Thailand plans to lift afternoon alcohol ban to draw more tourists
A 52-year-old ban on afternoon alcohol sales may end in Thailand following appeals from the tourism industry.
A three-hour ban on alcohol sales has been in enforcement in the Asian country since 1972 after Thailand became one of the world’s most popular leisure destinations.
The reversal of the ban aims at tackling businesses including bars, hotels, and eateries struggling with rising costs and weak consumer spending.
It will also provide relief to many tourists in the country amidst high temperatures of almost 38 degrees Celsius.
“PM Srettha is pleased to consider proposals from restaurant operators to change laws that ban sales of alcoholic beverages from 2 pm to 5 pm,” parts of a statement on the Royal Thai Government website quoted.
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin received a letter from the Restaurant Business Club on July 2. The letter contained a request for urgent relief measures including a reversal of the afternoon alcohol sales ban to ease the economic effects on citizens.
“We have to look at the overall picture on this,” Mr Srettha was quoted. “Costs are rising, but the government is also promoting tourism, which will help boost restaurant operators’ income.”
Thailand is aiming for 36.7 million travellers in 2024 to help boost its GDP growth to 3 percent. In the first half of this year, 17.5 million foreign tourists visited the country.
The tourism industry is pushing for urgent measures to attract more visitors. This comes as Thailand, which became the first country in Asia to decriminalise cannabis two years ago, is planning to reclassify marijuana as a narcotic. This will tighten rules on its planting, sales, and imports and exports.
