Thailand has revised its alcohol regulations to allow sales at five categories of venue on major Buddhist religious holidays, while keeping the general prohibition in place elsewhere, the Daily FT reported from Bangkok.
The notification was issued by the Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee, published in the Royal Gazette on 6 November and took effect on 7 November. It replaces a Prime Minister’s Office notification dated 7 May 2025, with the committee saying the rules needed updating to reflect changing circumstances.
What remains banned
Alcohol sales stay prohibited on five major Buddhist holidays: Makha Bucha Day, Visakha Bucha Day, Asalha Bucha Day, the beginning of Buddhist Lent and the end of Buddhist Lent.
The five exemptions
The exemptions cover buildings serving passengers at airports operating international flights; licensed entertainment venues operating under the relevant legislation; and hotels recognised under Thai hotel law.
A fourth applies to establishments operating in a manner similar to entertainment venues in tourist areas, provided they are designated by the Minister of Public Health on the recommendation of the Minister of the Interior.
The fifth covers venues hosting major national or international special events attended by large numbers of people. Eligible locations must appear on a list announced by the Minister of Public Health on the recommendation of the Minister of Tourism and Sports, and must implement safeguards restricting access to alcohol among children and young people.
The notification was issued under Sections 16(3) and 28 of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act 2008, as amended in 2025, and follows a resolution adopted by the committee at its second meeting of 2026 on 17 April.
Not reported
The filing does not say how many venues are expected to qualify, whether any designation lists have yet been published, or what penalties apply to venues that sell outside the exemptions. It gives no government rationale beyond “changing circumstances” and carries no comment from Thai Buddhist organisations or the tourism industry.
On sourcing: this report rests on a single verified source. Daily FT carries the item as a wire piece credited to The Nation/Asia News Network and attributes its own text to a secondary republication; this desk has not independently verified the Royal Gazette notification.
