Thailand back to the booze ban future

[webfact]

Thailand Back to the Booze Ban Future
By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter


Police raided a bar in Chonburi province Thursday, saying they wanted to ensure no illegal activities were taking place.

BANGKOK — There was little noticeably different Friday in Bangkok after a ban on alcohol sales in the “vicinity” of schools and other vaguely defined areas was reauthorized.

About three months after a vaguely worded ban on alcohol sales was shelved for study, the little-changed order published Thursday – and in effect today – again did not give a distance to the prohibition, leaving authorities to enforce the law at their own discretion.

“No person shall sell alcoholic beverage in areas or places near educational institutes or dormitories that are close to educational institutes,” declared the order signed Oct. 12 by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.

Instead of a law which clearly identifies where alcohol can be sold or not sold, Thursday’s order excluded previous references to a 300-meter distance. No definition was given to “educational institutes” either, though under education laws the term includes all levels of education, from primary schools to universities.


An image of the announcement issued Thursday by the Office of Prime Minister

Government spokesman Maj. Gen. Sansern Kaewkamnerd told reporters this morning the ban includes vicinities:

Easily accessible by children, youths and students, when considering the proximity of educational institutes

Inappropriate for children, youth and students

Where children, youth and students are known to participate in illegal activities

That would likely cause disturbance to children, youth and students in the educational institutes

The spokesman added that Prayuth expects security officers to strictly enforce the law but not so zealously that honest businesses are affected.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1445606963&typecate=06&section=


-- Khaosod English 2015-10-24

[nkg]

Why can't Thailand pass a law requiring ID to be shown when purchasing alcohol?

No more "300m from school" nonsense, and shops could start selling alcohol between 2PM and 5PM again. It isn't rocket science.

[MaxLee]

Why can't Thailand pass a law requiring ID to be shown when purchasing alcohol?

No more "300m from school" nonsense, and shops could start selling alcohol between 2PM and 5PM again. It isn't rocket science.

because money is the law and the arrogant influential rich can just pay a little fee if the owners know who their family is.......

[NongKhaiKid]

Dear People and Tourists,

Don't worry that your favourite bars will be closed.

All that's needed is the appropriate tea money to be paid.

[waldroj]

…leaving authorities to enforce the law at their own discretion.

Making Laws, Thai-style. As was pointed out in Thailand Lawyer Blog in August, for many smaller communities across Thailand, this could mean the entire town is a no drinking zone.

Are government registered hotels, designated entertainment zones and convenience stores to be exempt under this new ‘Law’, or is that at the discretion of the authorities too?

[Somtamnication]

So they raided a butch bar. Even the Beatles are drawn as butch.

[smedly]

Why can't Thailand pass a law requiring ID to be shown when purchasing alcohol?

No more "300m from school" nonsense, and shops could start selling alcohol between 2PM and 5PM again. It isn't rocket science.

That would be too simple plus someone has a point to make, who do you think the hackers are that are threatening government websites

It seems Thailands mighty military have gone to war with their university students

and are slowly going off the rails

There are lots of things that need fixed here - a few students having a piss up ain't one of them

The problem I see here is that those in charge are taking stuff personally, it is a failure to think that way, nobody is perfect - governments get things wrong - people let them know, take it on the chin and move on

The whole thing is quite childish

[chicowoodduck]

Same story, different day and time....why can't the pissheads go one day without a crutch???

Sober up lads and enjoy the day and your life?

[alant]

Why can't Thailand pass a law requiring ID to be shown when purchasing alcohol?

No more "300m from school" nonsense, and shops could start selling alcohol between 2PM and 5PM again. It isn't rocket science.

That would be too simple plus someone has a point to make, who do you think the hackers are that are threatening government websites

It seems Thailands mighty military have gone to war with their university students

and are slowly going off the rails

There are lots of things that need fixed here - a few students having a piss up ain't one of them

The problem I see here is that those in charge are taking stuff personally, it is a failure to think that way, nobody is perfect - governments get things wrong - people let them know, take it on the chin and move on

The whole thing is quite childish

Agree and would add as well as taking things personally (how dare you question me it is because I say it is) it is another money scheme. I can see no other reason for such vaguery leaving it in the hands of the individual enforcers than to expanding the back pocket.

[TheKnave]

So they raided a butch bar. Even the Beatles are drawn as butch.

And, or so it appears, superimposed on an American flag...yep, from Liverpool, Kansas..."She loves you, yep, yep, yep..."

Thailand, home of little-known facts...

[hutchings1963]

The Thai goverment should be more interested in small kids riding motor bikes with no helmets,no licence,no insurance,i see accidents ever day with no helmet on,to be honest i blame the parents for all this they do not seem to care in Thailand

[Card]

Why can't Thailand pass a law requiring ID to be shown when purchasing alcohol?

No more "300m from school" nonsense, and shops could start selling alcohol between 2PM and 5PM again. It isn't rocket science.

Many people in Thailand carry fake IDs.

[klauskunkel]

About three months after a vaguely worded ban on alcohol sales was shelved for study

Law Study Committee: "We studied it and studied it, but we couldn't understand it because we were drunk, so we left it unchanged. Hic."

[mike324]

don't think the police and army will shoot themselves in the feet by limiting the number of meters, hence that was left out. Amount of money they make from tea money or owning these bars amounts to their livelihoods and being able to live the hi-so life

[gandalf12]

Why can't Thailand pass a law requiring ID to be shown when purchasing alcohol?

