National—
On February 1st, 2024, Mr. Thanakorn Kuptajit, the advisor to the Thai Alcohol Beverage Business Association (TABBA), petitioned the Thai government to consider revising the law prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM as it negatively impacted Thailand’s tourism in overall.
While the implementation aligns with the government’s policy to boost Thailand’s tourism by extending entertainment service hours, Thanakorn noted remaining challenges, such as issues related to road accidents from DUIs and the sale of alcoholic beverages to individuals under the age of 20.
Thanakorn suggested a review of regulations hindering economic recovery, such as the ban on alcohol sales during specific hours, and aligning them with the tourism context. Furthermore, Thanakorn emphasized the importance of maintaining safety measures and strict control over youth access to alcohol.
Additionally, Thanakorn mentioned the bilateral agreement on reciprocally permanently waiving visas for Thai and Chinese tourists effective on March 1st, 2024. This has significantly increased the number of Chinese tourists seeking information about Thailand, aligning with the government’s efforts to boost the economy, remarked Thanakorn.
Regarding the upcoming Chinese New Year festival, Thanakorn emphasized the potential economic benefits, urging the Thai government and relevant agencies to leverage this opportunity to rejuvenate the tourism sector.
Thanakorn also urged the government to consider extending similar visa privileges to tourists from other countries, enhancing Thailand’s competitiveness in the global tourism market. TPN Media recently wrote an editorial about this HERE.
According to Thai national media, the Thai Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee would discuss the extension of service hours and the reconsideration of alcohol sales restrictions on February 15th. The proposals for regulatory changes would be considered and potentially approved by the Thai Prime Minister and relevant agencies before the upcoming Songkran festival in April.
This estimated timeframe aimed to align with the festive season, providing an opportunity to boost the economy and attract both local and international tourists, according to Thai national media.
