Alcohol Control Bill Rejected - Party Time!

[konangrit]

Pheeeew, I can now legally booze all night without the fear of being ostracised or prosecuted!

Only if you consider all night to be until 2am.

[Thaistyx]

Well i for one am happy about this. I was worrying, that when i get to LOS in 2 weeks, no one would serve me a drinky

I have NEVER seen a farang been asked for ID.

It galls my girlfriend a lot in that she gets asked for ID (she is 30) and i dont, and nor do any of the other farangs with us. Ha ha ha.

They are trying to do this for the Thai youth. They dont care if farangs drink themselves silly as long as they pay for their drinks !

And I'm over 50 years old.....and before I could get into Angelwitch, they asked me for my ID.....Thinking that I look like a Thai person. Thais are not permitted in Angelwitch and a lot of other go-go bars. I studied Thai for over 6 years and I love to speak the language but because I'm Asian-American, I can pass myself off as a Thai. hel_l, I get more doors opened to me when I speak English in Thailand. I just feel a bit sorry for your average thai guy who isn't allowed into a club in his own country.

[Virgil]

Well i for one am happy about this. I was worrying, that when i get to LOS in 2 weeks, no one would serve me a drinky

I have NEVER seen a farang been asked for ID.

It galls my girlfriend a lot in that she gets asked for ID (she is 30) and i dont, and nor do any of the other farangs with us. Ha ha ha.

They are trying to do this for the Thai youth. They dont care if farangs drink themselves silly as long as they pay for their drinks !

My wife is a dentist in her late 20's. We went to a night club and she was asked to show her ID. She recognised the bouncer but he didn't recognise her ... until he saw the ID. She'd filled his tooth earlier in the week. HAHAHA! The guy was very shy once he recognised her. I suppose she DOES look different in a black mini and boob tube to the white coat and grey slacks at work. But this is the problem Thai women with western husbands have ... even in their own country ... they are mistaken for Go-Go girls. Never mind ... we "PLAY" Go-Go Bar at home sometimes. HAHAHA!

Virgil, Out!

[BigSnake]

Nice to see some clear THINKER in the cabinet, it's one of those law that would be next to impossible to enforce, it is almost impossible to enforce the under 18 law; Example: my Thai neighbor and I were talking about this law, he prove his point, not that he need to for me; he sent his 12 year old daughter to the near by 7/11 for three packs of Falling Rain and two big bottles of LEO, young lady back 10 mins, beer and falling rain in hand.

Cannot buy beer at Big C, Lotous, Marko, etc etc between 9am-11am(??) 2pm-5pm, for sure just step around the corner to mama and papa all you want no questions

"enough said"

[Scott]

So, the gov't might find out that it's a lot easier to control those Big hypermarkets than those Mom & Pop operations!!

Quite a dilemma for the gov't.

[Wandering]

However, Cabinet ministers feared the moves may not be effective, Surayud said.

"How would the sellers know whether the buyers are over 25 years or not? It might also cause state officers to face difficulties enforcing the law," he said.

Oh My... A meeting of ministers to come to this obvious conclusion ?

We agree that this "non" decision is a good move... But, frankly, if you think about it : it's as scary as usual. They talk and act before they think.

I live in ChiangMai and know lots of people (mostly hill tribes people Karen and Lahu) who don't have ID cards even though they were born in Thailand. This could be what they were refering to.

[nonthaburial]

Whats so strange about all this is the fact that the laws are saying you cannot BUY if under 25, but says nothing about NOT BEING ABLE TO DRINK. So if a person over 25 buys a drink for someone under 25 then it appears thats quite legal.

Or have I missed something ??????

[PK Engineering]

The members of the new Cabinet are wiser than anticipated.

Maybe some of them had a nice round of golf during the weekend with some booze-friends...who knows?

LaoPo

Have you ever had a problem buying drinks in PTTY during this time? I never had. Cheers

[LaoPo]

The members of the new Cabinet are wiser than anticipated.

Maybe some of them had a nice round of golf during the weekend with some booze-friends...who knows?

