News Forum - Alcohol lobby groups call for 2pm – 5pm booze sales ban to be lifted

[Thaiger]

As Thai laws go, it’s one of the more confusing ones, as evidenced by the sight of frowning tourists scratching their heads as they stand in front of a 7 Eleven fridge at the wrong time of day. In Thailand, alcoholic drinks can be sold from 11am to 2pm and from 5pm to midnight. If you fancy a couple of take-home beers from the supermarket between the hours of 2pm and 5pm, or you need to buy a bottle of wine for dinner later, you’re all out of luck. Now, the Thai Alcohol Beverage Business Association is calling for the […]

The story Alcohol lobby groups call for 2pm – 5pm booze sales ban to be lifted as seen on Thaiger News.

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[Nivram]

Question:

Why was the ban instituted in the first place?

To prevent school kids from buying alcohol?

I think I understand preventing alcohol sales at convenient stores located at gas stations.

[Pinetree]

It has never been an issue for me, not ever.  If people  can't plan their day and shopping to fit the hours, then they are sad indeed. If they are that desperate,  they can go to a bar or restaurant where the hours don't normally matter (post and pre covid that is)  . 

[JJJ]

2 minutes ago, Pinetree said:

It has never been an issue for me, not ever.  If people  can't plan their day and shopping to fit the hours, then they are sad indeed. If they are that desperate,  they can go to a bar or restaurant where the hours don't normally matter (post and pre covid that is)  . 

Well it is an issue for expat if say you’re planning a dinner party. You’d need to finish your shopping by 2pm. Or for that matter any trip to the grocery store if you want to buy wine.  For restaurants, they arbitrarily are supposed to stop serving between 2-5pm though a lot don’t especially when you’re catering to tourists that hurt sales. 

My understanding for the rule was after school kids had a fight or something like that.  
 

The point is the rule is ill suited to whatever problem it’s supposed to solve. 

[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

36 minutes ago, Thaiger said:

you fancy a couple of take-home beers from the supermarket between the hours of 2pm and 5pm, or you need to buy a bottle of wine for dinner later, you’re all out of luck.

We always go shopping during these hours,very annoying not to be able to buy wine.

[TSS]

are you sure it's been in place since 72? I don't remember it coming into effect till the 2000s. Ridiculous, silly law anyway

[Fanta]

It’s a stupid rule that does little except cause economic damage and inconveniences many. People have refrigerators nowadays. 

[Pinetree]

Maybe it is a silly, illogical rule, but the fact that it gets so much negative comment on this forum is very sad.  So many upset people, just because they can't buy alcohol for just 3 short hours during the day.  Can't they see how pathetic that is?  Obviously not. 

[Politenessman]

36 minutes ago, Pinetree said:

It has never been an issue for me, not ever.  If people  can't plan their day and shopping to fit the hours, then they are sad indeed. If they are that desperate,  they can go to a bar or restaurant where the hours don't normally matter (post and pre covid that is)  . 

So you want people to literally plan their day around an obscure law relating to when you can buy take home alcohol?

You don't see just how sad and desperate that is?

[Pinetree]

3 minutes ago, Politenessman said:

So you want people to literally plan their day around an obscure law relating to when you can buy take home alcohol?

You don't see just how sad and desperate that is?

I'm shaking my head mate, there is no emoji for that. Its only 3 hours for Gods sake. 

[HolyCowCm]

It is plainly a moronic stupid law and intiative pushed by the jerk goody gooders (NGO?) on anti alcohol who are pro-establishment. Bunch of nutjobs just flpping their ideals and traps. Everyone knows if you want beer or certain whiskey you just go to a mom and pops shop and get them, and this is regardless of your age.

Now, if this law is overturned, then it may stand to reason some reward kickbacks will be lining a certian few pockets.

[Politenessman]

8 minutes ago, Pinetree said:

I'm shaking my head mate, there is no emoji for that. Its only 3 hours for Gods sake. 

But you still want people to plan their day around that 3 hr window?  

Have you thought about seeking help?

[Pinetree]

4 minutes ago, Politenessman said:

But you still want people to plan their day around that 3 hr window?  

Have you thought about seeking help?

words fail me. I'm done with this post  

[Marble-eye]

The fact of the matter is someone is dictating when you can or cannot buy alcohol, that alone reeks of control by an authoritarian body.

Those who like to buy a bottle of booze are governed by the licencing hours, you may want to do a bit of shopping but are deterred because you cannot buy your favourite bottle of plonk at the same time, so your life is ruled by unnecessary decisions made by some crackpot sat in their ivory tower. It may be a trivial matter to some but remember that from small acorns giant oak trees can grow, that is to say that these trivial matters might be something bigger the next day, and so on.

Don't allow governing bodies to take our liberties no matter how small you may think they are and remember the reason you cannot buy alcohol between the hours of 2pm and 5pm is "because it's law", stupid law anyone?

[Noble_Design]

4 minutes ago, Pinetree said:

words fail me. I'm done with this post  

Me too. Seems like some people just want Thailand to change the laws just for the sake of their own convenience. As if alcohol buying is a daily duty that inconveniences them so much if they can't do it at whatever time they want.

