Proposed alcohol ban for New Year and Songkran

[Fat Haggis]

If it reduces the Road Carnage.... BRING IT ON....EXTEND IT !

Shit driving abilities and poorly maintained vehicles and lack of common sense, and piss poor road conditions are also major contributing factors for the road " carnage"

Let's stop blaming alcohol for everything !!

If you can't stand the thought of everyone else enjoying themselves like they have done for decades then stay at home and read a book or two.

[The manic]

If it reduces the Road Carnage.... BRING IT ON....EXTEND IT !

Shit driving abilities and poorly maintained vehicles and lack of common sense, and piss poor road conditions are also major contributing factors for the road " carnage"

Let's stop blaming alcohol for everything !!

If you can't stand the thought of everyone else enjoying themselves like they have done for decades then stay at home and read a book or two.

Yes indeed. I just leave the country and come back when its all over and people to it.

[Alwyn]

People saying that this will kill the Christmas/New Year tourism stats are forgetting most people will already have booked, unfortunately for them. So... New Year on the beach watching the fantastic fireworks displays and no beer or wine etc? So the tourists that turned a blind eye to Martial Law and unelected government, random urine tests, closed up soapy shops, being told only ugly birds are safe in Thailand, so they could come to Thailand for the New Year holiday to remember now can't celebrate it if this dimwitted muppet has his way - they must be feeling dandy now. Having said that nobody outside og the country will know I guess... Until they arrive of course

[NoshowJones]

They mean ban drinking on the street?

That should be the case all the year round.

Yes. And then if the police saw you drinking a bottle of water or swigging a Pepsi on the street they could give you piss test to check for alcohol. And they could ban eating on the street.

It should be against the law in any country, for anyone to drink alcohol in the street. Your last sentence is just nonsense.

[WhamBam]

They mean ban drinking on the street?

That should be the case all the year round.

Yes. And then if the police saw you drinking a bottle of water or swigging a Pepsi on the street they could give you piss test to check for alcohol. And they could ban eating on the street.

It should be against the law in any country, for anyone to drink alcohol in the street. Your last sentence is just nonsense.

That is a crazy notion.

Italy, France, Greece to name but a few have drinking on the streets. They have tables outside restaurants on the street where many people can be found having a glass of wine or a beer.

Why should this be banned? Violence, disorder, drunkenness? Seems to me the greatest majority of these people are simply out for a pleasant evening.

Here in Pattaya we drink in a small place with 6 double tables or so. 2 of those tables are on the street. Never have I seen a disagreement, a fight or any disorder. Should this small place lose 1/3 of her decent paying customers?

[ukrules]

There's more idiots here that I realised.

They're not talking about a ban like the one on election days where they close down the bars and restaurants and prevent the stores from selling alcohol.

Sometimes reading the article helps.

[The manic]

They mean ban drinking on the street?

That should be the case all the year round.

Yes. And then if the police saw you drinking a bottle of water or swigging a Pepsi on the street they could give you piss test to check for alcohol. And they could ban eating on the street.

It should be against the law in any country, for anyone to drink alcohol in the street. Your last sentence is just nonsense.

No it shouldn't. No it's not illegal in England and Europe and yes if it was, you just put vodka in a Coke can and yes then police could interfere and they will as long as there are mindless morons who accept every infringement on their

liberty as a' good thing.' In Europe at the great street festivals, race meetings, and on family picnics we drink wine and other alcoholic drinks. What' your problem? Have you ever been to Spain, France, Germany, England? Alcohol is part of our cultural heritage. We drink it publicly with out shame or fear of being prosecuted. I ask this question because I am genuinely puzzled. What is the matter with you?

Edited December 4, 2014 by The manic

[NoshowJones]

No Whambam, a bit of common sense is needed, I don't see anything wrong with driking alcohol at a table on the sidewalk which is part of the cafe etc, where the drink was published.

I was more referring to people walking down the street or gathering at street corners drinking alcohol.

[lumply]

I don't get it. Can you not have a great New Year and Songkran without getting plastered?

[The manic]

They already do this, the Queens birthday the bars are closed. Friday is the Kings Birthday, December 5th. See if you can buy ALCOHOL .

Better stock up today !!!!!!!

Yes and it's a crap time to arrive in Thailand on Holiday.

[monk213]

ah... ha, hahahahahaha! Wow I sometimes wonder if they do and say these things just to make us all laugh and question their sanity. What a stupid proposal, this place is run by people not of this planet

[The manic]

Works in australia.

No it doesn't.

[The manic]

I don't get it. Can you not have a great New Year and Songkran without getting plastered?

It's a matter of choice. And not necessarily getting plastered. A matter of choice.

[NoshowJones]

Manic, read post 128.

[The manic]

That will hurt their image badly

No, no, 'Fred!' - YOU were the one going off the other day about evil, riff-raff who would ever smoke dreaded marijuana. I say, take the 'evil beer drinkers' with 'em!'

I propose you are urine tested for it weekly, and any trace of alcohol in your system results in prison time.

After all, we need to make sure it's only 'quality tourists' in Thailand.

You have hit the nail on the head with this nutter 'fred' . I'll bet he is a 'seedy' drinker type and not quality at all.

[IamNoone88]

I do not think I could dream up such moronic ideas unless I had been drinking! Perhaps they will sober up.

[alanrchase]

And you must wear a helmet on a motorcycle.

[robblok]

Lots of people moaning when they go after the legal drug alcohol. The same people who applaud when they go after weed.

I dont care if they ban it or not. But it would be far more sensible if they called up extra police and did loads of alcohol checks in traffic.