LaoPo

Have you ever had a problem buying drinks in PTTY during this time? I never had. Cheers

Sorry, PK, I'm puzzled, since I am not familiar with PTTY.....

Note: I'm not a golfer...(yet)

LaoPo

[ZZZ]

The bill was not rejected, just sent back for some minor changes before being resubmitted to be accepted.

From Bangkok Post 18/10/06:

"Dr Mongkol said the cabinet agreed in principle with the bill and the ministry would next week resubmit the bill to the cabinet after making the necessary changes to it. Cabinet approval is required before the bill can be forwarded to the National Legislative Assembly for its scrutiny and approval."

[moodang]

Pheeeew, I can now legally booze all night without the fear of being ostracised or prosecuted!

Only if you consider all night to be until 2am.

You must not live in Thailand, and if you do......... You just havent got a clue.

[konangrit]

Pheeeew, I can now legally booze all night without the fear of being ostracised or prosecuted!

Only if you consider all night to be until 2am.

You must not live in Thailand, and if you do......... You just havent got a clue.

Eh? OK, please tell me where I can legally booze all night in Bangkok.

[bkkresident]

Thailand is a champion when it comes to drafting new laws that cannot be properly enforced.

Anti-prostitution and anti-gambling come to mind.

So lets see.

An 18 year old can work in a bar.

A 20 year old can enter a bar as a customer but only drinks soft drinks

A 25 year old can enter a bar and order alcoholc drinks

A 25 year old can also buy alcoholic drinks a stores, but only at certain hours.

A true alcoholic 25 year old can buy alcoholic drinks 24 hours a day by buying 10 liters or more.

However, if one gets caught DUI, the penalty is a small fine, you can drive home, and not mch comes off it.

Soccer on TV has become a sport without goals

International sport events will probably no longer be held i Thailand, as beer and whiskey producers are almost always major sonsors. They same applies for concerts.

[Spenthouse]

i really like the "sexy leo girl" ad in the bkk post of this morning - sort of flies in the face of the cabinet resolution.

[Galong]

It's nice to see some stupid bills being thought about before passing.

Spot on! How many times recently have we seen bills put out, then pulled back.

I see cigarettes openly displayed here in Phuket now. I guess that bill is no longer valid either.

[Insight]

They had a pretty long meeting, at LEAST they could have come up with a more plausible cop-out?

Difficult to do once you've had a few....

The bill was not rejected, just sent back for some minor changes before being resubmitted to be accepted.

From Bangkok Post 18/10/06:

"Dr Mongkol said the cabinet agreed in principle with the bill and the ministry would next week resubmit the bill to the cabinet after making the necessary changes to it. Cabinet approval is required before the bill can be forwarded to the National Legislative Assembly for its scrutiny and approval."

Let's hope this is all a bit of a face-saving routine...

Edited October 18, 2006 by Insight

[horseracer21]

THIS WHOLE THING IS SILLY....ALWAYS HAS BEEN ...ALWAYS WILL BE.......I BELIEVE THAT THE VOTING AGE IS 18 HERE IN THAILAND LIKE IN THE STATES. SO HERE AGAIN....LIKE IN THE STATES ....YOU ARE OLD ENOUGH TO VOTE AND FIGHT IN WARS LIKE IRAQ......BUT YOU CAN'T BUY LIQUOR. IF YOU ARE MATURE ENOUGH TO DO VOTING AND FIGHTING.....YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO BUY A BUD OR SING HA.

THE OLD ADAGE MAKE WATER ILLEGAL AND SEE HOW COULD IT TASTES....THEY MAKE THE DRINKING AGE WHAT THEY LIKE ....KIDS WILL ALWAYS FIND A WAY TO GET BOOZE ...I KNOW I DID WHEN I WAS 18 AND THAT 'WAS THE SUMMER OF '69"......

[PhilHarries]

Prime Minister Surayud Chula-nont, who chaired the meeting, said ministers resolved to set up a working group with officials from various ministries to consider the laws' effects on related groups.

