"ll sales of alcohol near schools nationwide, without exemption or exception, were banned yesterday under a vaguely worded order from the military government.
Although Prime Minister Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha signed a specific order banning alcohol sales within 300 meters on Monday, a new law was unexpectedly published yesterday stating that “no person shall sell alcoholic beverages near the boundary lines of educational institutions or dormitories near educational institutions."
The law includes no language defining how near is “near.” The law includes all schools, not just high schools and universities. The law includes no exceptions or exemptions. The law went into immediate effect. Yesterday.
Thanakorn Kuptajit, president of the Thai Alcoholic Beverage Business Association told Coconuts today it came out of nowhere.
"I was shocked when I found out about this law yesterday," Thanakorn said. "The actual law itself is unable to be interpreted. For example, what distance is considered ‘near?’"
Some alcohol sellers have already warned by officials, he added.
That said it appeared to have a total effect of nothing on Bangkok’s nightlife last night, where it was business as usual in areas which would have been affected by the 300-meter ban such as Siam Paragon, CentralWorld, EmQuartier, Soi Cowboy and many other locations in the central business district. Not to mention nationwide.
As we wrote yesterday, the order Prayuth signed Monday would have, as written, created pockets of prohibition throughout Bangkok by banning all alcohol sales except for registered hotels and the few government-designated entertainment zones such as Patpong, Royal City Avenue-upper Thonglor and the nightclub-adult entertainment stretch of Ratchadapisek Road. It was also to go into effect 30 days after being formally published." Click on the map to see the areas in BKK affected.
LINK: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2015/07/24/m ... a-lamphong

You know it's really bad when Thais start saying it's stupid

I'm sure that the all night porta-bars on Suk and Soi 11 will be blissfully unaffected however.

And 2 bars in Bangkok were closed down a day after the legislation came into force... this one is bonkers even by Thai standards.

wackyjacky wrote:I'm sure that the all night porta-bars on Suk and Soi 11 will be blissfully unaffected however.

I was there the other weekend. All ports-bars down soi 11 have thankfully been closed down.

Last trip I stayed up in Thonglor, got a brutal case of food poisoning from street food, and didn't get down to lower Suk. Have the schlock merchants returned to the odd side of Sukhumvit between the Westin and Soi 3 during the day ?

No they are all still barred from setting up until 7pm. Made my morning walks down to nana much more enjoyable.

Almost makes me in favor of the coup. They annoyed me so much that I crossed over to the even side or walked in the street.