Alcohol ban in Pattaya and Bangkok from 6pm Saturday

We know you just can’t get enough of Thailand’s alcohol bans, so here’s another one coming up tonight for you in Pattaya and Bangkok! From 6pm tonight (Saturday) until 6pm tomorrow night, alcohol sales will be banned in Pattaya and Bangkok due to the Pattaya mayoral election, and the Bangkok governor election, both of which are tomorrow.

Those who break the law risk six months in prison, a fine of up to 10,000 baht, or both. For the designated 24 hours, no alcohol can be purchased, sold, or distributed. While the ban will apply to all 50 districts of Bangkok, it won’t apply to neighbouring provinces like Nakhon Pathom or Nonthaburi. So if you’re really craving your Singha, it’s best to head over there.

The ban is reportedly supposed to discourage so-called ‘drink voting’ in Thailand, preventing people from voting for candidates they might regret voting for later on. It is also reportedly supposed to prevent election manipulation. But in past elections, angry social media users, particularly expats, called the ban a part of Thailand’s “ridiculous war on alcohol“.

The upcoming governor election is Bangkok’s first in 9 years. The highest ever number of candidates, 31, have registered for the election. Candidates registered at City Hall in March, each promising to improve a number of conditions. Earlier this month, the Election Commission launched a campaign tomorrow urging the public to vote. Trucks with loud speakers drove through Bangkok urging people to exercise their voting rights, as this is the first time in nearly a decade that they can.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post | Time Out Bangkok