Confirmed: Alcohol ban near Thai schools, universities starts TODAY

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Confirmed: Alcohol ban near Thai schools, universities starts TODAY


Image source: Matichon

BANGKOK: -- The sale of alcohol near schools and universities in Thailand will be prohibited from today, Friday 23 Oct.

A notice published in the Royal Gazette on Thursday confirms that alcohol can no longer be sold near schools, colleges and universities.

The ban on alcohol sales near educational institutions was first proposed in July.

The original order, which the Prime Minister's Office said would help tackle illegal street racing and was reported to be in response to rising numbers of young drinkers, stated that alcohol could not be sold within 300 metres of schools and universities.

However, that order has now been updated and the information published in the Royal Gazette states only that alcohol cannot be sold ‘near’ to schools and universities, with no specific distance being determined.

Earlier this year, it was reported that some of Bangkok’s leading entertainment night spots could be affected by the ban on alcohol sales.

Those found to be in violation of the order can be jailed for up to six months and/or be fined 10,000 Baht.

Source: Matichon

-- 2015-10-23

[daoyai]

pre holiday gift to the police.

[pinkpanther99]

Removing the part about about 300 metres is very smart indeed.

Now the police and whoever else enforces this can do so as they please to get any venue they like closed down (or use it as a tool to demand heaps of tea money)

Ludicrous.

I didn;t believe they would actually go ahead with this when it was talked about in July.

Yet again, Thailand never ceases to amaze.

Amazing Thailand - it certainly is.

[LannaGuy]

so what defines 'near'? who you know? the Moon is 'nearer' Earth than Neptune? it's nonsense

Edited October 23, 2015 by LannaGuy

[bboy]

I foresee ranting and raving and fining and caving. Gen. Omnipotent is watching ya

[ChrisY1]

"no specific distance being determined."

So it's going to be up to the police to determine the distance......which no doubt will determine the payment required....the closer to a school, the more expensive.....another piece of incredulously inane law making!

[Toknarok]

The biggest Mom 'n Pop shop in my village (where I often stop for a beer) is just across the road from the entrance to the local primary school. Whether the BIB will enforce this rule on this establishment remains to be seen, but if they do there will be some very angry people. So much for this junta bunch 'bringing happiness to the people'.

[DrTuner]

OK so near is prohibited, but inside is cool. No worries then.

[pinkpanther99]

"no specific distance being determined."

So it's going to be up to the police to determine the distance......which no doubt will determine the payment required....the closer to a school, the more expensive.....another piece of incredulously inane law making!

totally agree.

The story in the newspaper we can't mention around here says it is up to the discretion of the police officers to determine the distance!!

That's just asking for trouble!!!

[alant]

As is always seems, the law is for financial gain, helmets on bikes, financial gain, 12 midnight closing... financial gain, speeding, financial gain and now I say this is close to a school so you have to pay... financial gain.

Ohhh yes I am the big pretender....

[noosard]

The biggest Mom 'n Pop shop in my village (where I often stop for a beer) is just across the road from the entrance to the local primary school. Whether the BIB will enforce this rule on this establishment remains to be seen, but if they do there will be some very angry people. So much for this junta bunch 'bringing happiness to the people'.

In my village similar

One shops is 2 doors away the next ones 50m away and the others in the village would be inside 300m

So what is near????

[jaywalker]

so what defines 'near'? who you know? the Moon is 'nearer' Earth than Neptune? it's nonsense

Exactly, Are they "glai" or "gly"?

[NongKhaiKid]

A bad law is worse than no law at all and this one's a disgrace leaving ' near ' not defined and interpretation in the hands of people who don't enjoy the public's trust.

I can imagine the BIB will be very busy visiting various establishments to advise they've been deemed ' near ' a school / university and now then what we do next ?

Let the financial games begin.

Edited October 23, 2015 by NongKhaiKid

[Ace of Pop]

Now the Students have to walk a bit further

[Pib]

In a western country a law/regulation so non-specific regarding the distance would not enforced (except maybe in the very beginning) because once challenged in court the justice system would throw out the violation/fine because the definition of "near" is different in each person's mind. Too vague.

