PM Anutin pushes 4am pub hours and nationwide booze revamp
Government eyes nightlife overhaul to modernise outdated regulations
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has proposed lifting alcohol zoning laws and extending pub hours to boost revenue and modernise nightlife regulations nationwide.
Anutin has ordered the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Public Health to study the nationwide removal of zoning restrictions on alcohol sales and extend closing times for entertainment venues from 2am to 4am. The plan also includes scrapping the afternoon alcohol sales ban between 2pm and 5pm.
The aim is to roll out the changes by January 2026, just in time for the expected dissolution of Parliament.
“This is not just about tourism and nightlife; it’s about modernising outdated laws and unlocking revenue.”
The new rules are expected to generate an additional 500 billion baht in tax revenue for the government. One major regulatory shift will be the replacement of licensing requirements with a simpler registration process for entertainment venues, making it easier for businesses to operate legally.
Zoning restrictions, which currently limit alcohol sales and late-night operations to designated nightlife areas, would be scrapped entirely. This would require amendments to existing Ministry of Interior regulations. Oversight of alcohol sales will shift to the Ministry of Public Health.
Earlier this year, the Ministry of Interior introduced Ministerial Regulation No. 3 B.E. 2566 (2023), allowing pubs and clubs in four provinces and one district to stay open until 4am. The provinces include Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Chon Buri, along with Koh Samui District in Surat Thani Province.
The same regulation also extended late closing hours to entertainment venues within hotels across the country, reported Matichon.
In Bangkok, venues in Silom, Patpong, RCA, New Phetchaburi Road, and Ratchadaphisek Road are eligible for the 4am curfew, provided they hold the proper business licences. A recent inspection of 50 district offices revealed 207 licensed entertainment venues in 33 districts. Of those, 73 are located within official zoning areas and eight operate inside hotels. The remaining 134 are outside zoning zones, with 24 based in hotels.
If implemented, Anutin’s proposal could completely transform Thailand’s nightlife scene and bring in a surge of revenue, all while giving tourists and locals more reason to stay out late.
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