All six main international airports in Thailand, including Suvarnabhumi and Phuket, are now allowed to sell alcoholic beverages during five major Buddhist holy days. This measure aims to increase spending by travelers and promote tourism.
On Thursday, the National Committee on Alcohol Beverage Policy agreed to permit the sale of alcoholic drinks at airports managed by Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) on Asarnha Bucha, Visakha Bucha, Makha Bucha, Buddhist Lent, and the end of Buddhist Lent.
AoT manages several airports, namely Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, and Hat Yai.
On these significant Buddhist days, the sale of alcohol is typically prohibited across the country.
Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit, who presided over the committee’s meeting, stated that lifting the ban would enhance tourism revenue.
He noted, however, that the implementation date for this new policy is pending, awaiting an amendment to the relevant announcement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Additionally, the committee rejected a proposal from the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) to resume the sale of alcoholic beverages, including beer, at its stations and on its trains.
The authorities have directed both the railway agency and the committee to further assess the proposal, considering its economic impact and public health implications.
Since 2015, the SRT has prohibited the sale of alcohol at its stations and on trains.
This ban followed an incident where a former employee consumed beer on a train, subsequently sexually assaulted a 13-year-old passenger, and then threw her out of the moving train in July 2014.
