AMID a confusion over the hours of sale and consumption of alcohol in restaurants, the Alcohol Control Policy Committee is now to meet on Thursday (Nov. 13) to resolve this issue and clarity expected by Dec. 4, PPTVHD36 said today (Nov. 11).
Mr. Siripong Angkasakulkiat, the Prime Minister’s Office spokesman, said Prime Minister-cum-Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul questioned Public Health Minister Pattana Promphat about the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act B.E. 2568 (2025), which came into effect on Nov. 8, at today’s cabinet meeting.
While this legislation does not specify what time alcohol sales are prohibited, it mentions that the attached Prime Minister’s Office Announcement signed on June 23, 2015 should be studied. This announcement continues to prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages any time other than 11 a.m.to 2.00 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to midnight.
Not covered are alcohol sales at airport passenger terminals serving international flights, entertainment venues where it is legal under the Entertainment Place Act B.E. 2509 (1966) and hotels in accordance with the Hotel Act 2547 (2004).
This means that the Prime Minister’s Office announcement prevents general restaurants from selling alcoholic beverages and allowing drinking from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. This has caused confusion, especially among foreign tourists unfamiliar with the regulation.
Pattana, who is a supervising member of the Alcoholic Control Policy Committee, told Anutin that the panel will address this issue as quickly as possible with a meeting scheduled for Thursday to give a clearer picture about the regulation.
Siripong added that as a new announcement will come into effect after 15 days of being issued, there should be clarity by Dec. 4.
“From what I heard there will be a solution to the problem people have been demanding but we’ll have to wait and see what the details are.”
CAPTIONS:
Top – An alcoholic drink being poured. Photo by Patrick Schopflin on Unsplash
Front Page – Alcoholic beverages. Photo – Chuttersnap on Unsplash
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