Crackdown On Alcohol On Public Holidays

Public health:
Chalerm takes on drinkers
Seeks to invoke legal article allowing more alcoholfree days

BANGKOK: -- Public Health Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung yesฌterday launched his camฌpaign to ban alcohol sales on public holidays.

Drinking leads to crime and road accidents, resulting in death and injuries, Chalerm said, citing a 2006 report that 31 per cent, or 16 million, of the population were drinkers. Nine million of them drink alcohol on a regular basis.

He assigned the Disease Control Department to consider invoking Article 28 of the Alcohol Beverage Control Act of 2008, which proฌhibits the sale of alcohol on days desฌignated by ministerial regulations.

The regulation should be issued in one month and include public holidays such as New Year's Day, Songkran and religious holidays, Chalerm said.

Dr Saman Futrakul, head of the department's tobacco and alcohol consumption control group, said the regulation had been drafted and submitted to deputy permanent secฌretary Paijit Warachit.

After getting the National Alcohol Consumption Control Committee's approval, the regulaฌtion would need to get Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat's sign off and then it would be published in the Royal Gazette for implemenฌtation.

Violators would face up to six months in jail and/or up to a Bt10,000 fine.

The regulation would also proฌhibit liquor sales from 11am2pm and 5pmmidnight every day, except by those with the authority's perฌmission.

Chalerm also put the permanent secretary and Medical Services Department chief in charge of two projects.

One plan would make Thailand an AsiaPacific medical hub by selecting high potential hospitals - one in Bangkok and one in each major tourist city - within one month.

The other plan would expand the successful model of the integration of medical and drugrehabilitation policies in Sa Kaew to other provinces.

-- The Nation 2008-10-03

Stupid criminal politicians deciding what us people should or should not be able to do. That is just about the sum of their work.

How come we don't have any mechanisms to counter their ridiculous ideas?

It was his son who, sozzled beyond comprehension, shot somebody dead coz they stepped on his toe.

Maybe he's repenting...?

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheesy.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheesy.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/burp.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/burp.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/burp.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/burp.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/burp.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Chalerm should know...

" Don't you know who I am? Do you know who my father is?"

Oh no, that was another politician's son.

Very Very Good post!!! ..... I hope the BKK Post picks up on all these related news articles


But on a serious note, if this WAS past, we can Kiss Good Bye to the Winter High Season!!!!!

So only their friends can sell booze after dark, corner the market and up the bribes potential.
No bars open except during 2pm and 5 pm. or midnight to 11 am.. HUH
Can you HEAR the howls now...

Thai's, the'll just learn to drink midnight to dawn and THEN DRIVE TO WORK.


Again a new minister doing his thing without thought for the consequences.
Somebody send him the history of Prohibition in the USA.

This post has been edited by animatic: 2008-10-02 23:29:12

Isn't this the job of interior minister?

Shouldnt he have done this in his previous job?

Perhaps we can also go back to nationwide 1am closing.....

Why is this topic in the news section? - And there isn't even a current election day or holiday associated with it ...

PPP = People's Prohibition Party

If they can be seen protecting the morals of the people,
how can they be believed to be stealing from the people too.

Yeah right and pigs fly to Ramadan feasts like the elephants grave yard.
Paternalist klepto-twits.

Thailand : The world hub of stupidity.
No, that's not fair and insulting to the vast majority of Thai people.
Chalerm Yobs'R'Us : The sphincter of world effluent. You can also insert other politicos names in the frame as he ain't alone.

This will do nothing for Thailand's alcohol problem as anyone with in excess of half a peanut for a brain knows that the vast majority of alcoholics do not drink in bars or nightclubs. This action will primarily affect legitimate businesses and tourism. No matter what the anti-drinking brigade think or say the majority of people on holiday like to, at some time or another, relax with a drink. They have worked for this moment and for a short period in their year they can let their hair down a little. Now they are going to be increasingly put off spending their valuable life time and hard earned cash in Thailand.

It will soon be easier to get a drink in Muslim Terranganu state in Malaysia than in Thailand. Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Viet Nam, Indonesia, Philippins et al must be rubbing their hands in delight.

The timing of it is exquisite. Right at the time people are tightening their belts due to the current crisis this numbskull wants to give them another reason NOT to visit Thailand. I wonder what those people at TAT are thinking right now?

