Permanent Extension of Afternoon Alcohol Sales Hours: What Evidence Informed the Decision?

Today (28 May 2026), the Royal Gazette announced a permanent extension of afternoon alcohol sales hours in Thailand.

An important question is whether this decision was based on robust evidence and whether the potential economic and tourism benefits have been carefully weighed against public health, safety, and broader social costs.

Earlier this year (March–April 2026), the Research Centre for Social and Business Development conducted a study on the impacts of relaxing alcohol sales restrictions during 14:00–17:00. The study, supported by the Health Systems Research Institute (HSRI) and the Centre for Alcohol Studies (CAS), covered 12 provinces across Thailand, including both major and secondary cities in all six regions. The funders had no role in site selection, sampling, data collection, analysis, or interpretation of the findings.

The study collected data from:

• 2,445 members of the general public
• 378 business operators
• 1,238 tourists

Key findings included:

• 41.4% of the public disagreed with the policy, while only 31.3% agreed.
• 43.3% believed that the negative impacts outweigh the benefits, citing concerns such as traffic injuries, violence, noise disturbance, and health consequences.
• 69.7% of Thai tourists and 68.7% of international tourists reported that the policy had little or no influence on their decision to visit Thailand.
• In March 2026, only 6.9% of business operators reported increased sales, while 59.5% reported lower sales.

These findings do not imply that policies should never change.

Rather, they highlight the need for policymakers to answer several important questions:

1. How much additional economic benefit is expected?
2. Will tourism meaningfully benefit from the change?
3. Have the costs related to injuries, violence, youth health, and community well-being been fully considered?
4. What monitoring and evaluation mechanisms will be implemented following the policy change?
5. If the harms ultimately outweigh the benefits, how will the policy be reviewed and adjusted?

Alcohol policy is not simply about sales hours. It is about lives, public safety, economic development, and the future of society.

The Centre for Alcohol Studies (CAS) believes that the government should publicly disclose the evidence, rationale, and indicators used to support this decision and establish a transparent system for monitoring its impacts. Public confidence is strengthened when major policy decisions are guided by evidence and accountability.

#CAS #AlcoholPolicy #PublicHealth #Thailand #EvidenceBasedPolicy