Tourism minister wants to extend pub opening hours

[fordguy61mi]

5 hours ago, transam said:

I think the topic is about tourists, the ones that come to LOS to smoke, <deleted> and get plastered as often as possible.......????

What else is there? 555

[MartiniMan]

Just now, natway09 said:

These clowns are so far out of the circle they have NO idea what is going on.

Pass a directive first that ALL Licenced premises are allowed to sell alcohol until 2 am.

I refer to Chiang Mai where the local mafia make them close at midnight,

And in Hua Hin where often they will not even let them open on many days

Exactly they are so clueless they must travel and study economics before taking the role or look for outside help otherwise we will see them having to beg for a bail out from IMF and it will be hilarious as US banks or EU could end up owning the country due to their poor management

[malibukid]

3 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

pushing the consumption of the worst drug in the world is not what Thailand needs, they need less not more alcohol addled pinheads running around the streets..

agreed Alcohol sucks.  like lets get stupid. its so old hat.

[That guy]

Never understood why people want to go out drinking in the middle of the night. You can start around dinner time and be done by midnight. What is this "oh I was out until 5am and I was so drunk, I didn't even know how to get back home"?

It's stupid.....no more no less, just plain stupid

[bkk7]

19 minutes ago, tigerfeet said:

People come on holiday with a budget the bars could stay open 24 hours they would still spend their  budget and only that I remember as being a ex publican they tried it in the UK never worked just killed years of tradition .also where all the quality tourist at 4 am ?

The quality tourist is spending their money on the local economy at 4am unlike the zero dollar tours whose money goes straight back to China. 

Quality tourist = people who spend money at Thai businesses, no matter the hour or type. 

[alien365]

Surely this would be a threat to national security...

[Peterbilt]

6 minutes ago, bkk7 said:

The quality tourist is spending their money on the local economy at 4am unlike the zero dollar tours whose money goes straight back to China. 

Quality tourist = people who spend money at Thai businesses, no matter the hour or type. 

Correct!
Tourist quality in Thailand is measured in (k)BHT per day.

[JemJem]

I have a bad feeling that this is not gonna happen. Not in the near future anyway.

 

I consider myself lucky in the way that in my twenties (most of my twenties anyway), I was living in Thailand, and it was the 1990's, and there wasn't the 2 am closing time thing. I had MANY fun nights barhopping and clubbing (and heading back home at around 4 or 5 am).

[Surasak]

6 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Ive got a good idea, you can only buy ciggies at the same time as booze

Careful, careful. Next thing you know they'll be telling you where you can drink you're booze. And its not likely to be with your ciggie.

[Bangkok Barry]

6 hours ago, NanLaew said:

stop the kids carrying on drinking after lunch and taking the whole afternoon off school.

 

Or, they could ask for ID that every Thai carries to check their age. But that's too simple, so they ban sales to everyone. Brilliant.

[Jumbo1968]

31 minutes ago, MartiniMan said:

English had huge booming retail economy since the 24 hour drinking and although there is a knife crime problem the actual grief at the kick out time has ended and is a thing of the past so really it was win win (used to live in london)

 

YES! Amen! You have nailed it on the head sir

England HAD a booming retail economy after the 24 hour opening obviously a long time since you lived in the U.K.

Pubs are closing at a rate of just under 20 a week, people’s social habits have changed proffering to buy fro the supermarkets rather than the overinflated prices in a Bar.

Kids buy from the supermarkets prior too going out rather than buy the prices in nightclubs.

Greene King have around 3000 in the U.K., a Chinese company yesterday has made a take over bid yesterday, not for the pub trade but for properties they own.

Where I live in the U.K. Bar Owners pushes for the 4am closing, now they want to reverse back till 2am because of the lack of customers.

