New alcohol rule: vendors banned from serving intoxicated customers
Thailand introduced a new regulation under the Alcohol Control Act, banning alcohol vendors from selling alcoholic beverages to customers who are already intoxicated.
Following several revisions to the Alcohol Control Act over the past few months, the Craft Beer Trade Association used its official Facebook page yesterday, December 18, to explain the updated rules in simple terms to help business operators better understand the changes.
According to the association, shops, bars, and entertainment venues are currently allowed to sell alcohol from 11am to midnight every day. This applies during the six-month trial period in which the afternoon alcohol sales ban has been temporarily lifted.
As business operators are already aware, the sale of alcohol to people under the age of 20 remains strictly prohibited. Under the newly revised law, alcohol sales are now also banned for customers who are already drunk.
The association explained that this new rule was added to Section 29 of the Alcohol Control Act. Vendors who sell alcohol to intoxicated customers who later cause harm, such as property damage, injuries, or death, may be held jointly liable. This means vendors could face both legal prosecution and compensation claims.
However, the law does not clearly specify how intoxication should be officially measured. There is no defined blood alcohol level or testing method stated in the regulation.
Instead, vendors are required to use their own judgement to assess whether a customer is intoxicated and should refuse service if necessary.
To help businesses avoid violating the law, the Craft Beer Trade Association offered several recommendations. These include installing CCTV cameras at venues to provide evidence if disputes arise, clearly explaining the new rules to all staff members, and placing visible signs to inform customers about the alcohol sale restrictions.
The association also encouraged vendors to promote responsible drinking by advising customers to use public transport after consuming alcohol.
In a related development, the National Alcohol Policy Committee approved an extension of alcohol drinking hours from midnight to 1am in November, following requests from the private sector. However, the committee rejected calls for further extensions, citing statistics showing a higher number of drink-driving-related accidents.
Customers who drink alcohol outside the legally permitted hours may face fines of up to 10,000 baht.
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