2 hours ago, ajarnmarc said:

Upon original viewing of this post, I thought it was some sort of a joke, right?

First Thailand creates new operation hours for bars.

Then it starts selling booze only during certain hours of each day.

Then it stops sells at petrol stations, and outposts.

Then it restricts bars from being close to schools, temples ect.

Then it hikes up alcohol prices serval times over the past ten years, 

in an effort to discourage sells.

Restrict sells of alcohol during most holidays,

and any other events, which take place within Thailand...as often as they can get away with.

Now they think they can ask for it's citizens to reframe from purchasing liquor for 3 month. 

So happy I stopped consuming liquor a decade ago.

Though one should ponder what's next for this countries bright future, 

when so little is available for people to enjoy during their free time, 

in the way of entertainment.

Though I don't consider consuming liquor a form of entertainment, 

it usually helps people to enjoy or except how boring their life is, 

with so little options in the form of outside entertainment within the country...

 

 

 

There used to be 'Licensing Laws' in UK, pubs close afternoons and at 11pm, 10.30 on Sundays in England and closed in Scotland.

I go walking every morning at sunrise along Dongtan Beach in Jomtien, and every morning, in one particular section of that beach, I see groups of Thais, mostly in their 20s but can be older, mostly guys but many girls too, who sit around a varying number of empty bottles, totally drunk, totally obnoxious, loud, rude, and what I feel first and foremost is sadness. Obviously they've been at it all night long. It's a pathetic and depressing sight.

 

What's their life like ? Is it so void of purpose and challenge that their only idea of a good time involves getting drunk out of their minds ?

 

So far I have not encountered any aggressiveness on their part although the potential for violence is palpable so I'm very careful, polite, I give a smile and say hi if our eyes meet, but mostly I give them a wide berth whenever possible.

 

When I go back to Europe to visit my friends and families and tell them about that, they say that young people in Europe do the same thing. They get together and drink huge quantities of alcohol until they pass out.

As I have stated before the anti  alcohol lobby in Thailand is gaining ground at an alarming rate & has the ear of the PM.

If they are really serious about reducing the locals alcohol intake they should first of all ban that bloody Lao Khao

that is just cheap spirit that rots livers & kidneys by the thousands. But who makes it ? The rich Companies Oh Dear

so much talk so little action

 

where are the incentives?

 

where are the programs to help?

 

where are the family activities set up to promotes this? (i did see a local school parading down the street with no booze signs etc) so there that but

 

nowt, nothing, nada as per usual just hot air from windbags who collect a nice sum

for making these "proclamations"

 

 

I really want to reply to something but this is the silliest thing I ever heard of. A whole country stops drinking for 3 months Ha ha ha

Are these the people that are really running this country ? ? ?

Thais who drink to stop drinking for 3 months during Buddhist lent!!!???  About as much chance of that happening as the same Thais not eating rice for 3 months.

The gf's father did 2 or 3 years ago and has not had a drink since. The most I could do was 8 days working in a remote, dry aboriginal community in the NT. The first couple of beers after tasted funny so I will not try for 3 months.

Desert or salt water? I spent 5 years with the salt water people.[emoji26]

Sent from my SM-J700F using Tapatalk

First the register with the gov for using Facebook and now this...

 

  There have certainly been a lot of flying pig sightings this week....                

Here we go again

 

in  your dreams! the Thai's will never give up their booze! especially when they are drink and attempt to sing karaoke! sound like a bunch of chickens laying eggs.

I wonder what the economic impact of no booze sold for three months would be? 

I think that's gonna go down as the "biggest ask ever"

giving up the juice for 3 months... I'll need a couple of brews & a stiff chaser to think about it!

Utopia...

2 hours ago, Yann55 said:

I go walking every morning at sunrise along Dongtan Beach in Jomtien, and every morning, in one particular section of that beach, I see groups of Thais, mostly in their 20s but can be older, mostly guys but many girls too, who sit around a varying number of empty bottles, totally drunk, totally obnoxious, loud, rude, and what I feel first and foremost is sadness. Obviously they've been at it all night long. It's a pathetic and depressing sight.

 

What's their life like ? Is it so void of purpose and challenge that their only idea of a good time involves getting drunk out of their minds ?

