On 13 November 2025, Thailand’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee (ABCC) approved a draft announcement to temporarily lift the long-standing ban on afternoon alcohol sales. The relaxation will apply for 180 days from the effective date of the announcement, which is expected to take effect in early December 2025.
This policy change forms part of broader economic stimulus measures approved by the Cabinet on 21 October 2025, aimed at revitalising the tourism and hospitality sectors. Following the Cabinet’s resolution, the Department of Disease Control under the Ministry of Public Health proposed revisions to alcohol sales regulations to ease operational restrictions for businesses catering to tourists, while maintaining core public health safeguards.
Once the announcement becomes effective, the prohibition on alcohol sales during the traditional afternoon window will be temporarily lifted. Businesses such as restaurants, cafés, bars, and retail outlets will be permitted to sell alcoholic beverages continuously during operating hours, without the previous midday interruption, for the duration of the 180-day period.
This change is intended to:
- Align alcohol sales regulations with actual tourism demand patterns,
- Reduce operational complexity for hospitality operators, and
- Enhance customer experience, particularly in key tourist destinations.
The removal of the afternoon restriction is expected to benefit lunch-time and late-afternoon service, allowing establishments to operate more flexibly and efficiently.
Importantly, the temporary relaxation does not represent a full deregulation of alcohol control laws. Several key restrictions will remain unchanged, including:
- Midnight cutoff for alcohol sales,
- Advertising and marketing prohibitions under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act,
- Seller obligations, such as age verification, intoxication assessment, and compliance with licensing requirements.
Authorities have emphasised that enforcement of these rules will continue, and businesses must remain vigilant to ensure full compliance during the relaxation period.
The 180-day measure is designed as a targeted and time-limited initiative. During this period, relevant agencies will collect data on its impact, including:
- Tourism and hospitality revenue,
- Public health indicators, and
- Public order and safety concerns.
This information will be submitted to the ABCC for evaluation. Based on the findings, the committee may consider whether to extend or formalise the revised alcohol sales hours beyond the initial 180-day period.
Thailand Temporarily Lifts Afternoon Alcohol Sales Ban to Support Tourism_Bangkok Global Law