November 17, 2025
Dr. Rujira Bunnag
Naewna On Line,
Column of Rule, Regulation and Business
Publicized on Friday, November 14,2025
The Alcoholic Beverage Control Law, or the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act No. 2 B.E. 2568 (2025), the most recent amendment, came into effect on November 8, 2025. Since then, it has been widely criticized, especially by general restaurant operators.
One of the key provisions is the prohibition of alcohol sales between 14:00–17:00 and 00:00–11:00 (the previous prohibited hours), and the new addition -drinking alcohol during these prohibited hours is now also forbidden, violators will face a fine of Baht 10,000.
Following the enforcement of the new Alcohol Control Act, Australia became the first country to issue a travel advisory, warning its citizens planning to visit Thailand regarding the new regulations.
The fact that another country has issued a warning to its tourists about Thailand has drawn significant attention domestically. Many Thai citizens, who may not have been fully aware of the alcohol control law, have now become much more alert.
The ironic part of the new law: if customers at a general restaurant continue drinking past the permitted hours—whether accidentally or unknowingly—both the restaurant owner and the customers will be fined 10,000 baht each.
Nonetheless, under a prior Announcement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister pursuant to the original Alcohol Control Act, signed on June 3, 2025, certain locations are exempted from the sales prohibition. These include alcohol sales inside buildings serving passengers on international flights at airports, sales at entertainment venues during their legally permitted operating hours, and sales within hotels.
This highlights the disparity between small restaurant owners and businesses venues or hotels owned by big business owners.
In essence, small local restaurants cannot sell alcohol during prohibited hours, while large operators—entertainment venues, hotels, and airports—may continue selling. And thus, it becomes what it is.
Looking back, the ban on alcohol sales between 14:00–17:00 originated from the Revolutionary Council Announcement issued in 1972 (B.E. 2515). Its intent was to prevent government employees and certain civil servants at the time from drinking during lunch breaks, which often resulted in them returning to work late or being unable to perform their duties.
Additionally, the regulation may have had a positive intention to reduce daytime alcohol consumption among youths and the general public—a reasonable objective at the time.
Today, however, Thailand’s economy and business competitiveness remain strained. Some industries may still be performing well, but they represent a minority.
The Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) estimates that the economic value of alcoholic beverages and related industries—restaurants, hotels, and tourism—amounts to as much as Baht 600 billion per year, involving over 312,000 establishments nationwide.
Recently, the government has recognized the importance of this issue and intends to review both the restricted hours and locations for alcohol sales, ensuring they align with current realities. This is a positive development, and amendments will likely take the form of a new announcement by the Office of the Prime Minister.
Laws, once enacted and enforced, may eventually become outdated as time passes and society evolves. What was once appropriate and practical in one era may no longer be suitable in the present.
—————–
