I never thought I would see the day when this would even be proposed, but have a look and cross your fingers. Who knows? Maybe it will actually happen . . .
I'd say cross your fingers, but I wouldn't hold my breath just yet.
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Move Foward floats lifting booze ban on Buddhist holidays
June 4, 2023
Buddhists conduct candle-lit marches at Wat Benchamabophit in Bangkok to mark Vesak Day on Saturday evening. (Photo: Nutthawat Wicheanbut)
Key figures in the election-winning Move Forward Party (MFP) have voiced their opposition to the government's ban on alcohol sales on important Buddhism-related holidays, saying it limits freedom.
MFP executive Amarat Chokpamitkul used social media to express her opposition to the ban on Saturday, Vesak Day, which commemorates the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death.
Ms Amarat wrote that she disagreed with the ban on alcoholic drink sales on Buddhism-related days because the country's constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and people of other faiths besides Buddhism live in Thailand.
Buddhism urges people to refrain from alcohol consumption to prevent recklessness and misbehaviour. According to the ban – which exempts liquor sales at duty-free shops at airports – violators are liable to a jail term of up to six months and/or a fine of up to 10,000 baht.
Ms Amarat wrote that such a ban was rare in other countries and authorities should impose other measures to control alcohol consumption, such as enforcing drink-driving laws.
The country has followers of other religions and supports freedom of religious belief, Ms Amarat wrote.
Bangkok Move Forward MP-elect Thaopipop Limjitakon, who earlier proposed a law to end the monopoly in the alcohol drink business, wrote that basing the alcohol sales ban on a religious belief affects freedom of religion and occupation under the constitution.
Meanwhile, Songkran Pakchokdee, director of the Stop Drink network, said the country had the alcohol sales ban in accordance with the World Health Organization’s guideline that an alcohol sales ban on religious days were effective measures to control access to sources of alcohol beverages because they were not costly.
“The measure is intended to limit access to the sources of alcohol sales, not to infringe on the rights of drinkers because you can store your drinks at home,” he said.
“No one (else) complained about this matter. Although Buddhists are not everyone in Thailand, they form 95% (of the population). I believe the majority do not have any problem,” Mr Songkran said.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... t-holidays
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Outspoken Former MP from the Move Forward Party Proposes to Cancel Alcohol Sales Ban on Religious Holidays
By Tanakorn Panyadee
June 4,2023
Mrs. Amornrat Chokpamitkul, a former MP for the Move Forward Party, posted her opinions on Facebook stating Thailand should cancel an alcohol sales ban on religious holidays due to its lack of reasonable grounds, according to her.
She provided three reasons to support her opinions as follows:
1. There are already other measures in place to control drinking on this day, such as testing and monitoring the alcohol levels of drivers.
2. The Thai society is not comprised solely of Buddhists; Thai people have religious freedom to practice various faiths. Also, many tourists are affected by the bans and are not religious.
3. This practice is hardly enforced in other Buddhist countries.
Vesak Day or Visakha Bucha Day is an important day in Buddhism, which took place on June 3rd. During the day, like all religious holidays, the sale of alcohol is prohibited.
Business owners who violate this prohibition may face six-month imprisonment or a 10,000-baht fine according to Section 39 of the Alcohol Control Act. The prohibition applies to both wholesale and retail sales of all types of alcoholic beverages throughout the entire kingdom.
TPN media notes that there used to be an exception to the alcohol bans for tourists at hotels but this was removed during the government of Prayut Chan-O-Cha.
The alcohol ban days have been in place for almost fifty years as law, notes TPN, but as Thailand as increased in tourism and travelers from around the world the bans, which shut down the countries popular entertainment sector, have become more controversial and always draw many complaints from visitors, especially those only in Thailand for a few days on a holiday.
https://tpnnational.com/2023/06/04/outs ... -holidays/
Booze and bars even on Thai religous holidays? Maybe
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Gaybutton
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Re: Booze and bars even on Thai religous holidays? Maybe
It's good to hear there are some people with principles in Thai politics. Supporting freedom of choice and competition in the market.Bangkok Post wrote: ↑Sun Jun 04, 2023 5:26 pmThe country has followers of other religions and supports freedom of religious belief, Ms Amarat wrote.
