For the first time since 1972, Thailand has removed the nationwide 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. ban on retail alcohol sales. Effective 3 December 2025, licensed shops, supermarkets, restaurants and bars can now sell beer, wine and spirits continuously from 11 a.m. until midnight. On-premise venues may continue serving until 1 a.m. The change is a six-month trial running until the end of May 2026, deliberately timed to cover the peak high-season and Songkran periods.
The old restriction, introduced under military rule to stop civil servants slipping out for long liquid lunches, had long outlived its original purpose. Enforcement was patchy, exemptions already existed for international airports, hotels and many entertainment zones, and the three-hour daily blackout had become a frequent complaint among visitors. With Thailand targeting 40 million international arrivals in 2025-26, the government decided the rule was costing more in lost tourism revenue than it saved in public-health benefits.
Under the new regulation, any registered retailer or hospitality outlet can sell throughout the day. The only places still affected by afternoon restrictions are a handful of specifically listed sites, such as the old Hua Lamphong railway station. All other long-standing exemptions (Buddhist holy days, election days, etc.) remain in force.
For the global drinks industry, the implications are immediate and substantial.
Beer, which accounts for roughly 90 % of Thailand’s US$6.5–7 billion alcohol market, will see the clearest short-term lift. Convenience stores and supermarkets — the dominant off-premise channels — can now merchandise cold beer and RTDs without the daily three-hour blackout, a change that arrives just in time for New Year and Chinese New Year stocking.
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Wine and spirits importers, though starting from a smaller base, stand to gain disproportionately in the afternoon window plays directly into on-premise day-time occasions: rooftop bars, pool clubs, golf clubhouses and resort restaurants that previously relied on “grey-market” workarounds or simply lost sales. The imported wine segment, already growing at 15–18 % annually in value, now has a clear air for tastings, by-the-glass programmes and festive promotions through the entire trading day.
Provincial and Bangkok alcohol-control committees have been instructed to monitor drunk-driving figures, hospital admissions for alcohol-related conditions and underage purchases. The data collected over the next six months will determine whether the liberalisation becomes permanent, is restricted to major tourist provinces only, or is reversed entirely.
Whatever the final outcome, the next 180 days represent the most open retail environment Thailand has offered in half a century. For brands, importers and on-trade operators active in Southeast Asia, it is a rare chance to test new listings, activate day-part promotions and gather real-world sales data in a market that — if the trial succeeds — could set the template for further deregulation across the region.
The clock is running. The bottles are already on the shelves from 11 a.m.
