside the 300 metre zone of a tech college, in Chaiyaphum. I measured it yesterday and i make it 327 metres. If anyone can recommend a good lawyer i would like to know please.

Exactly!

A simple refusal to serve if they don't show I.D. That is all that is needed. They would be better off banning those sweet stalls, Coke and Fanta stalls, and the grubby geasy fry up stalls that set up right outside the school gates, ripping off the kids with a cup full of ice and 5ml of Coke for 10 Baht.

But as is sadly the case with this arrogant fool, the lunatics have yet again taken over the asylum.

[eeworldwide]

Maybe its too simple, but why don't they just ask customers who look like they might be of student age for ID

to show they are over 20 years old which is the legal age to buy alcohol.

Because Thailand is the Fake ID capital of the world.

[zaphod reborn]

More evidence that the current "govt." should be a care taker govt. and wait for an elected body to make changes and decisions affecting the country, they are so in over their heads.

Funny, because about 20 states in the US have similar laws. When I was a student at UC Berkeley, no takeaway alcohol sales were allowed within 1 mile of campus. But, you're probably from the UK or EU where free flow is the rule. I wouldn't expect you to be worldly enough to understand that the government is following a model which has been used elsewhere in the world.

Since you do not know me your guess at my origins and "worldly" quotient is pointless to put it politely. When my dad attended UC Berkeley his fraternity house had a huge ornate beer keg situated in the entrance hall with steins of the frat brothers displayed around it. Things have changed in the U.S. since then.... they can probably now smoke weed on campus so that may be an improvement. My opinion of this new Thai law and those that signed it remain unchanged.

Yes, in my time as well. You had to drive down to College Ave. Liquors, 1 mile away, on the border of Oakland, to pick up your kegs of beer. 35 years later, this law is still in place.

Edited July 23, 2015 by zaphod reborn

[mikemac]

Yet another move to benefit the elite, so the big hotel is exempt but the small cafe or shop that legally and in good faith opened within 300 meters is screwed.

Yes, that's it, that's the reason he did this, to benefit the elite. Congratulation on being the one to crack this case.

(sorry about the extra thick sarcasm)

[steven100]

I think it makes some sense ..... however why should others be impacted because of a youth drinking problem .... ?

They need to enforce the proof of age when buying alcohol ... although they just send someone who is older ..

There is no easy way but some measures are better than nothing ....

[eeworldwide]

A newspaper report states Thailand leading the way in banning alcohol sales.

piffle! The bars and clubs will simply relocate ! (if their businesses suffer!)

Been around any provincial campus sites where there are hundreds of small apartment blocks designed for students ? These are well "off-campus" and the nightlife is vibrant !

Students will just find the nearest legal (or illegal) place to drink ................. get real people!

The students, as well as most others in Thailand, get their alcohol from 7-Eleven and other convenience stores. I doubt that there are many countries in the world where access to alcohol is as easy as here.

But there are plenty. The UK being one. Walkign around Kiev and many Eastern bloc countries, you can buy beer practically anywhere on the street.

At any rate - this idea is just bonkers.

[BAYBOY]

Sorry you are all missing the point of why the Government is placing this ban on alcohol near Universities and Tech colleges.

It's rather simple..... SAVE WATER. Water in the beer, water to clean the glasses etc. millions of litres saved and the farmers will be over the moon with happiness, Bangkok saved from being dry, we can wash our dogs again.

Much better than having all those boats turned around in the rivers and forcing the water back up river.

Please give the thinkers some credit. We all would be lost with out them.

CHEERS,

BAYBOY.