Bangkok Move Forward MP-elect Thaopipop Limjitakon, who earlier proposed a law to end the monopoly in the alcohol drink business, wrote that basing the alcohol sales ban on a religious belief affects freedom of religion and occupation under the constitution.
Let's hope the establishment allows them to actually govern the country.
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Gaybutton
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Re: Booze and bars even on Thai religous holidays? Maybe
Alcohol Control Laws in Thailand to be a Divisive Issue in the Post Election Period
By Tanakorn Panyadee
June 11, 2023
The Thai Alcohol Business Association, or TABA, announced last Friday, June 9th, 2023, that it supports an amendment of the country’s current alcohol control regulations to benefit brewers, distillers, tourists, and, consumers.
However, the Thai Ministry of Public Health has proposed several new controversial regulations that according to critics could seriously harm the tourism and hospitality industry. Supporters of the proposals claim they will help curb alcohol-related problems and drunk driving.
Ms. Khemika Ratanakul, president of the association, said that some provisions of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act should be changed to make them aligned with the current social and economic context, especially the prohibition on sales of alcoholic beverages between 2 PM and 5 PM as well as restrictions on advertising and mentioning or displaying alcohol on social media.
The 2PM to 5PM alcohol sales ban has been in place for about fifty years and the exact reason for the ban is unclear in the current day with various reasons and myths given often by officials and residents of Thailand. The law especially causes confusion and disappointment in tourism zones.
As for overall advertising restrictions, these have often caused problems over the years with it causing questions around if someone simply posting on their personal social media that they were having a drink with friends was a violation.
Ms. Khemika highlighted three key areas of the law that require prompt revision, according to her. These include time limits on alcohol sales especially in tourism zones, the need to address the discretionary powers granted to authorities in interpreting the law, and the reconsideration of substantial fines imposed on those who do not obey relevant law enforcement’s orders.
She raised the issue of excessive power granted to authorities in interpreting the law, expressing doubt about the assurance of impartiality and fairness in their decision-making. She also claimed that law enforcement often used vague Thai alcohol laws as a way to collect bribes and encourage corruption, especially from bars and night clubs.
“Some regulations are like loopholes that harm the country’s tourism industry while also allowing for bribes and corruption,” she said. “The country requires clear and concise regulations and there is no room for ambiguity.”
The association said it also opposed a new version of the Alcohol Control Act proposed by the current Ministry of Public Health, adding it was too harsh and will ruin both Thai consumers and business operators, particularly those who run bars and restaurants.
These proposals essentially, notes The Pattaya News, would mean that consuming alcohol after midnight in restaurants and bars would be against public health ministry rules. Therefore, regardless of legal closing times or if a venue stopped serving alcohol at midnight, any consumption of alcohol at a venue could lead to fines and raids by relevant authorities and officials.
The proposal has been widely panned by hospitality and tourism associations still recovering after Covid-19, who have been fighting for a year to legally extend legal closing times and alcohol drinking hours in entertainment zones. However, anti-alcohol associations have continually fought any changes the law, even in tourist areas like Pattaya and Phuket, claiming it will increase drunk driving.
“Alcohol control measures must be tailored to the current context of both livelihoods and careers. Through collaboration to find effective solutions from various sectors, the regulations must promote fair competition and foster responsible drinking behaviour,” Khemika said.
The Thai Alcohol Business Association supports the Move Forward Party’s progressive liquor bill as it will create fairer rules for the production of alcohol, give consumers more freedom, and reduce corruption, according to them.
The Move Forward Party also supports removing the long maligned 2-5 PM alcohol sales ban, extending legal closing hours for bars and restaurants, and making areas like Pattaya a 24 hour entertainment zone as requested by nightlife operators.
