Minimum Age Raised To 25 For Buyers Of Booze

[jompa]

I really doubt those published figures on the drinking habits of the thai people. According to WHO and The Economist it's another story:

http://www3.who.int/whosis/alcohol/alcohol...anguage=english

http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=2877868

And if they really are true I don't think raising the age to 25 is the right solution. That's just stupid. Sweden, were I come from, have a long history of restrictive alcohol politics and still we have a huge problem of alcoholism. Prohibition clearly doesnt work, so maybe if people instead get treated as adults they will start act like adults.

Anyway, this is really doesn't affect me more than that I can't have a Chang with my girlfriend (24). Too bad. It's sad to see that Thailand is going down the reactionary path, cos in the end it's gonna backfire on the thai ordinary Joe, not the rich ruling class (as always).

Also I don't get the move away from backapacker tourism, as I beleive backpackers once started the massive tourism boom to Thailand. But maybe I'm wrong on that one? But I really think it's bullshit to say that backpackers are scum who don't contribute. As someone said earlier, the money backpackers spend are more likely to end up in the pockets of small bussiness and not the big Hotel chains etc. But hey, if they don't wan't us there, fine, we'll go somewhere else. Cambodia here we come!

[udon]

But a more important question ... Does this mean all the bar girls now need to be over 25.

Contemplating that is scarier than no drinkies until 25.

Bangkok, the hub of stupidity....

[Insight]

I think they had a few when they came up with this one.

Utterly ridiculous. The legal drinking age rises, along with it so will the legal age of entry for nightclubs. What are the weekend evening options for pre-25'ers?

[Huckenfell]

Why not just ban it like drugs? Death penalty or life sentence for possession.

You mean along the lines of Sharia Law ???

[Chaz1819]

It is great that there is awareness of a problem and even better responding to the public voice. These are accomplishments for sure! As all countries do, Thailand has a long way to go fighting this battle, this law may not solve the problem, but thats ok - maybe it will lead the way to some programs in the future. ---- 25 is a bit excessive but the intent is good

When talking to my Thai friend, 23 yo, about this new law - his response was classic - "no problem. I have money, they will give to me" -

[Neeranam]

There are thousands of students who have motorcycle accidents, many fatal, in this country every year. This would save many lives, therefore a great step in the right direction.

Should they have the right to decide if they want to risk their own lives?

There should definately be a heavy fine for driving and drinking.

[Rdrokit]

Well what kind of message is this going to send the rest of the world.....you have to be 25 to drink alcohol but you can screw at 15 and be a prostitute at 18

Edited October 14, 2006 by Rdrokit

[Ijustwannateach]

Hmmm....

When I was a teacher out in the boonies, a Matthayom 5 class (not one student, the whole class!) was drinking whiskeys&coke at the New Year's party. No interference from the Thai teachers, and I'm not into blowing against the wind... when in Thailand, as they say.

Students in that suburban town (high school students!) could routinely buy & drink beer in the little local shops. That was back when the drinking age was theoretically 20. The only place in all of Thailand that I knew the drinking age to be rigidly enforced was Soi 4 on Silom, when all the buzz was up because of the ditzy hi-so kids going to the straight discos there (which have thankfully declined).

So now the new rules create 5 YEARS of the adult population- of an age to be subject to military service (who are already used to drinking) who will now be criminals. Since the population is youth-heavy, let's say that means about 7-10% of the drinking population has been criminalised in one fell swoop?

If they couldn't enforce it when the age was 20, what the heck can they do with the age at 25?

I could've give them the hint (from a teaching perspective) that you should never make a rule or give an order that you can't enforce.

"Steven"

[Insight]

There are thousands of students who have motorcycle accidents, many fatal, in this country every year. This would save many lives, therefore a great step in the right direction.

Should they have the right to decide if they want to risk their own lives?

There should definately be a heavy fine for driving and drinking.

Back in the UK you'd feel less guilty robbing a bank, compared to controlling a vehicle under the influence. There's been a massive shift in social stigma attached to drink-driving in the past 20 years, and that's without changing any age laws.

Why can't they do try the same here?

[eugengeri]

There are thousands of students who have motorcycle accidents, many fatal, in this country every year. This would save many lives, therefore a great step in the right direction.

Should they have the right to decide if they want to risk their own lives?

There should definately be a heavy fine for driving and drinking.

They should think about better driver education, road safety and actually enforcing the law of the road correctly and better. All these things would seriously help in reducing the road death toll and be very welcomed.

Don't worry too much!

At least in Rayong the police have said to my wife and others, in the very near future everybody have to visit the driving school for three months before they can make the test or get the driving licnece. True? I belive.

[Kaojai]

Gosh why stop at 25? Why not just raise the minimum age for booze buyers to 50?

