Tourism associations urge PM to scrap alcohol sale time limits and review zoning rules

Eight leading tourism and hospitality associations submitted a petition to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Wednesday, urging the government to revoke time restrictions on the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages under the new Alcohol Control Act B.E. 2568 (2025).

Sanga Ruangwattanakul, President of the Khaosan Business Association, said the network is deeply concerned about the negative effects of the amended Alcohol Control Act (No. 2) B.E. 2568, which took effect on 8 November. The law, he said, has already caused confusion among citizens and tourists and inflicted serious damage on the tourism and service sectors, harming Thailand’s image during the peak tourist season.

The key issue raised was the continuation of the long-standing sales ban between 2 p.m.–5 p.m. and after midnight, along with the new consumption ban during those hours, which carries fines of up to 10,000 baht for offenders, including foreign tourists.

Sanga noted that the restrictions have disrupted the country’s nightlife and tourism atmosphere and run counter to the government’s efforts to revitalise the tourism sector. While the associations support responsible alcohol consumption, they argue that the current restrictions — in place for over 50 years — fail to reduce harm and instead encourage illicit trade and underground markets.

The associations urged the prime minister to consider three urgent actions:

1. Lift the alcohol sale and consumption bans between 2 p.m.–5 p.m. and after midnight to ease the burden on businesses and prevent the rise of black-market alcohol sales.
2. Review alcohol sales zoning rules, especially in major tourist provinces and designated tourism promotion zones, to allow restaurants and entertainment venues to operate legally in line with national tourism policies.
3. Revoke the online alcohol sales ban, which contradicts the government’s digital economy policy. The associations propose allowing regulated online sales using age verification technology for both purchase and delivery stages. Such measures would improve compliance while promoting local craft and OTOP producers, providing new digital growth opportunities aligned with the “Thailand 4.0” vision.

Sanga concluded that the network’s recommendations aim to ensure a balance between responsible alcohol regulation and Thailand’s goal of strengthening tourism, local enterprise, and the overall economy.