Elections in Thailand are alcohol-free
So I don't know if anyone out there has been keeping score, but Thailand hasn't actually had a government (in the full sense) since May of 2014. The commander of the Thai military took control of the government and ousted pretty much everyone involved in it. This sounds scary, but for me anyway, if i had been in a coma when it happened and woke up 10 days after, I wouldn't have noticed any change at all. This is the second coup I have witnessed since moving here and I felt the same way about the other one.
Anyway, that is not what this post is actually about.
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Elections were announced months ago and today was the day that they happened. There are a bunch of what you would expect such as signs for the various candidates all over the place and Thai people have been bombarded with representatives and advertisements for this person and that for months. I will be happy when all the giant signs are no longer blocking the footpaths, which should be in the next couple of days.
I know a lot of Thai people, and I haven't heard anyone get excited about any various candidates. It doesn't mean that they don't care... maybe they just don't discuss these things with me and as a person who tends to avoid politics as much as possible, I am thankful for that.
However, many view this as a bold move by the current self-appointed leader of this country who was the military leader of the coup that lead to the government-less state of the country in the first place. I suppose he could have just not allowed elections and carried on leading the country on his own but here we are 5 years later and he had dictated that he wants the people to decide, which, knowing very little about him, seems like a noble thing to do.
The funny little fact about this all is not about the politics themselves, which i know very little about and haven't even bothered to learn even a little bit.... it is about the nation-wide decree that no booze was to be sold anywhere in the country for 24 hours starting the evening before election day, which was today.
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Thailand's alcohol sales laws are strange anyway but I find it kind of amusing that they don't trust their population to be sober enough to vote properly. I'm not trying to be judgemental I just feel like if you can't manage to not be too sauced to check the correct box on a form, maybe you shouldn't be voting to begin with? If you manage to be stone-cold hammered for an entire Sunday maybe you don't really feel very passionately about the election in the first place.
From 5pm last night until 6pm today, there was no booze for sale anywhere and all bars were forced to be shut down. I am sure there are a lot of people out there that were delighted that they can still celebrate St. Patrick's day starting at 6pm... for me, I am rather indifferent to that holiday since I have zero Irish background and can get smashed on a random Tuesday if i feel like it.
TL;DR
Thailand doesn't allow their population to drink alcohol on election weekends and although I haven't traveled the entire world, I have been to a lot of places. Do you know of any other countries that have a law like this? I don't mind not being allowed to drink for a day (it probably does us all some good,) I just find it odd.
Haha that is a strange one indeed. You would think that if you are old enough to be able to drink, you are mature enough not to get smashed and vote for the wrong person.
Adulting is tough but I cant believe they feel people need to be legislated into voting sober!
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Same here in the Philippines. The day before the election, and the day after.
But we get around it by stocking up on alco and drinking it quietly at home, being careful not to arouse the suspicions of the roving cops. 😀 😂
There is also a 6-month gun ban which begins 5 months before, and ends a month after the election.
yeah, i noticed a bunch of people in their yards having beers. Apparently it is not illegal to consume, just illegal for anyone to sell it to anyone else. While I have no problem going a day without booze, you certainly could easily prepare for this with a little planning.
That is not good news IMO. Government ruins everything. Expect more division and more corruption.
Seems like this alcohol ban is only just a preview of what's to come.
well, it's actually been this way for a long time before he took control. Most of the major holidays also have alcohol bans, which is strange for a westerner because holidays are when we always drink MORE.
I know places in the middle east - but that's obviously not for one day it would be every day! Wow I didn't know about the military running the government? As you said, we couldn't really tell either way. Most changes luckily don't affect us.. we hope anyway haha!
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Lol... Well this is a weird one.
Maybe the Military ruler doesn't want drunk citizens yelling in his ears as he hands over
That sounds a lot like the paperwork that they make you sign before you get a tattoo saying you aren't drunk or high. Pretty crazy that they actually have a law about it. I am surprised that they don't have breathalyzers at the polling stations and check everyone before they walk in. What is to keep me from buying a twelve pack or fifth the night before and drinking it all before I got to vote that morning?
Very interesting post. Hopefully the candidate that has the best interests of the country at heart wins!