Better yet, why not set the minimum at 25 and the maximum age 50. That would eliminate both the backpackers and many of the permanently pickled elders & chronically cranky layabouts who post here.

[MiG16]

Also, there needs to be a better education system in the schools in general so that the youth have a better chance of good jobs and they need to be educated about the problems of alcohol and other substance abuse.

(25 is not really the youth they are talking about)

educting the youth and having the right administrators and enforcers takes a huge amount of money.

beachedwhale, I totally agree that the above are whats needed. raising the legal age of buying alcohol will NOT stop young thais from drinking. they will simply find other venues....have older friends buy it for them, drink at home or at uni apartments etc. the advertising ban also cannot work the way the law makers think it can -- magic. all of it needs to be taught and shared with youths over long term, as to the effects and consequences such as health problems, drink driving accidents and such.

perhaps we need people like you in the interim government

[chaiyapoon]

Like many other issues in Thailand trying to change what has been going on for years,will be nearly imposible to enforce.Kids have been drinking alcohol under age probably since laws started and that won't change.I see many kids in the villages drinking at 14 upwards by 16 they are buying the alcohol themselves try telling them they can't drink till they are 25!

There is no doubt it is getting worse and something should be done.Just don't see this as the answer.It will just further alienate kids from the authorities.

[MiG16]

"Thailand ranks No. 5 in the world for consumption of alcohol. On average, a Thai consumes 14 litres of alcoholic drinks per year, according to the Thailand Development Research Institute"

what thailand DOES rank number 5 on is in terms of offences related to child pornography...whether this is internet offences, or incidences of such acts.

isnt this where they should exert more of their energy into solving and eliminating?

[Ch4co]

Sweet lord. This is bloody ludicrous.

Seems like one autocracy has been replaced by something even worse.

[Ijustwannateach]

Better and more education would solve many of these woes- especially regarding health, civil liberties, rights of women, rights of children.

Of course, it would need to go hand-in-hand with better economics- a lot of people may live in circumstances that give them little better to do than drink.

"Steven"

[Cpt_M0ney_Sh0t]

Weak, just weak.....

[gbswales]

I understand the intention of the law but believe it will not truly result in a reduction in underage drinking as with many laws in Thailand the issue is not the law itself but the enforcement of the law. People are supposed to have licenses to drive motorbikes but many in the rural ares do not (and would not be old enough to have them), bars are supposed to stop serving alcohol on Buddha days and election days but there are always many well known (and connected) locations where it is possible to drink openly on those days.... etc etc

Unfortunately I believe it will just be another opportunoity for the lower level enforcers to make more money in on the spot fines and for the well connected (i.e. "service charge" paying) locations to continue to sell to whoever they see fit.

Early on in Thakins regime they appeared to understand this issue and try to get the existing laws enforced (for example- with the closing hours), but it caused so much backlash that the process stopped.

It is an extremely complex and broad issue to deal with as it requires a total revamp at all levels of government - employ the right people, pay them well, hold out against the protests, threats etc and then we would end up having the ability to enforce the laws. Also, there needs to be a better education system in the schools in general so that the youth have a better chance of good jobs and they need to be educated about the problems of alcohol and other substance abuse.

Maybe then theywould not have to be so drastic (25 is not really the youth they are talking about) and perhaps there would be a chance to achieve the intention of the law.

I agree that it is something that needs to be tackled, but just do not hold out much hope that it will be done so very quickly as writing a law takes very little money, but educting the youth and having the right administrators and enforcers takes a huge amount of money.

In most countries the idea of calling 20-25 year old's - youth's - would cause a national uprising - the age of adulthood in Thailaind (20) is already higher than most countries in the world. What is the age that you give people the right to make their own decisions about their lives. What next will they raise the age of consent to 25 as wel!

If they are serious about solving the drinking problem then here are some better ideas

1) put a much higher tax on alcahol - this will not kill the genuine tourist trade

2) control unlicensed bars effectively

3) make it a capital offence for a police officer to accept a bribe

4) and as has already been said - give young thai people better education and healthcare

This law cannot work it will only criminalise people - we have seen the same thing worldwide with drug taking. The more illegal it becomes the more it exists! You cannot enforce culture change with laws!!

[bkkandrew]

god i hope that doesnt mean the girls working at the bars, or the girls allowed inside clubs are going to be minimum 25yo!!!!

I wonder if that is their intended target?

[Artisan]

Have a look at this:

Under 25-year olds are being targeted in the UK also.

TV Ad Aims to Stop Young Drinkers

Sorry Marshbags..I posted 20 seconds before you.

