Thailand: Restaurants required not to serve alcoholic beverages on premises

(Xinhua) – Authorities in Thailand have been reinstructed to see to it that no alcoholic beverages are provided for drinking on the premises of any restaurants, or else they might be immediately ordered to close again, said a senior government official on Saturday (June 6).

Permanent Secretary for Interior Chatchai Phromlert confirmed he has repeatedly issued his directive to the governors of all provinces nationwide to strictly see to it that no alcoholic beverages will be served on the premises of restaurants as part of the social distancing rule and anti-pandemic measures.

All restaurants have been allowed to reopen and sell whiskeys, wines and beers to customers only on condition that those alcoholic drinks are not consumed on their premises. Sales of alcoholic beverages at supermarkets, discount stores, convenience stores and groceries nationwide are as well allowed by law.

Chatchai’s repeated order given to the provincial governors apparently followed news reports that certain restaurants, which may have observed social distancing order by keeping one table about two meters apart from another, had discreetly managed to serve whiskeys, wines and beers to their customers who lunched or dined inside.

Those restaurants, which have been allowed by the authorities to reopen under social distancing and other anti-pandemic rules, might probably be ordered to close again only if found to have served alcoholic drinks to customers on their premises, according to the permanent secretary for interior.

He said he ordered provincial governors on Thursday to have officials conduct patrols in restaurants and other public venues on a regular basis.