I feel for those in the tourist business who will be hardest hit. The Thais will still be able to get their Lao Khaw and drunkeness will still be the order of the day over Songkhran but a holidaymaker on Samui will not be able to have a beer with his/her dinner.

Is October the 3rd the Thai version of our April 1st?

This newly appointed clown is priceless.

So, it's going to be a ban for all holidays??

Let's wait and see.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

Goddamned politicians with their ridiculous, logic-less ideas...!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)
Ban alcohol on holidays?? Ohh Lord, than I'll load my boze stock on Fridays, and I WILL drink on holidays, WHOLE holidays - if I want that. And I will share the drinks with my buddies, if they wish. Someone cares? Than sue me! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

Reality check.The carnage on Thailand's roads is appalling, particularly on public holidays -Songkran being the worst.The proposed measure in this context is sensible.Few Thais I imagine would disagree.This kind of thread always brings out the worst on this forum.

Agreed in principle, but imo, the more effective deterrent would be increased punishments and checks for drink drivers, and not blanket alcohol bans.

555555..... I know that Thais aren't generally know for their forethought and planning .. But I'm sure even the most Bahn Nork Somchai will remember to stock up on booze the day before the ban..

Give em some credit...... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

You really think the road carnage is only about booze...? Proper training, safety awareness, stringent test and strong enforcement of road regs would make a more significant impact.. Certainly more so than some knee-jerk liquor sales ban.. But banning is easier than education...

No arguement with the fact that booze and bikes (in particular) dont mix. The point is I never crashed my heineken (fatally) during songkran but have seen far too many teenagers commit machismo suicide on their bikes after consuming a bottle or two of leo or chang.

Ban motorbikes during Songkran and the death toll with go down. Until then, trying to ban booze on the premise of public safety is purely hot air, mixed with a side of erectile dysfunction + I am too old to have fun anymore so ban fun + hypocracy.

younghusband prooves with his post that he obviously has as little ability to think it through as the Thais prevented from drinking by a sales ban on a public holiday: zero. All others will have simply bought it the day before or gone to the local shop in the Soi and buy it on their holiday anyway.

The only people hit by this ban are tourists, which might not be able to plan their fun nights out when hit with sudden, unexplainable entertainment venue closures.

But great thinking, younghusband!

In some countries they can send you to war, but you have to wait a few years before you are allowed to have a drink, because you are not mature enough ( 21). Talking about stupidity.

This is Thailand, if you donot like it, get out and go home to the oooooh so good home countries, where everything is much much better.

And if you cannot live without a drink for a few days, you have a problem, and I mean a drinking problem.

No it will not have the desired effect as everyone here knows, unfortunately it has not been thought out.

However it's not the end of the world, in Western Australia we have restricted trading hours and if you want alcohol you work around it usually by buying takeaways prior to the time.

Alcohol I think all would agree does have an effect on the road carnage, however in Thailand it would be more to do with little or no driver training.

Maybe the prioritys need to shuffled around.

hmm why was my post on this topic removed? are we not allowed to post our opinions on chalerm?

too much dam_n censorship on this site.

The predictable response to my comments on an eminently sensible measure rather proves my point about this kind of thread bringing out the worst.Of course the measure doesn't solve the problem and is indeed only a small part of a raft of initiatives that are needed, of which education is the most important.Of course there will be alcohol fuelled deaths where the booze was purchased earlier.But the measure will also save lives as well.It's obviously not nearly enough by itself but it sends a signal and it's a start.When as in Thailand you have a catastrophic road death problem you do what you can.Frankly I doubt whether most Thais give a toss what a few intinerant farang boozehounds have to say on the subject, and to be honest neither do I.

Majority of road accidents (bikers on small country roads) happen to people who will not be affected by ban on alcohol sales at Tesco Lotus or even 7 elevens.

Otherwise I'm all for it. Todays it not a holiday, right?



Clever policy - mature people won't sign up for the army, get them while they are still young and stupid.

Are Sundays considered ... a ''public holiday'' ?

So for new year 2008/2009 it will be a soda in a champagne glass ?? never tried it before ...

80% less tourists expected for the 'high' season (last week stats) ... this kind of news will definitely improve the percentage ...?!?

The regulation would also proฌhibit liquor sales from 11am2pm and 5pmmidnight every day, except by those with the authority's perฌmission
but this would be 'tea money'!, of course ... no alcohol involved