Sale hours: 11am to midnight
In Thailand, take-away alcohol can only be sold between 11am and midnight in supermarkets, convenience stores and wine shops. Outside those hours, shelves are closed off or blocked at the till. For decades sales were also banned from 2pm to 5pm: that ban was lifted by an order published in the Royal Gazette on 2 December 2025, first as a trial and then kept in place in 2026, according to the Thai press.
Bars, restaurants and clubs holding an entertainment licence have their own hours, often later, set by their licence. Hotels, international airport terminals and some authorised venues are outside the retail hours. For evenings out, see our guide to Bangkok at night.
Legal age
The minimum age to buy or consume alcohol is 20, for Thais and foreigners alike. Shopkeepers increasingly ask for ID: carry your passport or a copy in bars and shops.
Dry days: Buddhist holy days and elections
Alcohol sales are banned for 24 hours on the main Buddhist holy days: in 2026, Makha Bucha (3 March), Visakha Bucha (31 May) and, on 29 and 30 July, Asalha Bucha and Buddhist Lent (Khao Phansa). The next dry day is Monday 26 October 2026, the end of Buddhist Lent (Ok Phansa), set by the lunar calendar.
A nationwide ban also applies during elections: for the general election on 8 February 2026, the Election Commission ordered two bans, around advance voting (31 January to 1 February) and election day (7 to 8 February).
On these days shops block their shelves and most bars and restaurants stop serving alcohol. Exceptions set by the 2025 order: hotels, international airport terminals and licensed entertainment venues in designated tourist areas. The exemption belongs to the venue's licence, not to the neighbourhood: check before heading out. Drinking what you have already bought, at your hotel or in private accommodation, is not banned. Buddhist holy days move every year; check them before a trip and buy the day before.
Selling on banned days is punishable by up to six months in prison, a 10,000 baht fine, or both: the seller is the target, but a bar may refuse to serve you.
Where drinking is banned
Drinking in the street is not banned everywhere: you will see customers with a beer around Khao San Road. But since 12 May 2026, eight categories of place are subject to a ban on selling or consuming alcohol, according to the Royal Gazette:
- public piers and scheduled passenger boats (sale and consumption);
- passenger transport terminals (sale and consumption), plus railway stations and trains (sale);
- public parks run by the state, such as Lumphini Park;
- government offices, state enterprises and areas under their authority;
- roads and vehicles (sale), and factories.
A drink in a public park or on a Chao Phraya express boat is therefore a bad idea. Penalties fall under the 2008 Alcoholic Beverage Control Act.
Summary table
| Situation | Rule |
|---|---|
| Buying in a shop | 11am to midnight, minimum age 20 |
| Buddhist holy day or election day | Sales banned for 24 h, except hotels, international airports, licensed venues |
| Next dry day | Monday 26 October 2026 (Ok Phansa) |
| Public park, pier, boat, terminal | Drinking banned |
| Bar or restaurant terrace | Allowed, within the licence hours |
Rules checked in October 2026 in the Thai press relaying the Royal Gazette and the 2025 order on Buddhist holy days.
Further reading
All the practical rules are gathered in our guide to rules and etiquette in Bangkok, and before ordering a "bucket", read the scams to avoid in Bangkok. Cannabis is covered by different rules: see our guide to cannabis in Bangkok.
