Thailand lifts decades-old afternoon alcohol ban in major policy shift
Thailand on Wednesday scrapped its decades-old prohibition on afternoon alcohol sales, marking one of the most significant reversals of the country’s long-standing liquor rules.
The six-month trial lifts the 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. sales ban — a restriction dating back generations and originally designed to keep government workers from drinking during office hours.
Under the new rules, alcohol can be sold from 11 a.m. to midnight while a government committee reviews the effects of the policy change.
Deputy Prime Minister Sophon Saram said last month that the decades-old curbs belonged to a different time, and Health Minister Pattana Promphat called the shift “appropriate to the present situation.”
The move loosens a regulatory regime shaped heavily by Buddhist teachings on abstinence and by concerns over Thailand’s high rates of alcohol consumption.
World Health Organization data show the country ranked 16th globally for road deaths per capita in 2021, and nearly 33,000 people were killed in drunk-driving incidents between 2019 and 2023.
Despite the significance of the rollback, the first day saw little change on the ground.
Shop attendants in central Bangkok said many customers were unaware of the new rules, and convenience store buyers continued reaching for soft drinks over beer or spirits.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
