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Thailand It was finally removed on Tuesday five decade ban On liquor sales at noon, right on time New Year Holiday.
The new regulation revoking the ban for a six-month trial period was published in the Royal Gazette by Public Health Minister Pattana Promphat.
It will run as a 180-day trial until the end of May 2026, during which officials will monitor road-traffic accidents, hospital admissions and overall consumption before deciding whether to make the exemption permanent.
Mr Pattana said the move was “appropriate for the current situation”, according to a statement in the Royal Gazette.
The Buddhist-majority country had banned the sale of alcohol before 11 am and between 2 pm and 5 pm. The 20th-century rule – which first arose during military rule in the 1970s – was formalized in 2008 to prevent civil servants from drinking alcohol during the workday.
That changed after the country’s National Alcohol Policy and Alcoholic Beverages Control Committees proposed ending the ban in November following years of demand and pressure from the tourism and hospitality sectors.
It was decided to lift the ban as a 180-day pilot to stimulate the economy.
The decision follows intense lobbying from the tourism and hospitality industry, which argued that the afternoon ban had become a major nuisance for foreign visitors and was hurting Thailand’s competitiveness against neighbors such as Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Deputy Prime Minister Sophon Zarun said on Tuesday that a 15-day public mandatory hearing process to gather opinions on lifting the ban had ended. Bangkok Post,
However, not every store can implement the new regulation, he said, acknowledging that there has been widespread misunderstanding. He said only registered establishments, including grocery stores, would be allowed to sell alcoholic beverages between 2 pm and 5 pm.
The relaxation means tourists and locals can now purchase beer, wine and spirits from shops and supermarkets continuously from 11am to midnight every day, with no blackouts in the afternoon.
Consumption of alcohol on site, in restaurants and bars etc. will be allowed till 1 am, however sales must stop by 11 pm.
Reviewing the ban last month, the Deputy Prime Minister said there had been concerns in the past about government employees going out to drink during working hours, but “it’s a different time now”.