Thailand eases alcohol ban to attract more tourists
Thailand has temporarily eased a ban on the sale of afternoon alcoholic drinks in a move aimed to attract more tourists.
Restaurants, bottle shops and other authorised outlets can now sell beer, wine and spirits from 2pm to 5pm as part of a six-month trial, the BBC reports.
Overseas tourists, including Australians, have often been confused by the afternoon prohibition of alcohol sales in Thailand, a top destination for partygoers.
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Tourists in Thailand will find buying an afternoon alcoholic drink easier after authorities eased a decades-old ban. (AP Photo/Sa AP
It was started in 1972, partly to deter public servants from drinking during work hours.
Alcohol sales in Thailand are now permitted from 11am to midnight during the next 180 days while an expert panel examines its impact.
Previously, breaking the ban carried the risk of a fine up to 10,000 baht ($437).
The change comes in the lead-up to the Christmas and the New Year holiday, both peak periods for tourists.
New Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has pledged to kickstart the economy by reviving tourism following years of political unrest.
Local beer brands Chang and Singha are favourites among overseas visitors,
About 800,000 Australians visit Thailand every year, according to Tourism Research Australia.
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