Edited October 14, 2006 by Artisan

[marshbags]

Just today the U.K. Government are again trying to get them to understand the dangers via a T.V. ad aimed at the 18-24 age group.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6045818.stm

There have been many different campaigns over the last couple of years in particular both at national and local levels to get them to moderate their drinking.

In the U.K. where I live they have tried educating the young on drinking and it fell on deaf ears.

They have introduced laws now at both levels to control recreational drinking as a consequence of this.

In my city among other things you cannot now walk in the street with a can / bottle or other container of alcohol. ( any age )

You are not allowed to drink in any recreational areas, parks beaches ect. for socializing or otherwise. ( any age )

Those that go underground are soon found and arrested due mainly to the public response on the problem and their tip offs.

( Just maybe if the article in the B.P. is anything to go by similar actions will happen here in Thailand. )

You have to be 18 to buy alcohol anywhere and supermarkets / sales outlets are only allowed to sell it at certain hours.

The law is strictly enforced and alkies / plonkies as they are known locally are banned and arrested and took into custody and now you can see the difference this has made.

Licences are withdrawn by anyone proved to be guilty of ignoring the laws and premises closed down.

Official photographic I.D. is required by to prove your age due to mis uderstandings and difficulties relating to being 18 years and over and the local authorities will supply a photo I.D. for this purpose, if you do not have this you are stopped entering.

No proof :- no entry onto the premises.

( Here they propose 25 for the age restriction based on their assessments. )

Just because re education has been ignored and the young are oblivious to the long term dangers and effects doesn,t mean we shouldn,t at least try to stem future suffering ect.

Please take this onboard before critisising what Thailand proposes to do with their problem.

They choose law as against any other method.

I do not see these actions being taken in Thailand re education and if culture is anything to go by I think there is no other choice but to introduce laws.

You can offer all the arguments you like on it being ridiculous ect. but the fact is there is a problem among the young Thais and they will take what actions they feel relevant to try and control it.

Enforced or not it is the governments decision and no matter what your take on it is.

It is the Thai Authorities choice to introduce it and I happen to think it will be helpful in awareness and just maybe reduce the shocking statistics on drink related incidents,

Especially motor related ones, within this age group

There are lots of Thais who will obey the new law should it be confirmed and they are the ones that count.

So long as the farang that look responsible enough to drink and are acting sensibly then it would be safe to assume they will be left alone in my humble opinion.

They are targeting Thai,s if you read the full article and I quote parts of it.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/14Oct2006_news10.php

Minimum age raised to 25 for buyers of booze

APIRADEE TREERUTKUARKUL

Health authorities have stepped up measures to curb alcohol consumption among youth by moving up the minimum legal age of buyers from 18 to 25 years. Narong Sahamethapat, deputy chief of the Disease Control Department, said yesterday that the idea was proposed by a network of parents early this year during a public hearing of a draft bill to control alcoholic drinks.

The measure to raise the legal minimum age of buyers is part of a national campaign to save Thai youth from alcohol abuse, he said, adding that it has already been incorporated into Article 28 of the draft.

Unquote………………………………………………………………………………………...................................

Now where does it say farang please.

There is a serious problem on the drinking habits of young people all over the world and each authority is concerned enough to take whatever steps they find relevant to curb the present cultures that are associated to health ect. and alcohol abuse.

I am used to being called a boring old fart / do gooder when i do not conform to certain serious issues as voiced by other posters. ( not only on this thread by the way )

I am happy to let you know i am neither.

This is fair comment and democratic and " up to you " but i stick by my own views and how you interpret my posts is your entitlement.

So no problem and just my 4 penneth at the end of the day amid genuine concerns about

Alcohol abuse, especially in young adults.

Go to any city in the U.K. and you may appreciate the problems and long term effects that are

there to be witnessed by any of you.

If you want to be in denial then no problem but reality says different the world over.

Socially and health wise.

marshbags

P.S.

Apologies for a rather long post trying to cover the various points i,d like to offer, in anticipation of the W.T.F. brigade.

Edited October 14, 2006 by marshbags

[MyFriend You]

I agree this is probably directed toward the Thai youth, not the Tourist, or foreign passport holders, we shall see - but can you imagine a US Navy Carrier Group pulling into Pattaya or Phuket with 12,000 sailors on board, and roughly 1/2 of them under the age of 25 being told - you cannot have a beer??? I shudder at the thought, the US Navy will just send the ships down to Singapore or Indonesia for their short R&R's..........they are already stopping in Vietnam and Cambodia. The loss of income to the bars in Pattaya & Phuket will be in the Hundreds of Thousands per visit.

god i hope that doesnt mean the girls working at the bars, or the girls allowed inside clubs are going to be minimum 25yo !!!

