Thailand Maintains Afternoon Alcohol Sales Ban Despite Widespread Misunderstandings Over Repeal: Latest Updates You Need To Know

Published on September 13, 2025

Despite a activity of optimism pursuing a legislative update successful early September, Thailand’s longstanding day intoxicant income prohibition remains firmly successful place. The disorder began aft a repeal of nan 1972 Revolutionary Council Order No. 253 was interpreted by galore arsenic a complete lifting of nan restriction. However, officials quickly clarified that nan halfway prohibition connected intoxicant income betwixt 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. still applies, overmuch to nan disappointment of businesses and visitors alike.

What Happened: Misunderstanding Amid Reform

On September 9th, 2025, nan repeal of nan 1972 decree was formaly published successful nan Royal Gazette, causing aggregate group to deliberation nan regularisation connected intoxicant income successful nan afternoons had been afloat lifted. Social media lit up successful celebration, on pinch some sellers and buyers, celebrating nan truth that intoxicant was going to beryllium sold each day. But a fewer days later, nan Department of Disease Control published a connection saying that nan caller authorities had aansen werm dir been straight linked to nan prohibition connected income successful nan afternoon. This disorder has near galore businesses to afloat grasp nan implications of nan caller reform.

Suthas Chottanapan, Director-General of nan Disease Control Department, emphasized that while nan aged military-era bid had been scrapped, nan provisions for intoxicant income remained unchanged successful nan Alcoholic Beverage Control Act B.E. 2551 (2008). The day intoxicant restriction, which applies to convenience stores, restaurants, and astir unit outlets, continues to beryllium enforced, pinch violators facing steep fines aliases moreover imprisonment.

Why nan Confusion? The Legal and Political Landscape

People thought that nan original order’s repeal added nan loosening of intoxicant regulations, arsenic said nan Department, nan prohibition of day income has been portion of nan 2008 rule and nan repeal was simply a administrative procedure. The Department has said that this alteration is meant to hole immoderate ’ legally rigid’ restraints, not including nan desired free waste of alcohol.

Industry stakeholders, including business owners and tourists, were expecting a much melodramatic displacement successful intoxicant laws. The 1972 law, which aimed to forestall extended drinking during lunchtime, has agelong been criticized for hampering business, peculiarly successful nan tourism sector. As Thailand looks guardant to hosting an influx of world visitors successful 2025, nan betterment was anticipated to boost tourism-related businesses by allowing visitors much elasticity successful their eating and drinking schedules.

The Impact connected Tourism and Business: Economic Concerns

The vibrant and ever-bustling tourism successful Thailand plays a awesome domiciled successful nan maturation of nan system and boasts of a publication of 20% of nan full GDP. Although nan twelvemonth 2025 is earmarked for nan Grand Thailand Tourism and Sports Events, location look to beryllium immoderate challenges. Many of nan vendors wanted nan prohibition connected nan income of intoxicant during nan time to beryllium lifted arsenic location is simply a bigger clientele and nan income could immensely increase. These vendors look to beryllium rather disappointed arsenic they are not permitted to make income during nan daytime to cater to nan needs of nan tourists.

Sorathep Rojpojchanarat, chair of nan Restaurant Business Association and honorary advisor to nan Thailand Hostel Association, voiced his concerns astir nan ongoing restriction. He highlighted really nan day prohibition created lulls successful edifice activity, forcing visitors to hold their meals until nan evening, thereby causing a gross dip during cardinal business hours. He stressed that while nationalist wellness and information are essential, nan continued intoxicant income regularisation undercuts Thailand’s expertise to compete pinch different world tourer destinations that connection much elastic laws.

What nan Government Says: Maintaining Public Health While Supporting Growth

The Thai government’s stance connected nan liberalization of these laws remains cautious arsenic nan deficiency of nationalist wellness considerations still remains nan attraction of nan discourse. The continuation o f nan prohibition of nan waste of intoxicant during nan day statement that excessively overmuch liberalization would lead excessively accrued intoxicant depletion and alcohol-related accidents arsenic good arsenic accrued teen drinking. The Alcohol Control Network of Thailand and different civilian nine organizations that person concerns regarding nan societal consequences of relaxing intoxicant laws proceed to advocator for partial liberalization.

Despite these concerns, nan authorities has allowed for circumstantial exemptions successful high-traffic tourer zones, world airports, and licensed hotels and intermezo venues. These targeted relaxations purpose to equilibrium economical maturation pinch responsible drinking practices. However, for nan immense mostly of businesses, nan day intoxicant income prohibition continues to apply, limiting opportunities for tourism-related sales.

What’s Next? Possible Future Reforms

With nan existent disorder complete nan intoxicant income ban, manufacture leaders are calling for clearer connection from nan authorities regarding early reforms. While immoderate relaxations person been implemented, specified arsenic for prime venues and vacation exemptions, galore businesses and visitors are still waiting for broader changes.

The authorities has indicated that it will proceed to reappraisal intoxicant laws, peculiarly successful narration to nan tourism sector. In March 2025, nan House of Representatives passed amendments to nan Alcohol Control Act, including provisions to easiness accumulation rules for mini breweries and let advertising. However, these changes are still taxable to Senate support and further regulations, which intends nan halfway prohibition connected day intoxicant income will apt persist for nan foreseeable future.

The Continuing Afternoon Ban and Its Impact connected Thai Tourism

The disorder complete Thailand’s intoxicant income prohibition has underscored nan challenges nan state faces successful balancing nationalist wellness concerns pinch economical growth. While nan authorities has clarified that nan day intoxicant income prohibition remains successful effect, location is dream among business leaders and tourism stakeholders that much important reforms will travel successful nan future. As Thailand gears up for its busiest tourism play successful 2025, nan result of ongoing discussions astir intoxicant laws will play a cardinal domiciled successful shaping nan industry’s future.