Thailand is contemplating the end of a 53-year-old restriction on the sale of alcoholic beverages during the afternoon. This regulation, originally imposed by a coup regime in 1972, has prohibited alcohol sales between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., as well as on significant Buddhist religious days. The move comes as part of an effort by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's administration to increase tourism and stimulate economic activity. The potential change is anticipated to generate over 50 billion baht in direct economic benefits within a year.
The original ban targeted civil servants' habits of lengthy lunch-time drinking. Over the years, the 2008 Alcohol Control Act has reinforced these restrictions, laying out penalties for violations, including imprisonment and fines. Individuals must be at least 20 years old to purchase alcohol in Thailand. The Thai government, under the guidance of Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin, is currently reviewing the regulation to assess its impact on both tourism and society.
“This is our tourism year, so we need to review these regulations,” – Paetongtarn Shinawatra
Paetongtarn Shinawatra's administration aims to balance tourism growth with social responsibility. Relaxing the rules could attract more foreign tourists and provide a boost to local businesses. The alcohol control committee will discuss the proposed changes, considering opinions from various stakeholders. The Department of Provincial Administration of the Interior Ministry will oversee the overall framework, ensuring that any adjustments align with existing restriction laws.
“Even if the economic benefits seem appealing, we might not proceed with such a proposed change (on the afternoon alcohol sale) should the majority of people not agree,” – Somsak Thepsutin
The Prime Minister's administration has ordered a comprehensive review of the rule prohibiting afternoon alcohol sales. The review seeks to boost tourism numbers, generating economic activity by making Thailand more appealing to foreign visitors. In particular, many foreign tourists have expressed confusion and inconvenience regarding the alcohol sales ban on religious days. This has led some tourists to question why they cannot fully enjoy Thailand's nightlife and tourist attractions.
“Many foreign tourists find the ban on alcohol sales on religious days confusing and inconvenient for their travel plans, some have even wondered why the sale of alcohol is banned on certain days when they are visiting Thailand to enjoy the nightlife and tourist attractions to the fullest.” – Paetongtarn Shinawatra
The Health Minister has tasked officials with studying both the pros and cons of lifting the afternoon alcohol sale ban. While there are potential benefits, such as increased business revenue and tourism, there are also concerns about maintaining social responsibility and ensuring young people do not have easy access to alcohol.
“Though lifting restrictions can boost business revenue and tourism, we must ensure young people do not have easy access to alcohol, this is something we will not overlook,” – Paetongtarn Shinawatra
The country experienced a surge in foreign tourist arrivals during last year's extended Songkran celebrations, welcoming 1.92 million visitors—a 37.5% increase compared to 2023. This underscores Thailand's potential as a tourist destination and highlights the importance of revisiting current regulations to maintain this growth trajectory.
“On every Buddhist religious day, store owners have to remind each other about the ban on alcohol sales, which significantly affects revenue so if these restrictions are lifted, stores can operate more smoothly,” – Lisa Hamilton
The potential change in regulations comes as society has evolved significantly since the original order was put in place over half a century ago. As noted by Sorathep, societal changes necessitate reconsideration of long-standing rules that may no longer align with contemporary societal norms.
“The order has been in place for 53 years, but society has changed significantly,” – Sorathep
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