Ban on alcohol sales in Thailand August 2 and 3

The Thailand Public Health Ministry has announced a ban on alcohol sales throughout Thailand on Thursday 2 August and Friday 3 August 2012 as Thais celebrate two Buddhist holy days, Asarnha Bucha and Buddhist Lent Day.

Alcohol bans are common on Buddhist festival days and on special public holidays like the King’s Birthday. On these days, the only places permitted to sell beer, wine and spirits are registered hotels (which generally means the large 5 star accommodation hotels). Cafes, restaurants, bars and even supermarkets caught selling alcohol on these days are liable to a fine of 10,000 Baht and/or a jail sentence of up to six months, so if you are refused alcohol on these days, please understand why the owners cannot take that risk.

Some cafes and restaurants, especially outside of Bangkok and with a mainly Western clientele, will sell you a beer with your food but it will be served in a paper bag so it’s not obvious. Respect that the owners of these places are breaking the law to keep you happy, so please don’t remove the paper bag or make it obvious they are letting you have a beer.

Small guest houses and backpacker lodges will usually continue to quietly sell beer on these holy days, but again respect that they are trying to keep you happy and don’t expose them to trouble with the Police.

Other festival days when alcohol is banned in Thailand include Makha Bucha Day (also known as Sangtha Day, around the end of February) and Viasakha Bucha Day (also called Wesak Day, usually in early June).  On all four of these festival days, banks and public offices are also closed.

Alcohol bans are gaining ground across Thailand as religious officials become more concerned about growing alcohol problems among the Thai people themselves. In August 2011, monks in Chiang Mai succeeded in having a total alcohol ban applied to all government buildings and offices in that city. The WHO says almost 20% of Thai men have an alcohol-dependence problem and that alcohol is the main cause of the increasing divorce rate in Thailand.

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