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Thailand Tightens Alcohol Rules With Fines Up to 10,000 Baht for Off‑Hour Drinking

Officials frame the shift as a push to curb alcohol-related harms to burnish the country’s image.

Overview

  • Effective November 8, enforcement now targets consumers as well as sellers for violations of drinking-hour rules.
  • The permitted windows are 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.–midnight, with drinking outside those times treated as an offense in public or monitored spaces.
  • Individuals caught in violation face penalties of up to 10,000 baht, an amount reported as roughly ₹28,000 for travelers from India.
  • Monitoring is emphasized in tourist-heavy locations such as beaches, bars, and convenience stores, which could limit casual daytime drinking.
  • The clampdown follows this year’s reversal of relaxed cannabis rules, signaling a broader turn toward tighter public-order regulations.