Phuket faces 48-hour alcohol sales ban over Buddhist holidays
Phuket will see a 48-hour alcohol sales ban on Asarnha Bucha Day and Khao Phansa, with police warning that bars and restaurants are not automatically exempt.
Alcohol sales will be banned for 48 hours in Phuket during the upcoming Asarnha Bucha Day and Khao Phansa holidays, while no nationwide ban will apply on His Majesty the King’s Birthday on Tuesday, July 28.
The holiday period continues with Asarnha Bucha Day on Wednesday, July 29, and Khao Phansa, or Buddhist Lent Day, on Thursday, July 30. Alcohol sales will be prohibited on both Buddhist holidays.
Maj Gen Sinlert Sukhum, Commander of the Phuket Provincial Police, previously told The Phuket News that only licensed entertainment venues, along with hotels and international airports, will be allowed to sell alcohol under the amended Alcoholic Beverage Control Act.
He said the exemption applies only to licensed entertainment venues and does not extend to service establishments authorized to sell alcohol, meaning bars and restaurants should not assume they are exempt from the holiday ban.
Violating the alcohol sales ban carries penalties of up to six months in prison, a fine of up to B10,000, or both.
The three-day holiday period will also affect public services. Government offices, including District Offices and the Department of Land Transport, will be closed throughout the holidays. Most bank branches will also close, though some branches in shopping malls may remain open.
Thailand Post outlets in shopping malls are expected to operate as normal, while hospitals will continue emergency and essential medical services. Royal Thai Police and Tourist Police stations will remain open as usual.
Phuket Immigration has advised foreign nationals who need visa extensions, 90-day reports or other immigration services to complete their transactions before the holiday period. Normal services will resume on Friday, July 31.