No more "300m from school" nonsense, and shops could start selling alcohol between 2PM and 5PM again. It isn't rocket science.

If it was a Nobel prize would be in offing

[cumgranosalum]

Looks like a not so much a booze licences as a licence for graft?

Edited October 24, 2015 by cumgranosalum

[kiwikeith]

Why can't Thailand pass a law requiring ID to be shown when purchasing alcohol?

No more "300m from school" nonsense, and shops could start selling alcohol between 2PM and 5PM again. It isn't rocket science.

because money is the law and the arrogant influential rich can just pay a little fee if the owners know who their family is.......

At their own discretion = tea money

[sawadee1947]

without strict and clear rules or laws it's another way only to fill one's pockets. This time: police.

[petedk]

In July the government rushed this law into effect, only to retract it after a couple of days with the excuse that they would take three months to clearly define the areas of the ban. Now after three months the areas covered by the ban are even less clear.

“No person shall sell alcoholic beverage in areas or places near educational institutes or dormitories that are close to educational institutes,” declared the order signed Oct. 12 by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.

Dormitories can often be several hundred meters from the actual school. That could increase the area of no alcohol considerably. Anyway, what is the definition of a dormitory?

Government spokesman Maj. Gen. Sansern Kaewkamnerd told reporters this morning the ban includes vicinities:

Easily accessible by children, youths and students, when considering the proximity of educational institutes

So, ban alcohol in all shopping malls. What is an educational institute? A number of foreign universities have "campuses" or offices located in shopping malls. Many shopping shopping malss , including Siam square and MBK, are close to universities and the students meet at these places after class.

Where children, youth and students are known to participate in illegal activities

The whole of Thailand.

The spokesman added that Prayuth expects security officers to strictly enforce the law but not so zealously that honest businesses are affected.

Uhm, I know of a family restaurant that was ordered to stop selling alcohol in July and hardly any students would drink alcohol anyway., Yet a shop much closer to the university still openly sells beer and students sit outside and drink alcohol.

It will be entirely up to the bribes paid to the cops and their discretion as to who will be punished.

[aslimversgwm]

Why can't Thailand pass a law requiring ID to be shown when purchasing alcohol?

No more "300m from school" nonsense, and shops could start selling alcohol between 2PM and 5PM again. It isn't rocket science.

That would be too simple plus someone has a point to make, who do you think the hackers are that are threatening government websites

It seems Thailands mighty military have gone to war with their university students

and are slowly going off the rails

There are lots of things that need fixed here - a few students having a piss up ain't one of them

The problem I see here is that those in charge are taking stuff personally, it is a failure to think that way, nobody is perfect - governments get things wrong - people let them know, take it on the chin and move on

The whole thing is quite childish

I agree - I think they've lost the plot completely. The issues of corruption and crony-ism, at the heart of Thailand's real problems, seem to have been entirely forgotten or brushed aside. I wonder why?!

[ikurauni]

Strict rule might ignite more corruption. This rule may be important for the Thai government but what they need is a good education system.

[Time Traveller]

Why can't Thailand pass a law requiring ID to be shown when purchasing alcohol?

No more "300m from school" nonsense, and shops could start selling alcohol between 2PM and 5PM again. It isn't rocket science.

It seems you don't get it. The law isn't to stop underage people drinking. That is already a law.

The new law is to stop ALL people from purchasing alcohol during certain times and within certain places. If you're still clueless, it seems the target of this is school teachers, not children.

[mogo51]

Why can't Thailand pass a law requiring ID to be shown when purchasing alcohol?

No more "300m from school" nonsense, and shops could start selling alcohol between 2PM and 5PM again. It isn't rocket science.

Better than a night at the circus, much more entertaining.

[ivan96822]

I'm not worried. You can still drink just about anywhere in Thailand.

[jmccarty]

Looks like a makeshift drinking corner in someones attic. 4 people and a dog around a table with a cop standing there watching.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I have a Thai government primary school in my neighborhood of central BKK.

It's surrounded very closely by quite a few bars and restaurants that serve alcohol and a 7-11 that sells alcohol.

Didn't see any difference the past couple days, just as didn't see any difference the prior time the government announced their "crackdown."

So, thus far, I'd say the local police aren't enforcing it, or, they've already collected their money and have moved on.

[PaulBraveheart]

Selective enforcement. Now you can extort large fee from existing business within these zones if they don't pay, then easy to shut them down, because of the law. Why not just enforce existing laws, like checking an id for instance.

[TEFLKrabi]

So they raided a butch bar. Even the Beatles are drawn as butch.

Nice to see the Beatles have changed their nationality too

[DrTuner]

Please pass the prohibition already. I'm waiting for decent bootleg to hit the markets, would do wonders to the import selection too.

[Condorman]

As a resident of Muang Ake which is the housing estate that surrounds Rangsit University I can understand the law on the alcohol ban and the discretionary enforcement upon certain establishments.

IMHO many posters are missing the point and I can understand that to them the law seems frivolous and somewhat unreasonable.

This law has been brought about because of the number of fatal shootings of students this year.

The infamous Bungalow venue is closed now - there have been 2 fatal shootings here that I know about this year.oo

These have not been shootings of student on student but on the dek weng gangs who also go to the bars. Rich UnI kids angry with the dek weng kids on their turf and dek weng kids jealous of the guys who seem to have it all. Alcohol, testosterone and jai ron don't mix and tempers flare quickly.

This is the problem that I see here and it is this the police want to stop.

Edited October 24, 2015 by Condorman