Thailand setzt neues Alkoholgesetz durch: Hohe Geldstrafen für Nachmittagstrinken, auch für Touristen

From article

Thailand’s long-standing alcohol sale ban, which typically lasts from 2 pm to 5 pm at most retail outlets and supermarkets, has been in place for over five decades

Starting Saturday, drinkers in Thailand face steep fines under amended alcohol control laws that tighten restrictions on consumption, marketing, and advertising. The revised Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, effective November 8, imposes penalties of at least 10,000 baht ($300) for individuals caught drinking or being served alcohol during restricted hours or in prohibited places, marking one of the toughest enforcement crackdowns since the law first took shape in 1972, according to a Bloomberg report.

Thailand’s long-standing alcohol sale ban, which typically lasts from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at most retail outlets and supermarkets, has been in place for over five decades. But under the amended Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, the new penalties shift responsibility directly onto consumers. The tightened rules also strengthen advertising curbs, limiting promotions strictly to factual content and banning the use of celebrities, influencers, or public figures in commercial campaigns.

While the law grants exemptions to licensed entertainment venues, hotels, certified tourist establishments, and international airport lounges, restaurant owners say the changes could harm their business. “The new regulations will have an adverse effect on restaurants because it’s the customer that’s now ‘restricted’ by the stipulated sale hours,” said Chanon Koetcharoen, president of the Thai Restaurant Association.

This actually insane.
I once saw the Thai police crack down on tourists with vapes. It was 7 or 8 tourists literally getting shaken down in Koh Samui.

Gone are the days of wanting to drink on the beach during the best sun hours. The little guys will hurt a lot.

I am beginning to wonder if the business to shake down tourists for money in terms of penalties is the goal here. 

Adios ex-pats

Doesnt that just encourage and in some cases obligate people to drink earlier in the day and or later at night ??

Both those time frames seem more dangerous and harder to manage…if anything I think mid-afternoon drinking is prob the safest since most people get their fill and end their party time early and are still able to get solid meals, transit home, and yes even emergency responders like police and ambulances if necessary… lunch time rush (or earlier) or nighttime to early morning hours like 4am sound like awful times to deal with any of those issues…

Unhappy Hour

This is a sad, sad day

This seems like a pointless cash grab.

I spent 2 weeks in Thailand about a decade ago and had no idea that was even a law. And I definitely drank during that chunk of the day. That never even came up when I was looking up the things I needed to know while I was there. Plenty about how to behave in a temple, not to step on money, how to do all sorts of stuff, but that wasn’t mentioned once

One night in Bangkok

Back to drinking Chang from a tea cup then ☕️

So nobody golfs there?

Breakfast mimosas it is then!

But really, drinking earlier is better, because I go to bed earlier, and it disrupts my sleep less

Maybe I’m just too old

Seems like a great passive income for the Thai government

Yet 1.5M-2M+ (1 in 35) Thai are addicted to methamphetamines (Yaba). It was only up until recently where being caught with a single Yaba pill was mandatory prison time. They sure seem to have their priorities straight in SEA, who knew draconian laws usually have poor results?

Should we drink in the morning then? Just kidding.

Remind me never to go to Thailand.

The afternoon is the perfect time to stop drinking for a few hours.