No Beer for Song Kran

[Frosty UK]

Not sure if any board members can clarify the rules for drinking over Song Kran, i have heard that bars have to close!!!

 

This is posted in another forum....

 

Songkran alcohol ban canned, crackdown on alcohol postponed to April 16

 

BANGKOK: -- The Thai government has postponed the proposed alcohol ban during the Songkran festivals. The National Committee for Alcohol Consumption Control yesterday canned the no alcohol ban during the traditional Thai new year from April 13 to 15.

 

The committee, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart, found that a alcohol sales ban during Songkran would further harm the tourism industry.

 

"The meeting decided the ban would have a bad impact on tourism, particularly on Songkran day, which draws over 150,000 foreign tourists," Maj Gen Sanan said.

 

Alcohol crackdown to start April 16

 

The Committee has become alarmed at the deterioration of family values and family unity. One of the main evils of this problem is alcoholic beverages. The new proposal will require bars, convenience stores and entertainment centers that serve alcohol to adjust their closing times as follows:

 

All bars, shops and entertainment centers will closed based on a sliding window. Mondays close at 1:00AM, Tuesday 12:00 Midnight, Wednesday 11:00PM, Thursday 10:00 PM and Fridays at 9:00PM. Saturdays, Sundays and all official holidays, alcoholic beverages will not be allowed to be sold.

 

"The sliding window will reduce the problems with sudden alcohol withdrawal and allow family members to be able to spend more time with each other. Saturdays and holiday closures will improve Thai tourism and family outings", says Boonlert Sukaparpraeng, consumption controller at the Department of Culture.

 

The sliding window could be different in various provinces allowing the creation of many jobs for coach and minibus companies to ferry foreigners around to the correct province to fit in with the well established pattern of Immigration decentralized offices, recently enforced by the Immigration Bureau.

 

Foreigners holding a valid work permit or residency will still be able to purchase alcohol in so called Mom'n'Pop shops during the prohibited hours.

 

"This is typical for the Democrat Party", says Somchai Duemlaukaeng, Deputy chairman at the Consumer Protection board. "Thai people has one of the highest alcohol consumption pattern in the world per capita". This will only increase the sales of Lao Khao in the provinces."

 

massage parlour minimum age

 

On April 16, another controversial law is being enforced. After that date, massage parlors can no longer employ anyone under the age of 40, and are required to register all employees as such. This will minimize the request by customers for "extra services" which can cause problems with marriages and minor wives.

[hazze]

wow.

that sounds severe.

 

It would present the police with a choice. Enforce the law and loose a fortune in kickbacks as the bar scence falls apart. Or take an extra kickback to look the other way on alchol sales....

[dudebrah]

thats great

[Zieke Reiger]

massage parlour age restriction! DISASTER! never mind the beer!

[whitespider - RIP]

They are currently suggesting that sales to Thais be banned but that sales to Tourists be allowed.

 

This is backed by the anti- alcohol lobby but you can imagine the uproar it is causing the the government buildings.

[dudebrah]

I heard that they were going to ban alcohol sales within 500 meters of any road , to reduce drunk driving , TIT

[Matrix]

I heard that they were going to ban alcohol sales within 500 meters of any road , to reduce drunk driving , TIT

 

Hmm,i heard that they was going to ban drunk driving within 500 meters of any road

[Gator001]

By: BangkokPost.com

Published: 30/03/2009 at 04:08 PM

 

The National Committee on Alcohol Consumption Control has rejected the proposal to prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages during next month's Songkran festival, fearing a ban may hurt the economy and the tourist industry.

 

The committee meeting, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kajornprasart, on Monday

agreed to allow alcoholic drinks to be sold during Songkran, which is the Thai New Year celebration.

 

However, alcohbol sales will be banned on national religious holidays, including Visakha Bucha, Makha Bucha, Asarnha Bucha and Buddhist Lent days.

 

Maj-Gen Sanan said the committee took the economy and tourism industry into consideration.

 

There was also the rationale that a ban on legal sales of alcohol would not stop people drinking illicitly distilled liquor. If anything, sales of moonshine would increase.

 

However, the committee would call meetings with provincial governors and senior police nationwide to insist on stricter campaigns against consumption of alcohol and drunk driving.

 

Monday's meeting of the booze policy panel was moved to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports because of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) protest around Government House.

 

The Public Health Ministry had reommended a total ban on sales of alcoholic bevereges from April 12 to 14 inclusive, or restricting sales to only licensed restaurants, bars, cafes and pubs from 6pm to midnight.

 

The proposal was driven by increasing concern over the rising road toll during the annual holiday. The most death and injury involves young people in the provinces getting drunk and riding motorcycles.

[Tombstone9]

Hmm,i heard that they was going to ban drunk driving within 500 meters of any road

According to this article in the Bankok Post they are only prohibiting drinking in the back of pickup trucks. Don't know how that will effect the driver. I guess the driver can drink but the passengers can't?

 

http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion...a-safe-songkran

[Gator001]

there is no ban guys it has already been knocked on the head days ago

[kirlian]

April fools... come on!

[pusher]

Sorry, here by accident.

Clicked on the post , before fully registering the date of the OP.