Hmmmmm ID cards cost about 500 baht, so that won't be a problem - its making those 17 year olds to look like they are 25 will be the tough part haha

[Ch4co]

god i hope that doesnt mean the girls working at the bars, or the girls allowed inside clubs are going to be minimum 25yo!!!!

I wonder if that is their intended target?

This is rather worrying, what's next? Seems like they come out with one anal idea everyday.

I'd actually like to see this being implemented. Does it mean that I wont be able to get into a bar with my 24 year old gf? Or a 24 year old man comes to Thailand on holiday and cannot legally buy a beer?

I did notice the law talks about being 25 and over to BUY alcohol. So does that mean I can buy it and give it to someone else below 25?

I truely wonder if these people have brains at all. This moves clearly demonstrates their complete stupidity.

Its no wonder they dont want people to start criticising..

[Jersey_UK]

"145 User(s) are reading this topic (93 Guests and 1 Anonymous Users)" - I think this tells us something Farang priorities in Thailand!!

As we do know Thailand, I bet that it will not affect the farang under 25 that are here on holiday..................................... they probably will not be looking at the younger farangs but that is only a guess.

My bet is that it WILL affect the Farang under 25 (and those who look older who don't have ID on them), particularly at the end of the month. EXCEPT those who are drinking in the "Naughty Nightlife" cos the licencing conditions are "special".

Being over 25 helps me have no great problem with this idea (It's up to the Thais wot they do in Thailand), just a shame it is more nonsense from the nonsense people in nonsenseland, as I think Thailand will end up hurting itself as a Tourist destination long term from the selective enforcement. In many respects blanket enforcement would be better cos folk would know where they are, just that when folk never know what is going to happen and stories start to circulate of "enforcement exepriances" then Thailands reputation as a SAFE destination will suffer. As already said, todays back packer is potentially tommorows "quality" Tourist.

[noodle]

Unfortunately I believe it will just be another opportunoity for the lower level enforcers to make more money in on the spot fines and for the well connected (i.e. "service charge" paying) locations to continue to sell to whoever they see fit.

Early on in Thakins regime they appeared to understand this issue and try to get the existing laws enforced (for example- with the closing hours), but it caused so much backlash that the process stopped.

It's quite simple really.

The govt feels the need to create more criminals to harass and fine so it outlaws something that is popular, in demand, and victimless.

Result - more criminals, more corruption (look at who runs most of the go-gos' these days).

Transfer of power, mission accomplished.

I gave up beer and whiskey when I was 15 (England was great back then) - I got so drunk one evening on them. I was 22 before I touched either one again - I had a lot of fun with liqueurs in the intervening years. I wouldn't have missed it for quids.

You can't stop people from boozing, shagging, or doing dope etc because that is what they have done for hundreds of generations - it is in the genes.

The smart move is for families to deal with it internally if needed otherwise everyone ends up being a serf to the state.

[PeaceBlondie]

Wait a minute; I just realized: nothing has changed.

Play a few bars of We Won't Be Fooled Again - especially the line, "Here's to the new boss, same as the old boss."

The recently appointed Thai politicians (many of whom are former Thai politicians) are making announcements like....Thai politicians.

I mentioned the new rule to my Thai partner today and he had no more reaction than he would have made several months ago, when Thaksin's education minister of the day promised to make every P4 student in Nakhon Ratshit perfectly fluent in English in 30 days.

I shall revive my prior mantra: Beware; this is a government announcement. Carry on as you were.

[fritte]

That´s a very good idea! I´ve seen too many drunk youngsters during my trips to Bangkok and Pattaya. Hurray, Hurray, Hurray!!

[noodle]

The US prohibition was a complete failure. Both for booze and drugs.

[cclub75]

I mentioned the new rule to my Thai partner today and he had no more reaction than he would have made several months ago, when Thaksin's education minister of the day promised to make every P4 student in Nakhon Ratshit perfectly fluent in English in 30 days.

Yes. But don't forget : they could do it. I mean for real.

Remember ?

-The zoning and 2 AM closing times for night venues ?

-the closing of shoppings malls at 10 PM (to save oil...) ?

-the photos on the packs of cigarettes ?

-the ban of advertising for cigarettes in shops ?

-and more recently the so called "visa shakeup"...

Everybody, each time, said : "no way, TIT, in 3 month back to normal"...

Thaksin or the new government, the target remains the same, only the means can change from time to time : clean up the society.

[jingjoe]

Minimum age raised to 25 for buyers of booze

BANGKOK: -- Health authorities have stepped up measures to curb alcohol consumption among youth by moving up the minimum legal age of buyers from 18 to 25 years.

No mention of lifting the Age for DRINKING booze?

I can see a tidy racket developing for personal booze buyers, there'll be one outside every 7-11 available for a small fee...