BANGKOK — Business operators in Thailand’s tourism sector are calling on the government to urgently clarify and relax enforcement under the new Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, warning that confusion and strict rules could drive away foreign tourists during the peak season.
The new law, which took effect on November 8, 2025, replaced the previous alcohol control framework but left uncertainty over its enforcement and accompanying regulations.
Sa-nga Ruangwattanakul, president of the Khaosan Road Business Association, said on Sunday that operators across Thailand’s service and nightlife industries are struggling to understand the law’s scope and penalties.
“One concern is that if tourists continue drinking after 2 p.m. or past 1 a.m. — even if there’s just half a beer left — both the customer and the venue could face fines of up to 10,000 baht,” Sagha said, adding that several foreign embassies have already warned their citizens in Thailand about the restrictions.
He said various associations — including the Thai Alcohol Beverage Business Association, the Hotel Association, nightlife groups, and tourism operators — plan to meet this week to compile recommendations for Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and related ministries. The group hopes to discuss possible adjustments, such as extending service hours or zoning, to align with foreign tourist behavior.
“We need clarity. The uncertainty surrounding this new law risks becoming a major obstacle for tourism and spending, especially as the high season begins,” Sagha said. “European travelers, who make up the majority of visitors on Khaosan Road, are used to drinking in the afternoon and into the night. Without clear rules, restaurants and hotels that are not licensed as entertainment venues will struggle to operate — and foreign tourists may simply choose to go elsewhere.”
He added that Australia had already issued travel advisories, while the U.K. and U.S. are monitoring the situation. “If Thailand doesn’t act quickly, we may lose foreign visitors to competing destinations,” he warned.
Ruangwattanakul also noted that despite being the high season, spending remains weak. “Usually, the last two months of the year and early January bring 20–30% higher revenues, sometimes even 50% in certain areas. But this November feels unusually quiet.”
Meanwhile, Chanin Rungtanakiat, deputy secretary-general of the opposition Pheu Thai Party, said the confusion stems from the government’s failure to update related decrees after revoking a decades-old junta-era ban on alcohol sales between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
That 1992 regulation, Chanin said, was “overly broad and outdated.” He urged the administration to follow through by lifting related prime ministerial orders that continue to restrict sales hours, particularly in tourism areas.
“The new law was designed to decentralize control to provincial committees — including officials, local administrators, and private sector representatives — so they can tailor alcohol regulations to local contexts,” he said. “Tourist provinces like Phuket could adopt more relaxed measures, while Muslim-majority areas could maintain stricter controls.”
Rungtanakiat also noted that the new law modernizes rules for small-scale producers and community distilleries, allowing them to promote their products more openly. But those benefits remain stalled because the government has yet to issue necessary secondary regulations.
“Tourism is Thailand’s main economic driver,” Chanin said. “The government must act swiftly to unlock these regulatory barriers. Every day of delay is a lost opportunity for the economy.”
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