Go after the people who are driving drunk.. not take the easy way out and and go after everyone.

However my solution is far too sensible for Thailand.

[Alwyn]

Great idea. That means everybody will stay home since people aren't able to have fun without drinking.

Hopefully the tourists won't stay home

[BigBadGeordie]

A great idea , this will have the numbers thru Swampy skyrocketing, unfortunately for TAT the increase will only be at the departure gates.

But hang on, maybe this is a joint venture WITH TAT to ensure that they do not miss their "projected" increase in Middle Eastern and Arab tourist, who as everyone knows never touch alcohol.

You are wrong my friend. There are a lot of "Muslim Lights" hanging around at the British Club in Bahrein enjoying their Scotch from as early as 10'o cock in the morning. All of them wearing a towel with a black ribbon around their head. See for yourself.

Was sarcasm my friend sarcasm

[rubl]

There's more idiots here that I realised.

They're not talking about a ban like the one on election days where they close down the bars and restaurants and prevent the stores from selling alcohol.

Sometimes reading the article helps.

"ban on consumption in public places"

So, what is a public place ? May I just walk around with unopened bottles?

[rubl]

With remarks on tourists and TAT I'm reminded of this

"Police to publicly shame drink-drivers on Twitter this Chrismas"

http://www.engadget.com/2014/12/01/twitter-police-drink-driving/?ncid=rss_truncated

"Police in Sussex and Surrey to work together to target drink and drug-drivers"

http://www.surrey.police.uk/News/News-Stories/Full-news-story/Article/10529/Police-in-Sussex-and-Surrey-to-work-together-to-target-drink-and-drug-drivers

Surely TAT can come with a positive twist, like "visit Thailand and get known for it" ?

[ukrules]

There's more idiots here that I realised.

They're not talking about a ban like the one on election days where they close down the bars and restaurants and prevent the stores from selling alcohol.

Sometimes reading the article helps.

"ban on consumption in public places"

So, what is a public place ? May I just walk around with unopened bottles?

It's quite clear to me that they're talking about drunken street / beach parties - these are public places.

I have a feeling they will be targeting places like Khao San Road and the corrupt islands (all of them ?) with the beach parties.

The inside of a bar / restaurant / nightclub is not a public place.

[impulse]

Suck down a beer in a public place in Huntington Beach California, land of the free. You'll be arrested.

You can drink in your home, you can drink in a bar, you can drink in a restaurant, you can drink in your friend's home. But you can't drink in public. When I lived there years ago, they even arrested people sitting on their front porch and their front yard drinking beer, because the public could see them. There were a bunch of court cases about the guys arrested on their own property, but I moved away long before they were settled.

Rules like this are certainly not unique to Thailand.

[Rooney860]

I think WhamBam means walking down the street swigging from a can or bottle of beer or spirit etc. This isn't right no matter where you kive IMHO.

[Rooney860]

I meant live.

[thaigold]

I think it's wonderful. Let us return to a Thialand of yesterday, with old ladies tending the children as happy Thai men tend the buffaloes and the innocent children harvest the grain - all this, of course directed by the landed gentry and the puyai baan.

Oh, and stop these evil farangs; kissing and wearing bikinis.

Keep up the good work Thailand - too much freedom can be bad for developing minds.

[Thomas Hannah]

Cannot have a drink on new years eve,One minute they talk of boosting tourism,Then talk of driving tourists away.Or do they think quality tourists,dont drink.

[Fat Haggis]

I think WhamBam means walking down the street swigging from a can or bottle of beer or spirit etc. This isn't right no matter where you kive IMHO.

Just exactly how many Songkran festivals have you attended ?

It might well be the law in many countries, but here we have another Farang trying to say what's right and what's wrong in a country that isn't his.

You don't have to go near them if it offends you so much, stay at home and let those who want to party, party!!

Songkran is what brings a lot of people to the country and that means revenue, my son and his girlfriend were over this year and we did Songkran in Issan with my Thai in laws and again down in Pattaya 2 days later, and they loved it so much they had planned on coming next year.

My son even remarked that it beat Hogmanay in Edinburgh hands down, and THAT is saying something, being Scottish we know how to party but Songkran beats it by a mile.

It's really quite simple, if seeing lots of pissed up people having a great time partying and having fun, stay at home and drink 3-1 coffee and watch crap Thai soaps and let those who want to enjoy themselves do so.

You chose to live here knowing full well what the party atmosphere is like during both Songkran and New Year, so why whine and moan ? Nobody is forcing you to attend any parties ?

[Fat Haggis]

I think WhamBam means walking down the street swigging from a can or bottle of beer or spirit etc. This isn't right no matter where you kive IMHO.

Just exactly how many Songkran festivals have you attended ?

It might well be the law in many countries, but here we have another Farang trying to say what's right and what's wrong in a country that isn't his.

You don't have to go near them if it offends you so much, stay at home and let those who want to party, party!!

Songkran is what brings a lot of people to the country and that means revenue, my son and his girlfriend were over this year and we did Songkran in Issan with my Thai in laws and again down in Pattaya 2 days later, and they loved it so much they had planned on coming next year.

My son even remarked that it beat Hogmanay in Edinburgh hands down, and THAT is saying something, being Scottish we know how to party but Songkran beats it by a mile.

It's really quite simple, if seeing lots of pissed up people having a great time partying and having fun, stay at home and drink 3-1 coffee and watch crap Thai soaps and let those who want to enjoy themselves do so.

You chose to live here knowing full well what the party atmosphere is like during both Songkran and New Year, so why whine and moan ? Nobody is forcing you to attend any parties ?