Cheers! Thailand backs down on alcohol ban
BANGKOK – Plans to ban the sale of alcohol during next month’s Songkran festival have been scrapped.
Thai authorities fear a ban will harm the already damaged tourism industry.
The National Committee for Alcohol Consumption Control said there would be no alcohol ban during the traditional New Year from April 13 to 15.
Instead it had opted to launch an intensive campaign against drink driving.
In TravelMole last week, Andrew J Wood, president –Skal International Bangkok, urged the Thai government to address the real reasons for holiday road carnage.
He said, “Since the overwhelming percentage of people who die on the roads during this period are Thai teenagers driving motorcycles and overloaded pick up trucks racing along the highways while drunk, a reasonable question to ask may be, “How can banning alcohol sales to foreign tourists in hotels help to reduce the number of dead Thai teenagers all over Thailand?”
More than 30,000 people are killed or injured on Thailand’s roads during the annual Songkran festivities.
.
Ian Jarrett
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025