New anti-alcohol laws mulled

[buksida]

The Ministry of Public Health will propose three new laws, including one to ban the sale of alcoholic beverages at street stalls, Public Health Minister Pradit Sintawanarong said Wednesday.

Mr Pradit was speaking after a meeting of his Office of the Alcohol Control Committee, which adopted three proposals to tighten bans on the sale of alcohol in public, and to increase penalties for violations.

The proposals include

- a ban on sales of alcohol on pavements, roadside areas, and public walkways;

- a ban on alcohol sales and consumption at public parks under governmental agencies, and,

- an increase in fines for violation bans on selling and serving alcohol outside permitted trading hours from 500 baht to 10,000 baht, with imprisonment up to six months. Violators may be punished with both fine and imprisonment.

The proposed new laws will be submitted to the National Alcohol Beverage Policy Committee for consideration, and will be forwarded for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra for endorsement. The laws would take effect immediately after passage and publication in the Government Gazette, Mr Pradit said.

Source: Bangkok Post

[Pleng]

This guy have shares in 7/11 by any chance?

[MrPlum]

I watched two Jocks get blinding drunk recently, then drive home, one in a car, the other on a bike. They refused offers to be driven home, as drunks usually do and both had accidents, without killing anyone. But will they be so lucky next time?

Alcohol laws may ban sales in the street but what do you do about people like this in the bars? When you drink yourself senseless, then drive, you are a lethal weapon.

Madness.

[Dannie Boy]

I watched two Jocks get blinding drunk recently, then drive home, one in a car, the other on a bike. They refused offers to be driven home, as drunks usually do and both had accidents, without killing anyone. But will they be so lucky next time?

Alcohol laws may ban sales in the street but what do you do about people like this in the bars? When you drink yourself senseless, then drive, you are a lethal weapon.

Madness.

I don't always agree with you Mr P but on this one 100% - people like this need locking up not fining

[MrPlum]

I don't always agree with you Mr P...

No problem. It takes a little time to realize I'm always right.

[Dannie Boy]

I don't always agree with you Mr P...

No problem. It takes a little time to realize I'm always right.

Hmm, I need to think about that one - give me a year or two to decide

[Pleng]

Alcohol laws may ban sales in the street but what do you do about people like this in the bars?

As I hinted at in my post above, banning sales at street vendors will do nothing about alcohol consumption in the street, as there's never a 7 or Family far away (usually directly behind the street vendors!).

[blue05]

another senseless law, treat the problem first

[Takiap]

Selling alcohol at street stalls is for the most part already illegal since very few stall owners have a license to sell it in the first place. Also, what about all the roadside Mom and Pop shops? Sure they can't be made to stop selling alcohol while 7's and etc are free to carry on selling. And, a group of Thais or Farang sitting at a roadside stall drinking while they eat could always argue that they brough their own booze with them. They could also argue that they are simply friends of the owners, and as such, they have bought the alcohol.

The proposed laws will simply open up another money making opportunity for the MIB, that's if the MIB will even be bothered to enforce such laws in the first place. Thais, and that includes the vast majority of the MIB, tend to have a wonderful ability to simply ignore those laws which they feel are unnecessary. Even if these laws go through, my guess is they won't have even a small impact on the way things are at present. Those high ranking policemen also enjoy have their whiskey while they eat, and I can see them changing any time soon. At least I hope not.

[Korkenzieher]

Probably aimed more at hooch / lao-kao sales up country, than town and city centres.

[sandemb]

Selling alcohol at street stalls is for the most part already illegal since very few stall owners have a license to sell it in the first place.
Does this mean no more buying beers on the beach from some young kid on the beach with an esky who is prepared to run 100 yards just to get you the cold beer you want? Bang goes the beach economy!!

[Pleng]

Selling alcohol at street stalls is for the most part already illegal since very few stall owners have a license to sell it in the first place.

I didn't think you needed a license to sell Alcohol in Thailand?

[Takiap]

Selling alcohol at street stalls is for the most part already illegal since very few stall owners have a license to sell it in the first place.

I didn't think you needed a license to sell Alcohol in Thailand?

I'm sure one of the bar owners or restaurant owners will be able to comment. I might be wrong, but I have been told several times that shops and etc need a license to sell alcohol and tobacco. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, the license also has to be displayed openly on one of the walls.

[margaretcarnes]

Selling alcohol at street stalls is for the most part already illegal since very few stall owners have a license to sell it in the first place.

I didn't think you needed a license to sell Alcohol in Thailand?

You most certainly do need a license to sell alcohol from a bar etc. As well as licenses for selling cigs and food, and for music.
(Come on someone - let's hear a 'Oh no you don't!' - pantomime season is here after all!)

But I do think the present - alleged - 500 baht fine for serving after hours is much too low. It would certainly be more than that anyway for farang bar owners, and for street vendors it's not a lot.
Shame though if we lost those cute little wooden cocktail bars dotted all over the place - they look like fun, and they do attract tourists.

[chaspul]

As I understand it permitted hours on retail sales in stores are 11 am to 2 pm and after 5 pm.

Thought this was something to do with underage buying, similar to 7/11 near schools not being allowed to sell cigarettes.

Tescos and most 7/11 cash tills are set to reject alcohol sales outside these time periods.

Amazing the amount of tourists and short term residents who have been refused at Tescos recently and I explain that 2 boxes of wine and a 6 box of scotch in my trolly is not retail but wholesale and allowed.

You can always fall back on the Mom and Pop stores, but I wonder what will happen when an item in the original bill which states that you must be of age to sell comes into force? Sold a bottle of scotch the other day by a 6 year old holding the store who had to phone and ask the price!

Chas