All six major international airports, including Suvarnabhumi and Phuket, are set to permit the sale of alcoholic beverages on five significant Buddhist holy days to enhance traveler spending and bolster the tourism industry.
Following a decision by the Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee policymakers, airports operated by Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) will now have the green light to offer alcoholic drinks on Asarnha Bucha, Visakha Bucha, Makha Bucha, Buddhist Lent, and the end of Buddhist Lent days.
AoT oversees the operations of Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, and Hat Yai airports.
Traditionally, alcohol sales are prohibited nationwide during these sacred Buddhist observance days.
Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit, leading the committee, highlighted the potential increase in tourism revenue resulting from lifting the alcohol sales ban. However, the specific implementation date of this decision remains pending, pending the necessary amendment to the Prime Minister’s Office announcement.
Furthermore, the committee addressed the proposal from the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) concerning the reevaluation of alcohol sales, including beer, at railway stations and on trains.
It was decided that the SRT and the committee would conduct a comprehensive study on the proposal, considering both economic advantages and public health implications.
Since 2015, the SRT has enforced a ban on alcohol sales at train stations and onboard trains. This regulation was put in place following an incident in July 2014, where a former SRT employee consumed beer on a train, subsequently committing a heinous crime against a minor passenger before throwing her out of the train window.