 

So far I have not encountered any aggressiveness on their part although the potential for violence is palpable so I'm very careful, polite, I give a smile and say hi if our eyes meet, but mostly I give them a wide berth whenever possible.

 

When I go back to Europe to visit my friends and families and tell them about that, they say that young people in Europe do the same thing. They get together and drink huge quantities of alcohol until they pass out.

 

Just kids having fun, most of them will grow out of it after a few years.

7 minutes ago, ukrules said:

I go walking every morning at sunrise along Dongtan Beach in Jomtien, and every morning, in one particular section of that beach, I see groups of Thais, mostly in their 20s but can be older, mostly guys but many girls too, who sit around a varying number of empty bottles, totally drunk, totally obnoxious, loud, rude, and what I feel first and foremost is sadness.

Sorry about that,  you can easily avoid it elsewhere in Thailand ya know.  

Why?  Buddhist Lent has to do with Buddhism.  If Buddhists wish to stop drinking during the rain retreats, it's a personal decision.  When a government picks up the gauntlet of a major religion and starts slapping people with it, it's overreach.  
The government should stick to governing.  They have their hands full with that single task.  

4 minutes ago, connda said:

Why?  Buddhist Lent has to do with Buddhism.  If Buddhists wish to stop drinking during the rain retreats, it's a personal decision.  When a government picks up the gauntlet of a major religion and starts slapping people with it, it's overreach.  
The government should stick to governing.  They have their hands full with that single task.  

The "government" is incapable of governing so instead they resort to interfering in peoples' lives and counting twerks.

5 hours ago, KIWIBATCH said:

If they don't stop drinking for 3 months...will Article 44 be invoked to force them to do so ?

Do the average Thais know what Article 44 is for a start?

Thais in the rural areas will make rice wine and it's kind of sweet. But better than nothing.(supplement their farming income).

The Junta likes to appear busy doing something for the country. "You farang don't know anything about us Thais, so just sit down and drink your beer".

Three hours would be a struggle for a lot of them !   Seems every day is April 1st in Thailand.

Gotta be careful doing stuff like this, the ones that make it till the end might like it and never touch it again.

7 hours ago, saakura said:

Good initiative, and i wish good luck to all those who are trying to be alcohol free for 3 months, even if you just ignore the religious sentiment attached to it, which is just like a crutch to support for those in need.

3 months ? haha haha haha haha haha haha haha 

Off topic posts and replies have been removed. 

It will never happen , expect "good deeds" with or without alcohol. 

 

AA will help.

6 hours ago, YetAnother said:

health dept wants thais to kick alcohol,tobacco, gambling, infidelity,bad driving.pornography and anything not involved in praying

Now that is major worry and the slightest inkling that it could happen ,   I am out of here pronto  

Call me a bigot but aren't Thais in deep love with alcohol and tobacco?

Is it just me, or is "Buddhist Lent" the wrong translation for phansa?

I mean, when is "Buddhist Easter" then?

So, the Stop Drink Network and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation are the "Health Dept"?   Two health advocacy groups suggest Thais stop drinking for their Lent season (not a big surprise really) and most Thais will ignore them, end of story.  What's the government got to do with it?

 

8 minutes ago, Ruffian Dick said:

Is it just me, or is "Buddhist Lent" the wrong translation for phansa?

I mean, when is "Buddhist Easter" then?

I don't know what "phansa" means.

 

My understanding of Lent (brought up in the Methodist tradition) is that it is an opportunity for believers to 'prove' their faith by giving up something of significance for a period of time.

 

In that respect the Buddhist 'Lent' seems similar. For example: my British (Methodist) mother will abstain from drinking alcohol during Christian Lent and my Thai (Buddhist) wife will abstain from eating meat during Buddhist Lent (she doesn't drink alcohol anyway, so she chooses to abstain from something else).

 

 

13 hours ago, Cadbury said:

Does anyone seriously believe the Army officers mess closes during Buddhist lent.

Laws are for the proletariat.

Not just in the LoS.

The bars in both houses of British parliament have no hours restrictions and many you can still smoke in...

 

No doubt this will be turned into a massive boost and huge influx of sober tourists by the woman at TAT.