This election there’s going to be TWO no alcohol days, instead of the usual one.
As Thailand’s general election looms, so does the inevitable alcohol sales ban (apparently to assist Thais to make a ‘good’ decision). The government has confirmed that, as is standard practice in the kingdom, the sale of alcohol will be banned on early voting days and on Election Day.
If you want to note that in your diaries, we’re talking no alcohol sales from 6.00pm on May 6 until 6.00pm on May 7 and again from 6.00pm on May 13 until 6.00pm on May 14. That’s two Saturday nights in a row when the party spirit may be somewhat dampened.
Note that you don’t have to be eligible to vote to be affected by the ban. Nobody needs to feel left out, the ban will apply to everyone in the kingdom at the time, whether Thai, resident expat, or foreign tourist. Anyone found in violation of the ban could face a six-month prison sentence and/or a fine of up to 10,000 baht.
Meanwhile, officials are urging voters to familiarise themselves with the rules governing voting in the election. This is to avoid violations that could occur unintentionally, such as photographing a used ballot paper or removing a ballot paper form the polling station.
Other violations include buying and selling votes, deliberately defacing ballot papers, and preventing eligible voters from casting their vote, all of which carry harsh penalties.
SOURCE: National News Bureau of Thailand
