I didn't want to start another thread, but all the latest ones are connected to the referendum.

 

I have just been advised that this Friday, August 12th, the Queen's birthday, the bars in Thailand will not be permitted to sell alcohol.

 

The birthdays of both the King and Queen were, up until 2005, no alcohol days, but this was relaxed in 2006, coincidentally as the King turned 80.

 

Last December 5th, the King's birthday, the powers that be decided to reintroduce this Draconian rule, so I presumed it would also be the case this Friday.

 

I am aware that the 'anti alcohol' brigade will be here with their 'can't you do a day without alcohol ?' comments, but, hey, this is thaivisa.

 

I will be in Bangkok visiting some friends who have traveled over here, and would be grateful if anyone could let me know, nearer the day, any venues that will be open.    

 

   

Everything is closed. Trip ruined.

Quote

I have just been advised that this Friday, August 12th, the Queen's birthday, the bars in Thailand will not be permitted to sell alcohol.

Who advised you/source?

In the past years there was no ban on Queen's birthday.

 

3 hours ago, JJGreen said:

Everything is closed. Trip ruined.

 

At least I have tissues and if I get hungry I can go to 7/11 for a burger !

Is the tourist industry about to collapse for the 100th time this decade?

Just now, SoiBiker said:

Is the tourist industry about to collapse for the 100th time this decade?

 

No. With perfectionists like you, they will survie.

It really is strange for country promoting tourism and needing the tourists money, why they keep doing this.

 

Living here and understanding the rules, it is easy to get around. But if you came with family or friends for a relaxing holiday and had this i would think many would think about other places, or at least return home with a negative report. Dry days and limited serving times are ridiculous.

 

The whole thing is a shambles and whatever the reasons for the restrictions, they don't work.

....do you really think that Thais will stop drinking.....???

 

....just not in public venues.....

 

...but even then....according to a few posts this week....

9 hours ago, Chapelroad said:

 

At least I have tissues and if I get hungry I can go to 7/11 for a burger !

see buddy...u can survive a night without a drink

I'm not sure where the OP got his info and what significance 2006 has, but the King was 80 on 5 December 2007 and not in 2006.

I originally planned to arrive on 18th July for my 30 day holiday. Had I done so that would have meant 5 alcohol free days during my time here.

Totally unacceptable. 

As it was I arrived on the 21st, missing the first two, but still not happy.

Thinking about Cambodia next year.

In the 11 years that I have lived here, there has never been an alcohol ban on the Queen's birthday. The King's birthday has generally been a dry day apart from one - can't recall exact;ly which year but there was no ban at the King's request.

 

Alan

Have a buddy who's got a bar in Udon Thani.

He says 'been open the past 7 years on queens birthday, but this year waiting for confirmation that it's ok to open'.

 

"I am aware that the 'anti alcohol' brigade will be here with their 'can't you do a day without alcohol ?' comments, but, hey, this is thaivisa."

 

I have absolutely nothing against alcohol although I do not drink myself. In fact, taken  properly, I think it can be a very good thing. But I must admit, I would be one of those people you refer to above...it bores the socks off me every time a day like this comes along....we see some post putting the alcohol free day up there on a par with a world disaster.

Quote

There will be no ban on the sale of alcohol on Friday, Phuket Provincial Police Commander Col Teeraphol Thipjaroen told The Phuket News.

 

From:

Let's assume that this does not only apply to Phuket.

1 hour ago, Lantern said:

I originally planned to arrive on 18th July for my 30 day holiday. Had I done so that would have meant 5 alcohol free days during my time here.

Totally unacceptable. 

As it was I arrived on the 21st, missing the first two, but still not happy.

Thinking about Cambodia next year.

If you are an alco i can understand your problem.Waking up with the DT's is not good.

The usual moaners about not been able to visit a bar or buy booze for twenty four hours .I can remember the draconian

licensing laws in the UK .Now teenagers binge drinking is the norm in many cities.

People seem to be unable to board a flight these days in The UK unless they are half cut .

Get your booze in the day before its not the end of the world .........Get real and stop moaning !!!

2 hours ago, chrissables said:

It really is strange for country promoting tourism and needing the tourists money, why they keep doing this.

 

Living here and understanding the rules, it is easy to get around. But if you came with family or friends for a relaxing holiday and had this i would think many would think about other places, or at least return home with a negative report. Dry days and limited serving times are ridiculous.