Move Forward also has proposed to end alcohol bans on religious holidays, saying it violates religious freedom guaranteed in the Thai constitution and hurts tourism and hospitality business owners.
One thing is for sure… alcohol laws are sure to be a major policy debate and issue in the near future as the new Thai government forms, much like cannabis regulation.
https://thepattayanews.com/2023/06/11/a ... on-period/
By Tanakorn Panyadee
June 11, 2023
The Thai Alcohol Business Association, or TABA, announced last Friday, June 9th, 2023, that it supports an amendment of the country’s current alcohol control regulations to benefit brewers, distillers, tourists, and, consumers.
However, the Thai Ministry of Public Health has proposed several new controversial regulations that according to critics could seriously harm the tourism and hospitality industry. Supporters of the proposals claim they will help curb alcohol-related problems and drunk driving.
Ms. Khemika Ratanakul, president of the association, said that some provisions of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act should be changed to make them aligned with the current social and economic context, especially the prohibition on sales of alcoholic beverages between 2 PM and 5 PM as well as restrictions on advertising and mentioning or displaying alcohol on social media.
The 2PM to 5PM alcohol sales ban has been in place for about fifty years and the exact reason for the ban is unclear in the current day with various reasons and myths given often by officials and residents of Thailand. The law especially causes confusion and disappointment in tourism zones.
As for overall advertising restrictions, these have often caused problems over the years with it causing questions around if someone simply posting on their personal social media that they were having a drink with friends was a violation.
Ms. Khemika highlighted three key areas of the law that require prompt revision, according to her. These include time limits on alcohol sales especially in tourism zones, the need to address the discretionary powers granted to authorities in interpreting the law, and the reconsideration of substantial fines imposed on those who do not obey relevant law enforcement’s orders.
She raised the issue of excessive power granted to authorities in interpreting the law, expressing doubt about the assurance of impartiality and fairness in their decision-making. She also claimed that law enforcement often used vague Thai alcohol laws as a way to collect bribes and encourage corruption, especially from bars and night clubs.
“Some regulations are like loopholes that harm the country’s tourism industry while also allowing for bribes and corruption,” she said. “The country requires clear and concise regulations and there is no room for ambiguity.”
The association said it also opposed a new version of the Alcohol Control Act proposed by the current Ministry of Public Health, adding it was too harsh and will ruin both Thai consumers and business operators, particularly those who run bars and restaurants.
These proposals essentially, notes The Pattaya News, would mean that consuming alcohol after midnight in restaurants and bars would be against public health ministry rules. Therefore, regardless of legal closing times or if a venue stopped serving alcohol at midnight, any consumption of alcohol at a venue could lead to fines and raids by relevant authorities and officials.
The proposal has been widely panned by hospitality and tourism associations still recovering after Covid-19, who have been fighting for a year to legally extend legal closing times and alcohol drinking hours in entertainment zones. However, anti-alcohol associations have continually fought any changes the law, even in tourist areas like Pattaya and Phuket, claiming it will increase drunk driving.
“Alcohol control measures must be tailored to the current context of both livelihoods and careers. Through collaboration to find effective solutions from various sectors, the regulations must promote fair competition and foster responsible drinking behaviour,” Khemika said.
The Thai Alcohol Business Association supports the Move Forward Party’s progressive liquor bill as it will create fairer rules for the production of alcohol, give consumers more freedom, and reduce corruption, according to them.
The Move Forward Party also supports removing the long maligned 2-5 PM alcohol sales ban, extending legal closing hours for bars and restaurants, and making areas like Pattaya a 24 hour entertainment zone as requested by nightlife operators.
Move Forward also has proposed to end alcohol bans on religious holidays, saying it violates religious freedom guaranteed in the Thai constitution and hurts tourism and hospitality business owners.
One thing is for sure… alcohol laws are sure to be a major policy debate and issue in the near future as the new Thai government forms, much like cannabis regulation.
https://thepattayanews.com/2023/06/11/a ... on-period/