Recently, Thailand has been lifting covid barriers one by one, which were a serious obstacle for travelers wishing to visit the tropical country. So, last Friday, the COVID-19 Situation Control Center (CCSA) of Thailand announced that it would lift the annoying tourist ban on the sale of alcohol, including beer, in hotels and restaurants from 14:00 to 17:00 in the afternoon. The change will take effect July 1. This was reported by the Thai media with reference to the Minister of Tourism Phiphat Ratchakitprakarna.
By the way, significant border changes will begin in the kingdom from July 1 – read the details here.
Removing the daytime prohibition could greatly boost tourism in Thailand, which has been puzzled by the liquor ban, the official said. From July 1, the country expects between 25,000 and 30,000 foreign tourists to arrive in the kingdom, and by the end of 2022, the total number of travelers should be between 7.5 million and 10 million. The Minister explained that he does not want to annoy tourists with a daily ban on the sale of alcohol at certain hours.
“Imagine that some tourists are relaxing in their hotel and they are suddenly notified that alcohol cannot be bought from 14:00 to 17:00 pm. This will surely ruin the reputation of the country,” he was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
However, he recalled that the lifting of the ban would not apply to convenience stores, “at least initially, until more research is done.” The daily ban on drinking, which was in effect from 2 pm to 5 pm, confused both Thais and foreigners, and the explanations for this ban were many, but not necessarily historically accurate. Each official interpreted the ban in his own way, the papers noted.
In addition to the news of the lifting of restrictions on the sale of alcohol, it was announced this week that all 77 provinces of Thailand will become “green” zones (or surveillance zones), which will allow the opening of entertainment venues in all 77 provinces. Probably, this change will also come into force on July 1, like a number of other decisions of the Thai authorities. When the change goes into effect, establishments will be allowed to operate until 2:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m. in some areas not yet specified.
For those who care about a healthy lifestyle, we recommend reading: “The doctor revealed to whom and for what it is necessary to eat grenades.”