 

The whole thing is a shambles and whatever the reasons for the restrictions, they don't work.

" It really is strange for country promoting tourism and needing the tourists money, why they keep doing this. "

 

Most of the alcohol-free days have remained the same for years without the tourism industry being brought to its knees. It's survived a tsunami, floods, coups, civil unrest, etc. And, as hard as it may be to believe, catering to alcohol dependent gogo bar hopping tourists may not motivate everything that happens in the country.

 

This is becoming a pain in the neck, if factual. All bans do is to prevent businesses (mainly tourist outlets) from selling alcohol (if enforced by the local police). It does NOT stop people from drinking alcohol. Prohibition has never worked in the whole history of mankind, and it certainly doesn't work here. What it does do is to deprive friends meeting at convivial venues and limits social get-togethers from taking place when outlets board up their premises.

 

 

 

 

 

31 minutes ago, jippytum said:

The usual moaners about not been able to visit a bar or buy booze for twenty four hours .I can remember the draconian

licensing laws in the UK .Now teenagers binge drinking is the norm in many cities.

People seem to be unable to board a flight these days in The UK unless they are half cut .

Get your booze in the day before its not the end of the world .........Get real and stop moaning !!!

 

Unlike.

It's almost as if Thailand were a sovereign nation and can make up their own rules or something. 

I am a life long non drinker, and these no alcohol days especially in tourist areas is ridiculous.

If they had days when anyone obviously drunk out in the street were taken to jail, fined and locked up for the night

then yes, I would agree with that.

 

I admit that I detest drunks, and have no time for them, but there is nothing wrong with sociable drinking.

If the 12th is a dry day does it apply from 00.01 am which means that the late night of the 11th is also dry.

34 minutes ago, Suradit69 said:

" It really is strange for country promoting tourism and needing the tourists money, why they keep doing this. "

 

Most of the alcohol-free days have remained the same for years without the tourism industry being brought to its knees. It's survived a tsunami, floods, coups, civil unrest, etc. And, as hard as it may be to believe, catering to alcohol dependent gogo bar hopping tourists may not motivate everything that happens in the country.

 

It has nothing to do with the tourists being "alcohol dependent gogo bar hopping" types - its just that tourists are on holiday and therefore are a bit taken aback when told that the beer/glass of wine they requested with their meal cannot be served as its a non-alcohol day.

Another hard blow for the alco-marinated sexpat community. ONE day without booze...

4 hours ago, dotpoom said:

 

"I am aware that the 'anti alcohol' brigade will be here with their 'can't you do a day without alcohol ?' comments, but, hey, this is thaivisa."

 

I have absolutely nothing against alcohol although I do not drink myself. In fact, taken  properly, I think it can be a very good thing. But I must admit, I would be one of those people you refer to above...it bores the socks off me every time a day like this comes along....we see some post putting the alcohol free day up there on a par with a world disaster.

If you see a topic that you find boring then don't open the thread. For me though these notices are useful. A recent thread meant I could  change my plans and meet up with friends in Bangkok last Friday rather than this Friday. If I hadn't known, we would have booked a hotel and traveled to Bangkok to find all the pubs were closed.

 

I think all the 12 step programs are still open everyday

Friday 12th is not 'alcohol free' and never has been for the 18 years I've been here and according to a neighbour, a high ranking policeman, it's no different this year.

 

This argument crops up every year.  I don't know why.

 

Local police can make a decision to ban and some venues will close out of respect but it's not a nationwide rule.

3 hours ago, Suradit69 said:

" It really is strange for country promoting tourism and needing the tourists money, why they keep doing this. "

 

Most of the alcohol-free days have remained the same for years without the tourism industry being brought to its knees. It's survived a tsunami, floods, coups, civil unrest, etc. And, as hard as it may be to believe, catering to alcohol dependent gogo bar hopping tourists may not motivate everything that happens in the country.

 

It really is strange for country promoting tourism and needing the tourists money, why they keep doing this.

 

Living here and understanding the rules, it is easy to get around. But if you came with family or friends for a relaxing holiday and had this i would think many would think about other places, or at least return home with a negative report. Dry days and limited serving times are ridiculous.

 

The whole thing is a shambles and whatever the reasons for the restrictions, they don't work.

15 hours ago, SoiBiker said:

Is the tourist industry about to collapse for the 100th time this decade?

The tourist industry won't collapse, it will just get worse.