A government "working group" eh? Now that is radical, never been tried before.

By the time they have selected the members, met over a few long lunches, slept a few afternoons, played a few rounds of golf they'll have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing.

[Old Man River]

I have no doubt that these guys mean well, but controversial laws such as these should not come from a non-elected government. If elections are really only a year away, then give stiffer penalties for drunk driving and wait for elected officials to decide the will of the people.

The order of the day is national reconciliation. Why then the rush to promulgate laws that have people divided?

[VBF]

My only concern are those SYT's we meet in the bars. What if we can't buy them Lady-Drinks anymore? Oh what a sham... er, shame that would be. Oh boo hoo.

You'll be Ok - The're alchohol free

Free??????? You should be that lucky!!!

[chanchao]

> I live in ChiangMai and know lots of people (mostly hill tribes

> people Karen and Lahu) who don't have ID cards even though

> they were born in Thailand. This could be what they were refering to.

I'd say that's... unlikely. You honestly think anyone in government, especially the current lot, cares what they drink up there on the mountain?

(from a big jerrycan... made from corn.... )

[bkkandrew]

EXCLUSIVE REVELATIONS!

Those cabinet minutes on the alcohol discussion in full:

Gen. Somchai Magachump (Chair): Yes – so we are all agreed on item 2 of the agenda – renaming of this cabinet the Democratic United Forum For Democracy, or DUFF Democracy.

Gen. Somchai Magachump (Chair): OK – item 3 – introduction of bill to reduce alcohol consumption.

Ret. Gen Oldchai Chackwahl (Cultural Affairs): Although I recognize the need for action, it has come to my attention that my mia noi is only 23. Now I know that when she is with me in a public bar all rules hitherto will be cancelled, but when she goes out with her, er, cousin, Somkid Hansomeman, who is also 23, they may have problems getting in to the RCA and such like.

Gen. Somchai Magachump (Chair): I don’t think that we can let this discussion come down to individual circumstances here.

Ret. Gen Oldchai Chackwahl (Cultural Affairs): But she has threatened to spill the beans to my wife, Yingyai Battleaxe, that I have given her the use of one of Taxin’s old homes!

Gen. Somchai Magachump (Chair): Hmmm, I see…

Dr Mehkong Sangsom (Health): Mr Chairman – you are allowing personal interests in here! This is….

Mr Tangchai Suparich (Wealth): That is our job after all! Mr Chackwahl does raise a valid point. I have just discovered that, in fact, I own 27 different bars and restaurants. Naturally, after this discovery, I thought that I would be able to utilize this situation to carry out valuable research. Now my cashier said that profits would be down 50%, thus jeopardising my bank, er no, staff numbers!

Gen. Trongpai Bai-more-porn (Silly Walks): I must report a poor reception from my constituent base on these proposals.

Dr Mehkong Sangsom (Health): But you haven’t got a constituent base – you are not elected!

Gen. Trongpai Bai-more-porn (Silly Walks): Yes, but next best thing – I surveyed all my mia nois – and I mean all! No-one can accuse me of dereliction of duty!! And they are ALL under 25!!

Gen. Somchai Magachump (Chair): No-one is accusing you of shirking in the hard work required to keep this stability Government, er stable, or indeed of the, er, age range you stabilise things with, but what is the point you are making here?

Gen. Trongpai Bai-more-porn (Silly Walks): Well they all said words to the effect of what’s the point of being with an old git like me if they can’t show off about it down at the pub!

Ret. Gen Oldchai Chackwahl (Cultural Affairs): And we cannot have you losing face like that!

Mr Makeitup Gowhawk (Information): I think that what everyone is trying to say is that there is no way of knowing how old someone is. For instance, just because a man is wrinkled and balding – he could be a cancer patient of only 24 years old!

Dr Mehkong Sangsom (Health): Well yes, I suppose, but what about I.D. Cards?

