Too many booze bans

Too many booze bans

Banning alcohol sales during Songkran is not a new idea, but until this week it came only from temperance groups.
Banning alcohol sales during Songkran is not a new idea, but until this week it came only from temperance groups.

In another desperate bid to curb the high alcohol consumption blamed for road traffic deaths, health authorities have come up with an idea to ban booze sales on Songkran Day on April 13 every year.

The ban was proposed last week by the alcohol control panel under the Public Health Ministry. The proposal, which will go before the National Alcohol Policy Committee for final approval next month, received wide support from anti-alcohol activists, including the Accident Prevention Network, which see it as a significant step in a campaign to curb alcohol-related accidents.

Prommin Kanthiya, the network's director, said he agreed with the proposed ban because the number of accidents, deaths and injuries as a result of alcohol consumption is very high on April 13. He cited figures from the Road Safety Directing Centre which show that a total of 820 accidents were recorded on that day last year, with 86 deaths and 852 injuries. Drink-driving was a cause of nearly half the accidents.

At this stage, it remains unclear if the authorities want to impose the ban only on April 13 or to extend it to the following days. Celebrations of Songkran, which is the traditional new year for Thailand and some neighbouring countries, take place from April 13-15.

Normally, there will be substitutions for any of the designated days that fall over weekends that make it a long vacation period. This year, Songkran celebrations begin on April 12.

However, it is hoped the authorities will carefully consider the booze sales ban, weighing every aspect. They should realise the country already has too many excessively tough alcohol-related laws and regulations, some not very practical, with regard to drinking problems.

Currently, due to strenuous campaigns from the anti-booze activists, booze sales are banned on every major religious day in the country, namely Makha Pucha, Visakha Pucha, Asarnha Pucha, Buddhist Lent and the day when Lent comes to an end, depending on the lunar calendar.

Booze sales are not allowed on the eve of election day and last until the poll is over as a precaution against vote-buying. The authorities try to push for such bans on any important days.

There are also limitations on sale times, from 2pm-5pm and after midnight till 11am every day. The state also bans drinking on public vehicles including trains, while booze sales are prohibited in convenience stores at petrol stations, and so on.

It seems many of those tough measures just seek to make people's life unnecessarily difficult without solving any problems.

At the same time, enforcement is still questionable. The large number of traffic-related deaths attests to the fact that the drink-driving problem is not being properly addressed.

But the authorities should know it's not a good idea to put into place such blanket measures that will affect too many groups of decent people during such special occasions. What about tourists who do not drive? Why do they have to have their pleasure spoiled?

Drink driving is a major cause of traffic-related fatalities in the holidays; what is needed is strict enforcement to ensure drunk people do not drive. Tough enforcement is needed too for under-age drinking.

Laws and enforcement, while important, are not enough for tackling such a stubborn issue. Instead, those concerned should focus more on public education that aims to promote responsible drinking. If successful, it will save time and effort by the state in fighting drunk-driving.

Editorial

Bangkok Post editorial column

These editorials represent Bangkok Post thoughts about current issues and situations.

Email : anchaleek@bangkokpost.co.th

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT (19)