Thailand has relaxed its decades-old restrictions on alcohol sales, allowing the purchase of beer, wine and spirits during previously prohibited afternoon hours as part of a six-month trial.
Under the revised rules, announced Wednesday, retailers may now sell alcohol from 11:00 a.m. until midnight, lifting the long-enforced ban on sales between 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. The temporary measure will be assessed by a government committee tasked with evaluating its social and economic impacts.
Despite the adjustment, the predominantly Buddhist nation continues to enforce strict alcohol controls, including designated sales hours and blanket bans on religious holidays. The original afternoon prohibition was introduced decades ago to deter government employees from drinking during work hours, a regulation that has long confused tourists.
“In the past, there were concerns that government employees would sneak out to drink, but it’s a different time now,” Deputy Prime Minister Sophon Saram said last month as officials reviewed the ban.
Health Minister Pattana Promphat described the changes as “appropriate to the present situation,” according to a notice published Tuesday in the Royal Gazette.
Thailand’s alcohol policies remain heavily influenced by Buddhist teachings that consider drinking a moral failing. Yet the country records some of the highest alcohol consumption rates in Asia, with popular local brands such as Chang, Singha and Leo dominating the market.
Road safety remains a major concern. WHO data ranked Thailand 16th globally for road traffic deaths per capita in 2021. Public health ministry figures show nearly 33,000 fatalities from drunk-driving incidents between 2019 and 2023.