But since we are not in a western country this law will end up just being another law that is rarely enforced and creates another money stream for police.

[Thailand]

Now the Students have to walk a bit further

Not if it is the short near as opposed to the long near.

[AdamRich]

Does this mean Walking Street in Pattaya has to move?

[prakhonchai nick]

If you are selling your house, or advertising a hotel, everything of interest is "near" even though it may be 4/5kms distant!

[DrTuner]

Now the Students have to walk a bit further

They don't walk they drive a scooter.

[worgeordie]

With the ban on road blocks,this is going to be the new cash cow for the police,

regards worgeordie

[brewsterbudgen]

Does this mean Walking Street in Pattaya has to move?

No, it doesn't. Don't worry!

[DrTuner]

Does this mean Walking Street in Pattaya has to move?

No, just move the schools. Gotta have the priorities straight.

[nahkit]

The biggest Mom 'n Pop shop in my village (where I often stop for a beer) is just across the road from the entrance to the local primary school. Whether the BIB will enforce this rule on this establishment remains to be seen, but if they do there will be some very angry people. So much for this junta bunch 'bringing happiness to the people'.

I can't for the life of me understand the logic behind banning the sale of alcohol just because a primary school is located nearby - how many primary school kids buy alcohol?

When the school closes at 15:30 or whatever and the children all go home, why would it be a problem to sell alcohol. Totally stupid law.

[arfurcrown]

Interesting date to make the announcement is it not. I wonder whether we will soon start to see an action replay of the farce below which enriched many families. One of whom even provided a President in later years. Chicago piano's were played with amazing regularity in inter gang disputes and the underground industry growth rate along with the murder rate grew larger than ever seen before.

Lessons are supposed to be learned from history

,Being as those lessons would come from another country they don't, nor will apply here will they!!

U.S. 1921 U.S.A. Prohibition Laws Sunday, Oct. 23rd, 1921: The prohibition laws are being flouted across the country because of the large amounts of booze by the millions of gallons is coming into the country from areas like the Bahamas, the rum runners have new fast power boats which run rings round the US revenue cutters and until the government provides fast patrol boats that can catch the smugglers. Another area that will need to be changed are the wages paid to prohibition agents ( currently a prohibition agent is paid $145.00 per month ) and the rum runners are offering bribes of $100,000 for them to turn the other way. If the government is serious about enforcing prohibition laws some changes and finance will need to be made available.

[MZurf]

The biggest Mom 'n Pop shop in my village (where I often stop for a beer) is just across the road from the entrance to the local primary school. Whether the BIB will enforce this rule on this establishment remains to be seen, but if they do there will be some very angry people. So much for this junta bunch 'bringing happiness to the people'.

I can't for the life of me understand the logic behind banning the sale of alcohol just because a primary school is located nearby - how many primary school kids buy alcohol?

When the school closes at 15:30 or whatever and the children all go home, why would it be a problem to sell alcohol. Totally stupid law.

"I can't for the life of me understand the logic behind banning the sale of alcohol just because a primary school is located nearby..."

So sorry, but if it's logic you're looking for you've definitively come to the wrong country.

Edited October 23, 2015 by MZurf

[NickJ]

The legal distance will depend on the location of the offender. The time of day. The date. The need of the officer. The color of the building.........The type of alchohol being sold.

[Najinsky]

Methinks sales of that ever popular M150 drink are going to climb even higher.

[optad]

A fundamental tenet of law making is the test of the prospective law's ability to be enforced. Any legislature or law that cannot be fairly enforced in most democratic/representative systems is not and should not be enacted. Those rare and peculiar ones that do are that usually pandering to a politik and die an ignoble death or fade away as this one will.

[clockman]

Logic is an alien concept, for Thailand!

[maoro2013]

So when does it become illegal when there is no distance stated. At one point it was from the front gates, another time from the school.

Moronic, just leaves huge loopholes to be exploited.