Thailand began a six-month trial on Wednesday allowing afternoon alcohol sales, easing a decades-old restriction that banned the sale of liquor between 2:00 and 5:00 p.m.
Under the relaxed rule, alcohol can now be sold from 11:00 a.m. to midnight daily. The trial period aims to assess the impact of more permissive hours on society, businesses, and public health.
The ban was originally introduced to prevent government workers from drinking during work hours, but Thai officials have recently questioned its necessity.
“In the past, there were concerns that government employees would sneak out to drink, but it’s a different time now,” Deputy Prime Minister Sophon Saram told reporters last month.
Health Minister Pattana Promphat said the decision was “appropriate to the present situation,” according to a statement published in the Royal Gazette on Tuesday.
Though Thailand is well-known for its vibrant nightlife and a major tourism destination, its alcohol laws remain among the strictest in the region due to the country’s adherence to Buddhist values, which generally discourage alcohol consumption.
Thailand continues to enforce prohibitions on alcohol sales during religious holidays and maintains other time-based restrictions. The country also faces ongoing public health and safety concerns tied to excessive alcohol use.
According to the World Health Organization, Thailand has one of the highest alcohol consumption rates in Asia. Public health ministry data recorded nearly 33,000 deaths linked to drunk driving from 2019 to 2023.
In 2021, Thailand ranked 16th globally for road traffic deaths per capita, WHO data showed.
On the first day of the eased law, many Bangkok businesses reported no significant change in consumer behavior.
“There haven’t been many people because customers still don’t know about the new law,” a shop assistant at Gourmet Wine Cellar told AFP.
At a 7-Eleven, customers continued to choose soft drinks over beer despite signage informing them of the new hours. A server at a nearly empty beer garden told AFP she had learned of the change on TikTok, adding, “There’s almost no change because we usually don’t get any customers during this time.”
Some observers noted the policy would mostly benefit tourists. “Tourists like to drink a lot. But for Thai people, maybe not, as we don’t normally drink at that time anyway,” Apple, a Thai marathon-runner, told AFP.
British tourist Matthew, 23, expressed surprise about the original restriction. “Sounds like it would be terrible for the economy. So many tourists come here. Why would they do that? Religious reasons?” he told AFP.