[Baggy]

32 minutes ago, MartiniMan said:

They need to study economics really and stop trying to invent everything themself as some kind of solo army

24 hour drinking is proven to be the best drinking law as it means you can drink whenever and there is no rush - people have many different forms of occupation and this is proven to work the best

The tourism is way down because they ruined thailand with all this nonsense. They should of gone to a foreign country and been a alien for once and understand how they ruined a good thing

People come here for the nature and weather, the food and easy drinking was a nice benefit but they ruined it with a stupid economic policy and ridiculous laws now everyone goes to vietnam and they are booming what a surprise

 

[Baggy]

Just now, Baggy said:

 

If 24 hour opening works in other parts of the world, it will also work in Thailand.Be compatible with the rest of the world!!

[madmen]

Close bar Early farang no happy
Open bar late farang still no Happy lol

[JAG]

4 hours ago, Fex Bluse said:

Or cannot buy alcohol during the restricted hours -- which is rather childish and silly. Like living in North Korea.

Whilst I absolutely agree that the "restricted hours" and "religious prohibition days" are silly and childish, and do absolutely nothing to inhibit alcoholism - rather they allow the government to boss for the sake of bossing - they also come nowhere near the restrictions to personal freedoms suffered by those who live in North Korea!

[sunnyboy2018]

7 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

"He added however that the proposal did not apply to all areas but would cover such popular tourist spots as the Silom nightlife zone in Bangkok, Patong in Phuket, Ao Nang in Krabi and Koh Samui in Surat Thani. "

 

Well then, superfluous this extension, me says! 

I think most bars and clubs close at 2am. Only Pattaya has grown up licensing hours. Bangkok is like a graveyard now. I never visit or even stay over when I pass through. The Tunnel club used to be open till about 7am   and Swing would open between 7am and 9am. In the old days The Thermae did not close till 7am. The GG bars used to stay open till 4am. The issue is not just pub opening hours but the wholesale destruction of street life, hawkers,  vendors and food stalls. One of the most vibrant,  energetic cities in Asia was ruined by a non elected regime.

[Jumbo1968]

Where I live the 7/11 some times does sell beer between 11 and 5 but not always.

The farcical thing is there are loads of Bars which are open next door selling alcohol and the Mom and Pop stores who wil sell alcohol irrespective of the time and the no alcohol days.

[sunnyboy2018]

7 hours ago, NanLaew said:

How many times do we have to explain to the know-it-all foreigners that the 134:00 - 17:00 alcohol sales ban is to stop the kids carrying on drinking after lunch and taking the whole afternoon off school.

 

Here's a clue: you can buy cold beer anytime between 11:00 and 14:00. Just need to get your lazy ass outta bed earlier be more motivated.

Or just go to a shop that does not have a computerised till. Only supermarkets and 7/11s obey this silly rule.

[overherebc]

4 hours ago, toofarnorth said:

and for those still drinking Chang at 4 am ' The drunker I stand here the longer I get '.

I've often pold teople I'm not as thunk as drinkle peep I am.

[Jumbo1968]

3 minutes ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

Or just go to a shop that does not have a computerised till. Only supermarkets and 7/11s obey this silly rule.

The Family Mart and the 7/11 sell beer anytime near me and they have computerised tills.

[Classic Ray]

To be successful in tourism, like any business you have to give the customers what they want. Forty years ago Greece didn’t like topless bathing, Spain didn’t like nude bathing. But to please the customers they allowed it on designated beaches.

 

If tourists want to drink 24/7, give them suitable places to do it. In Dubai, even during Ramadan, the pubs are open to non-Muslims, can’t Thailand do that on Buddhist holy days for foreign tourists and residents?

 

I am all for preserving local culture but this nanny limitation affects the bottom line, discourages tourism and is harmful to the night time economy.

 

In the UK the pressure came from the brewers to reform the licensing laws, maybe that will happen here too.

[pauleddy]

Just go to the small chinese shops (mom and pop)--they will sell you anything from Lao Kao 60b to a liter of JWB--all day! I been here 16 years and it ain't ever changed.

 

At the pharmacy where I buy super strong doctor-only sleeping pills, the local police captain is a good friend as well. He stops for coffee while I am buying $300 of pills, and merely titters.

