Government criticised after drunk teen found sleeping near Khao San Road
A Bangkok municipal official helped send a 16 year old drunk Thai girl home after she slept on a footpath near Khao San Road. Netizens urged authorities to pay attention to underaged partygoers.
A popular news page, Thaicrime Online, shared a video showing a municipal officer from the City Law Office and two men carrying a drunk teenager to a car yesterday, December 18. She was reportedly sleeping on a footpath in front of a building on Ratchadamnoen Road near the popular entertainment venue, Khao San Road.
The officer and a man in a red shirt first woke the girl up and asked her to walk to the car, trying to help her walk but she could barely stand still. So the cameraman, who was filming, could be heard asking the two men to carry her instead.
MRG Online reported that the girl in the video was only 16 years old. People her age are not allowed to drink or buy alcohol and also not allowed to enter entertainment venues as well.
The media added that she sneaked out of her home to hang out with her friends and stayed until the morning, as venues in Bangkok are allowed to extend their opening hours until 4am.
Opinions from the netizens were divided. The netizens said she was lucky to be in danger and was helped in time. Others said she should know her limit and take care of herself before drinking alcohol.
In Thailand, residents are allowed to drink and buy alcohol or enjoy nightlife venues from the age of 20. Violation of the law will result in punishment for the vendor or any person involved in the sale and consumption of alcohol. The penalty is imprisonment for up to one year and a fine of up to 30,000 baht.
Some blamed the incident on the government’s recklessness and a new rule of extending the opening hours of the entertainment venues. They said what the government and the country would get in return would be more about the problem and not the money they expected.
Netizens commented…
“16 years old?”
“It is not about the opening hours. It is about violating the age limit.”
“Should bars open 24 hours? Only promoting bad influence!”
“Now we see what the country gets from the extended opening hours.”
“What is wrong? Drinking until 4am or drinking at 16 years old which is against the law?”
