Bangkokian wrote: ↑Sat Dec 04, 2021 6:31 pm
he thought that was to discourage children from buying alcohol on their school lunchbreaks or on the way home.
I am not aware of that ever having been a problem. As long as I've lived in Thailand, I have never seen drunk school children, school children trying to buy alcohol, or any shops selling it to them. Plus, many schools are not even dismissed during those hours. I seriously doubt that idea had anything to do with the 2pm-5pm rule.
The part on my "I Don't Get It" list is the fact that rule is still in place. Why?
In his article, Barry Kenyon says, "Nobody seems sure how many Pattaya businesses are already approved by SHA." I think he said too much. I think he should have stopped at "Nobody seems sure" because nobody seems sure of anything yet. We'll see how this all develops.
Here is the latest:
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Pattaya slakes its thirst
Province finally ends alcohol ban after uproar from tourism operators
by Dusida Worrachaddejchai
4 December, 2021
The alcohol ban was lifted in Pattaya on Friday, a move hailed by tourism-related businesses that had complained they lost 60% of their income in what was already a lukewarm market.
The Provincial Communicable Disease Committee issued an order on Friday stating that restaurants and hotel eateries with a Safety and Health Administration (SHA) Plus certificate located in blue zone areas are allowed to sell alcohol, while adopting preventive measures in a Covid-free setting.
The available hours are limited to 11am to 2pm and 5pm to 11pm.
Thanet Supornsahasrungsi, acting president of the Chon Buri Tourism Council, said the province's blue zone was reporting less than 100 daily infections. In contrast, Bangkok has more than 700 cases per day and Phuket more than 100, but both are allowed to serve alcohol to guests.
Bookings for year-end banquets and staff parties from corporate groups at industrial estates in Si Racha have also fallen as a result of the ban, he said.
On Friday, 13 tourism-related organisations released a statement asking the provincial governor to lift the alcohol ban at SHA Plus-certified restaurants and hotels in blue zone areas, which includes Bang Lamung, Pattaya, Si Racha, Koh Si Chang, Na Jomtien and Bang Sare.
The number of international tourists arriving in Pattaya from Nov 1 to Dec 2 stood at 9,437, or 295 tourists per day, accounting for less than 10% of the 4,000-5,000 daily average during the pre-pandemic years.
Tourists' alcohol consumption in Pattaya averaged 500,000 baht per day prior to the pandemic.
Without alcohol sales in hotel outlets and restaurants, operators said they have lost almost 60% of revenue.
Mr Thanet said most operators also raised concerns about discrimination as convenience stores, particularly big chain stores, can sell alcoholic beverages as normal to tourists.
He said the country's reopening hasn't helped hoteliers much as most tourists under the Test & Go scheme spent just one night in a hotel in order to obtain a Covid-19 test result. Many have families or businesses in Thailand with their own home.
Hotels in Pattaya had around 9,000 room nights booked, which is inadequate to shore up business, said Phisut Sae-Khu, president of the Thai Hotels Association's eastern chapter.
He said operators are losing hope as the peak season progresses, with major markets like Russia, India and China only expected to arrive next year, while European countries are battling new waves of the virus.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/22 ... its-thirst
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Alcohol ban partly lifted in three more places
Qualified eateries in Chiang Mai, Hua Hin and Cha-am free to serve
December 4, 2021
Restaurants in five districts of Chiang Mai, as well as the resort towns of Hua-Hin and Cha-am, can start serving alcohol as local authorities start easing Covid-19 restrictions.
Chiang Mai governor Prachon Pratsakul issued the order easing the Covid-19 restrictions on Saturday, effective on Monday.
The districts allowed to serve alcohol are those already opened to tourists. They are Muang, Chom Thong, Doi Tao, Mae Taeng and Mae Rim.
To qualify, the eateries must meet Covid-Free setting standards and serve alcohol only between 11am and 2pm and from 5pm to 11pm.
Bands are also allowed so long as they have no more than five members each and do not mingle with customers.
Eateries in other districts or those that do not meet the standards, as well as entertainment places and massage parlours, remain closed.
The northern province, with a population of 1.8 million last year, reported 135 new cases and one more death on Saturday, bringing its total since July to 22,779 cases and 132 fatalities, according to provincial data.
Covid-Free setting is a set of safety standards prescribed by health authorities for different types of places. For eateries, they include tables being placed at least 1-2 metres apart or separated by partitions, serving at half capacity for air-conditioned places and 75% for open-air restaurants, a maximum one-hour stay for patrons, fully vaccinated staff, who must also take antigen tests every seven days.
The easing of alcohol restrictions was announced earlier for Bangkok, while eateries in Pattaya were given the green light on Friday to serve booze.
The alcohol ban has also been lifted in the beach towns of Hua Hin and Cha-am south of Bangkok.
In Hua Hin municipality and the adjacent tambon Nong Khae to the south, restaurants with SHA or SHA+ certification can serve alcohol until 10pm.
The new regulation, signed on Nov 30 by Prachuap Khiri Khan governor Sathien Charoenruen but not announced until Friday, takes effect immediately.
In Cha-am district of Phetchaburi, restaurants with safety certification can also serve alcohol until 10pm, provincial governor Nattawut Petchpromsorn said.
The rules will be reviewed again on Dec 15, he added.
Cha-am is also planning to stage a food festival on the beach from Dec 10-12 to attract more visitors.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... ore-places