 

TIT

 

Eddy

[30la]

Can alcoholic drinks also be sold until 4.00 am?

[Benmart]

Many bars in Pattaya open when they want and close when they want. I suspect some sort of "permit" can be purchased.

[Jumbo1968]

5 minutes ago, Classic Ray said:

To be successful in tourism, like any business you have to give the customers what they want. Forty years ago Greece didn’t like topless bathing, Spain didn’t like nude bathing. But to please the customers they allowed it on designated beaches.

 

If tourists want to drink 24/7, give them suitable places to do it. In Dubai, even during Ramadan, the pubs are open to non-Muslims, can’t Thailand do that on Buddhist holy days for foreign tourists and residents?

 

I am all for preserving local culture but this nanny limitation affects the bottom line, discourages tourism and is harmful to the night time economy.

 

In the UK the pressure came from the brewers to reform the licensing laws, maybe that will happen here too.

And it has caused loads of social problems in the U.K., Bar owners want to reverse the hours now as the kids only have a certain amount of money so go out later.

The biggest benefit at the time was all day opening, but even now that has gone by the wayside due to the clampdown on drinking alcohol during lunch time meal break. A sandwich and a beer are no longer possible as companies operate a no alcohol policy even to the extent some work places construction sites where is random breath testing.

[spidermike007]

Somebody needs to explain to Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, that the foreigners he is seeking (mostly westerners, as the Chinese and Indians do not frequent the bars much) are lost forever. Due to a hundred mistakes made over the past 10 years or so. They will never return. Sure, there are a small number of them still coming, and of course, there are some of us ex-pats still living here. But, the army specifically, has been a devastating scourge on the nation, and a blight on the land. If only the Thai people really understood how hapless, incompetent, corrupt, fearful, hateful and useless they are, and the extent to which they are moving the nation backwards, and polluting nearly all government ministries with their racism and xenophobia. 

 

Extending the bar hours is going to do little, to defeat the current state of tourism malaise gripping this nation. This is something the nation has earned, through it's political apathy. 

[Jumbo1968]

1 minute ago, spidermike007 said:

Somebody needs to explain to Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, that the foreigners he is seeking (mostly westerners, as the Chinese and Indians do not frequent the bars much) are lost forever. Due to a hundred mistakes made over the past 10 years or so. They will never return. Sure, there are a small number of them still coming, and of course, there are some of us ex-pats still living here. But, the army specifically, has been a devastating scourge on the nation, and a blight on the land. If only the Thai people really understood how hapless, incompetent, corrupt, fearful, hateful and useless they are, and the extent to which they are moving the nation backwards, and polluting nearly all government ministries with their racism and xenophobia. 

 

Extending the bar hours is going to do little, to defeat the current state of tourism malaise gripping this nation. This is something the nation has earned, through it's political apathy. 

Don’t they realise its not the opening hours which is deterring Tourists, not everyone comes to Thailand for 24 hour drinking, it’s the poor exchange rates.

It will be interesting too see what figures are announced in the coming months re arrivals. TAT will say there has been an increase but I suspect the Hotel/Bar Owners will disagree.

[Beggar]

2 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Somebody needs to explain to Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, that the foreigners he is seeking (mostly westerners, as the Chinese and Indians do not frequent the bars much) are lost forever. Due to a hundred mistakes made over the past 10 years or so.

There are so many tourist destinations full of tourists and these destinations don't provide noise and sex at every corner. But obviously Thailand wants to go back to times before. But I hear many complaints by sex tourists that sex got pretty expensive here. I don't know since I never use such a service. And what I have watched was that sex tourists don't care much about closing times. They will take home the service person much earlier. 

[Army]

Of course. Thailand is broke and needs the money. Most just go to 7 before midnight and stock up

[TPI]

8 hours ago, Captain_Bob said:

"if closing is extended to 4 am, tourists will spend 25 per cent more on eating and drinking"

And probably increase drunk driving accidents/deaths by a similar amount, as there is near zero enforcement of drunk driving laws in the wee hours. 

Bah Humbug!