[HolyCowCm]

9 minutes ago, Politenessman said:

But you still want people to plan their day around that 3 hr window?  

Have you thought about seeking help?

I think it just did not bother him as he is able to adjust and plan around it, so it is no big deal for him. For me,, and sound like you as well, it has been a bother at times and then for others not, but mostly for me as I do not like to regulate my time around alcohol it is an irking hinderance. One prime example is during the water festival activities. Such BS.

[Marble-eye]

3 minutes ago, Noble_Design said:

Me too. Seems like some people just want Thailand to change the laws just for the sake of their own convenience. As if alcohol buying is a daily duty that inconveniences them so much if they can't do it at whatever time they want.

You ok with stupid laws? It is a totally unnecessary law that defies all logic.

[Noble_Design]

1 minute ago, Marble-eye said:

You ok with stupid laws? It is a totally unnecessary law that defies all logic.

Every country has certain laws for a reason even though you or others may think it is unnecessary. Take for example another nearby country Singapore which enacted some new laws regarding  sales and consumption of alcohol after the 2013 Little India riots.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/what-you-can-or-cannot-do-under-the-new-alcohol-law

Quote

 

Under the law, drinking is banned in all public places from 10.30pm to 7am. Retail shops are also not allowed to sell takeaway alcohol from 10.30pm to 7am.

There are stricter rules in Geylang and Little India, which are designated as Liquor Control Zones - places with a higher risk of public disorder associated with excessive drinking. Public drinking is banned in Geylang and Little India from 7am on Saturday to 7am on Mondays. The ban also applies from 7pm on the eve of a public holiday to 7am after the holiday. Shops within the zones are also not allowed to sell takeaway alcohol from 7pm on weekends, the eve of a public holiday and the holiday itself.

 

So the laws in Thailand is not without precedence nor reason.

[Marble-eye]

1 minute ago, Noble_Design said:

Every country has certain laws for a reason even though you or others may think it is unnecessary.

What is the reason?

[Noble_Design]

3 minutes ago, Marble-eye said:

What is the reason?

So foreigners can complain about it in internet forums.

Kidding. https://tastythailand.com/when-can-you-buy-alcohol-in-thailand-not-between-2-5pm-or-buddhist-holidays-daily-photo/

Quote

This is because the Thai government does not want children (read “high school students”) to be able to buy it, so the purchase of alcohol is banned between 2 and 5pm. The rationale for this is that 2pm is the earliest time the schools let out and, by 5pm, kids should be home with their parents.

 

[Marble-eye]

Just now, Noble_Design said:

So foreigners can complain about it in internet forums.

Kidding. https://tastythailand.com/when-can-you-buy-alcohol-in-thailand-not-between-2-5pm-or-buddhist-holidays-daily-photo/

I think that some stupid laws need complaining about. Not all laws are good laws, infact just to prove a point there was a law in the 17th century that stated if you spotted a Welsh person on the streets of Shrewsbury on a Sunday past the hours of 7pm you were allowed to kill him with your bow and arrow, I'm still not sure if that law has been repealed or not.

But the point being if a schoolchild comes into your local 7/11 and asks for a crate of Leo the simple answer is to say 'no'. But I am of the belief that the schoolchildren excuse is a very poor excuse as there are many 7/11s no where near schools.

 

 

"Alcohol buying time in Thailand is ONLY  certain times every day.

The alcohol selling times if 11 am to 2 pm and from 5 pm to midnight.

This includes local shops, supermarkets, and 7-11 alcohol hours in Thailand are the same,

I repeat you can only buy alcohol in shops between :

11 am to 2 pm and 5 pm to midnight

Don’t ask us why.

It’s an old law from the Thai government.

It’s illegal for all shops to sell alcohol in the afternoons.

And nobody knows why. The only thing for sure is the shop owners are strict about the rules."

https://bangkoknightlife.com/rules-laws-alcohol-in-thailand/

 

[Sparks]

It's rarely a bother for me as I drink very little at home. However, since the supermarket is rather a ways away, it becomes a real bother when we spontaneously decide to pick up a bottle of wine, and can't. Plan around that, sure, but that does not mean the law makes any sense and it is inconvenient in the rare times we want to make a purchase. I don't see this proposal going anywhere with the current anti-alcohol push. 

[LoongFred]

15 minutes ago, Transam said:

This is a discussion forum, I am really sorry chap, that we are discussing it.........

With everything else that's wrong, it's unreal that some people are so concerned about being able to by booze at any hour. I guess they can't last a couple of hours without a drink.

[Stardust]

1 hour ago, Pinetree said:

It has never been an issue for me, not ever.  If people  can't plan their day and shopping to fit the hours, then they are sad indeed. If they are that desperate,  they can go to a bar or restaurant where the hours don't normally matter (post and pre covid that is)  . 

You really think everybody in Thailand is on retiremebt and have no family to organize? Nothing else to do just the whole day than shopping? Wow 

[Marble-eye]

1 minute ago, LoongFred said:

With everything else that's wrong, it's unreal that some people are so concerned about being able to by booze at any hour. I guess they can't last a couple of hours without a drink.

Here we go again.