Transcript of the above video: 

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing alcohol control rules here in Thailand, new ones. I thought of making this video after reading a recent article from the Nation, nationthailand.com, the article is titled: Royal Gazette sets 8 alcohol sale or consumption ban zones in Thailand.

Very quickly before we get into the depths of this article, I think it is worth pointing out, my better half and I set up a restaurant here in downtown Bangkok. It's called Pancake Palace, as the name implies, it is breakfast anytime, American style diner food: hamburgers, cheeseburgers, buffalo wings, chilli bowls - all of that good stuff - we've also got Coke in glass bottles, grilled cheese sandwiches, so if you're interested please feel free to check out the links in the description below and come on by. The reason I mention it is we do have adult beverages available there as well, but again pursuant to Thai law, it's not a good idea to be sort of advertising such things specifically, but as we are talking about such matters, I felt like was sort of pertinent to the video, so check out the links in the description below if you want to come by for some good old fashioned American Diner style food. 

That said, getting into this, quoting directly: “The Royal Gazette website has published eight notices by the Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee on the designation of places or areas where the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages is banned, with exceptions for some places where sales are permitted. The notice takes effect from Tuesday (May 12, 2026). The eight notices update the 2008 Prime Minister's Office Announcement on the designation of places or areas where the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages is banned in state enterprises and other state agencies, to make the rules more appropriate under the relevant legal authority." Quoting further:

"The eight notices set out the following details and requirements: 

The sale of alcoholic beverages is banned on roads or on vehicles, including inside vehicles on roads. 

The sale of alcoholic beverages is banned" - you know it's interesting, it's little things like that just as sort of aside. From a Common Law perspective, I see how the Civil Law works. It's like little picayune things like "including inside vehicles on roads" because as I have discussed in other videos, the Doctrine of Codification under concepts of Civil Law dictates that you have to specifically restrict under the law. So again, I could see a scenario play out where if they said, "oh well you can't consume on roads", well "I'm in a vehicle on the road, I'm not on the road!" You see what I'm saying? You have to be very precise sometimes. That said, quoting further: 

"The sale of alcoholic beverages is banned inside railway stations and on trains, except for activities held inside the air-conditioned hall of Bangkok Station.

The sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages is banned at public passenger piers and on scheduled passenger boats.

The sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages is banned inside all passenger transport terminals nationwide." Quoting further:

"The sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages is banned in factory business areas, except for liquor production factories, where sales may proceed as usual, or drinking may be allowed for taste testing during the production process.

The sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages is banned in areas under the supervision and use of government agencies, state enterprises or other state agencies, except for areas set aside as private accommodation, clubs or traditional banquets." Well yeah, I would kind of like to know that our Government Officials aren't getting bombed inside some government office; that's probably not a bad idea. Quoting further:

"The sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages is banned in public parks operated by government agencies, state enterprises or other state agencies.

The sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages is banned inside government agencies, state enterprises and other state agencies."

So again, basically what we're looking at here is in a number of public contexts especially things like again parks, government agencies themselves, on board public transportation such as the railways, as well as on the road, are prohibited, and explicitly prohibited now in this update to the provisions of the regulations pertaining to regulation of alcohol here in Thailand.

As a practical matter, I don't actually expect that this will have a huge impact because quite frankly, I don't know how many people are looking to go have a tall cold one sitting in the lobby of the Government Offices here; I just don't think that that's going to be real common thing. That said, it remains to be seen how this plays out, so we'll certainly be keeping folks updated on this channel as the situation evolves.