Bangkok: The National Alcoholic Beverage Policy Committee in Thailand is set to lift restrictions on alcohol consumption and sales from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, with plans to further extend sales hours past midnight, in an effort to stimulate tourism. This initiative is expected to be finalized in time for the New Year celebrations.

According to Thai News Agency, Deputy Prime Minister Sophon Zarum, following a meeting of the National Alcoholic Beverage Policy Committee, announced that the Cabinet has approved extending the alcohol sales hours beyond the current permitted times of 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM to midnight. The new extension will allow sales from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The primary goal of this change is to promote tourism and boost economic activity. The Ministry of Tourism expressed concerns that strict enforcement of existing laws during the New Year holiday might deter both international and domestic tourists. To address this, the government has decided to extend the sales hours. A public hearing will be conducted within 15 days, after which an official announcement from the Prime Minister’s Office will be made, bypassing further Cabinet approval.

Discussions are ongoing regarding the potential extension of drinking hours past midnight. While the Ministry of Tourism and the private sector advocate for extending hours to 4:00 AM, public health and medical experts oppose the idea, citing statistics that indicate a spike in accidents between 2:00 and 3:00 AM, with drunk driving fatalities peaking at 2:00 AM. Mr. Sopon suggested that a compromise be reached, possibly adopting a 1:00 AM closing model. Extending hours to 2:00 AM could lead to a rise in accidents during the early morning rush hours of 5:00 AM to 7:00 AM.

Mr. Sopon noted that the previous restriction on drinking between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM was initially aimed at preventing civil servants from consuming alcohol during working hours. However, he argued that this measure is outdated as modern civil servants refrain from afternoon drinking. While measures encouraging abstinence during festivals are desirable, they should not be impractical. To promote abstinence, effective incentives must be in place.