Thailand lifts 50-year ban on daytime alcohol sales to boost tourism

On Wednesday, December 3, Thailand temporarily lifted a long-standing ban on daytime alcohol sales to stimulate tourism and support small businesses. The new rules will be in effect for 180 days on a trial basis, after which the government will analyze their effect. This is reported by BBC and Associated Press, citing an amendment to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, which was officially published on December 2 in the Royal Gazette of Thailand, UNN reports.

Details

According to the amendment to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, customers can now purchase such beverages from 11:00 AM to midnight.

Although sales end at midnight, nightclub visitors are allowed to continue drinking alcohol until 1 AM.

It is noted that previously, violators could be fined $313.

The ban on the sale of beer, spirits, and wine in the afternoon was introduced in 1972 primarily to deter civil servants from drinking alcohol during working hours. At the same time, the law was not uniformly enforced in different Thai regions, and in small shops and catering establishments, alcohol could often be purchased bypassing the cash register.

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During the coronavirus pandemic, many regions temporarily introduced a complete ban on alcohol sales to curb the spread of the virus.

The decision to suspend the ban is related to Thailand's desire to attract more tourists before the New Year. Thailand's new Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who took office in September, has promised to bring back tourists and revive the country's economy.

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