Thailand extends alcohol sales hours to midnight in select areas
Thailand has revised its alcohol sales regulations, allowing sales from 11am to midnight in certain locations under a new announcement published in the Royal Gazette yesterday, May 28. The updated rules take effect today, May 29, and replace the previous 2025 regulation.
The Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee issued the announcement, titled Announcement on Prohibited Alcohol Sales Hours B.E. 2569 (2026), citing the need to update the existing regulation to reflect current circumstances.
The measure was issued under Sections 16(3) and 28 of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act B.E. 2551 (2008), as amended by the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act (No. 2) B.E. 2568 (2025).
Under the new regulation, alcohol sales remain prohibited outside the period of 11am to midnight, except in specified cases.
Exemptions apply to alcohol sales in international airport passenger terminals serving international flights.
Sales are also permitted in entertainment venues operating within opening and closing hours allowed under the Entertainment Places Act, as well as hotels operating under the Hotel Act.
Additional exemptions cover designated alcohol sales areas within venues hosting conferences, exhibitions, trade fairs, performances or similar events.
The regulation also permits sales at food and beverage establishments located within entertainment venue zones established under the Royal Decree on Areas Permitted for Entertainment Venues in Rayong Province (No. 2) B.E. 2568 (2025).
Those food and beverage establishments must also fall within the Eastern Aviation City promotion zone as defined by announcements of the Eastern Economic Corridor policy committees issued on February 13, 2018, and August 28, 2025.
The announcement requires businesses granted exemptions to implement screening procedures and other necessary measures to maintain public order, protect public safety, and restrict access to alcoholic beverages by children and young people.
The new regulation comes into force the day after its publication in the Royal Gazette. It also revokes the previous Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee announcement dated December 1, 2025.
In that announcement, alcohol sales were allowed from 11am to 2pm and from 5pm to midnight, with an additional 2pm to 5pm sales window approved for 180 days from the date the announcement takes effect.
The sales-hour restrictions did not apply to alcohol sold in international airport passenger areas, entertainment venues operating within legally permitted hours, or hotels.
In an earlier announcement, Thailand’s Royal Gazette published guidelines on how alcohol vendors should assess whether customers are intoxicated before serving further drinks, following a new regulation that bans sales to already drunk people.
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