The Public Health Ministry is proposing to ban all alcohol sales during the New Year holiday and the Songkran festival in the hope of lowering the number of traffic deaths and accidents.
If the proposal passes a series of official hurdles, the ministry will ban the sale of alcohol between Dec 31 and Jan 1 and during the Songkran festival, between April 13 and 15.
It would also ban the sale and consumption of alcohol at piers, properties managed by state enterprises or government agencies, along railroad tracks and at bus terminals.
The Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee will consider the measures on Dec 19.
The committee is chaired by Public Health Minister Rajata Rajatanavin. Other members are the permanent secretary generals of other ministries, including tourism and sports, commerce and industry.
The Department of Disease Control is sponsoring the proposal, and director-general Sophon Mekthon said it would present a study on alcohol's impact on road safety to the committee.
"Certainly, there will be resistance. We will discuss that with the committee," Dr Sophon said.
About 300 traffic deaths are recorded each New Year and Songkran, most of them caused by drink-driving. Samarn Futrakul, director of the department's Alcohol Control Committee Office, said the proposed ban was based on these statistics.
If the committee endorses the measures, they will be passed to the National Alcoholic Beverage Policy Committee, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. The premier or a deputy will have the final say.
Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, said a ban would hurt tourism and discourage foreign travel to Thailand.
"New Year is a time of celebration. Tourists come to this country to celebrate. We can't deny that drinking alcohol is part of that," he said.
He said the government needs to establish a mindset of public accountability rather than issuing regulations.