Thailand has officially changed when alcohol can be sold, ending a restriction that had been in place in its original form since 1972. The Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee published the revised rules in the Royal Gazette on Thursday, setting new permitted sales hours of 11 am to midnight across the country, effective immediately after publication, according to a report by The Nation Thailand.

The change follows a 180-day trial that had already lifted the longstanding afternoon sales ban, a rule that had shaped Thailand's retail and hospitality landscape for over five decades. The permanent revision now formalises what the trial tested, framing broader sales-hour access as support for tourism and retail activity.

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Who is exempt from the standard hours

The new rules carve out specific categories where alcohol sales are not bound by the 11 a.m. to midnight window. Sales inside airport buildings serving international flights are exempt. Entertainment venues operating under the relevant licensing law may sell alcohol in line with their own permitted opening and closing hours. Hotels licensed under hotel law are similarly exempt.

A fourth category covers designated alcohol sales areas at venues hosting events, meetings, exhibitions, trade fairs, and performances, as well as food and beverage outlets in areas permitted for entertainment venues under the Royal Decree designating areas for entertainment venue licensing in Rayong province (No. 2) B.E. 2568, and within the Eastern Aviation City promotion zone.

Any seller operating under these exemptions is required to put screening and necessary measures in place to maintain public order, ensure public safety, and restrict access to alcoholic beverages by children and young people.

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The bigger picture

The liberalisation of sales hours has not come without pushback. Public health advocates have continued to raise concerns about drink-driving and youth access, concerns the government appears to be addressing through targeted restrictions rather than rolling back the broader reform.

Recent Royal Gazette notices have tightened alcohol controls in specific public areas, including transport facilities and government-supervised spaces, suggesting the government's approach is one of wider flexibility paired with tighter controls where the risks are most concentrated. 

Published on: May 30, 2026 9:05 AM IST