Mr Makeitup Gowhawk (Information): Well as Chackwahl said, his mia noi is 23. If her I.D. Card was upside-down, you could think she was 32. Yes – I know what you are about to say – subtract the date of birth from the current year, but wait, if, say a doorman of the Novatel bar used the Gregorian calendar on a perfectly respectable drinker of 40 years old, then he might make the mistake that he was, in fact, -503, therefore being under the 25 year age limit! He would then lose face and…

Gen. Somchai Magachump (Chair): Which is what we must avoid here! Right, agreed, official policy to reject this new law as bar staff could confuse themselves when reading this transcript.

Mr Makeitup Gowhawk (Information): You mean when reading someone’s I.D. Card??

Gen. Somchai Magachump (Chair): Yes – that’s it, now onto item 4 – Visa refusal for foreigner with an “I” in their name…

Edited October 18, 2006 by bkkandrew

[TaxinMeter]

Hiarious! And realistic. Keep reporting!

[farangsay]

It's nice to see some stupid bills being thought about before passing.

What's the bet during the time of square face, that bill would have passed overnight.

You mean they would have voted on it or it would have slipped through

when everybody was asleep?

[s.pylos]

Pheeeew, I can now legally booze all night without the fear of being ostracised or prosecuted!

Only if you consider all night to be until 2am.

You must not live in Thailand, and if you do......... You just havent got a clue.

Eh? OK, please tell me where I can legally booze all night in Bangkok.

In disco, pools club and Karaokes open after 2AM...

[sandy]

[konangrit]

Pheeeew, I can now legally booze all night without the fear of being ostracised or prosecuted!

Only if you consider all night to be until 2am.

You must not live in Thailand, and if you do......... You just havent got a clue.

Eh? OK, please tell me where I can legally booze all night in Bangkok.

In disco, pools club and Karaokes open after 2AM...

[sandy]

Legally?

[Jai Dee]

Alcoholic-Beverage Control Bill is likely to resume its previous ban

The Director-General of the Disease Control Department, Mr. Thawat Suntrajarn (ธวัช สุนทราจารย์), has revealed that the restrictions on alcoholic-beverage sales, including a ban on people under 25 years old to buy the alcoholic drinks, will be reconsidered. However, the alcoholic drinks’ advertisements supporting foreign sport events which are lively aired on TV will not be banned.

Mr. Thawat explained that the public hearing survey conducted to find out opinions on the prohibition of people under 25 years old to buy alcoholic drinks have shown that two groups of samplings opined in two different views. Relevant agencies will reconsider on the Alcoholic-Beverage Control Bill and are likely to resume previous ban that not to allow people under 18 years old to buy alcoholic drinks.

Mr. Thawat, however, said that the Public Health Ministry would find appropriate ways on the ban. The Bill is expected to be submitted to the Act Drafting Panel on Alcoholic-Beverage Control, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Industry Minister Kosit Panpiemras (โฆษิต ปั้นเปี่ยมรัษฎ์), for consideration next Tuesday. Then, the Bill will be forwarded to the Cabinet meeting on October 31st.

Regarding alcoholic beverages’ advertisements on TV, Mr. Thawat has insisted that an exception will be allowed for those televised commercials during the “live” foreign sport matches.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 18 October 2006

[atlastaname]

I don't get it .. you are an adult at 18 (some would say nowadays much earlier than that ) so why can't anyone 18 or older buy alcohol, fags , get into any clubs bars etc ?

Woul;d someone explain to me why there is this constant drive to call 18 year olds children (when they stop being children at 16 IMHO), and secondly why those in charge want to restrict ANYTHING that an 18 year old can do? Why isn't an 18 year old ADULT allowed to do anything a 60 year old one is ?

Anyone answer that ?

[robint]

what is it about these locals, they are so good at cutting off their own nose to spite their face. How many times have you seen examples of officialdom making a complete fool of itself

Hey guys it must be obvious to some populist wannabe that if you make a law that is very unpopular with the voters, then you c an come in on a ticket that promises to repeal that law. Think of all those angry voters aged 18 - 25

ha ha ha

[bri1guy]

So what is the legal age to buy alcohol ?

Rejected Great news I'll drink to that !!! Chook Dee Kop