Thai Lent or 'Phansa' coincides with the arrival of the monsoon rains. 25 years-old men shave their heads before entering the monastery for a three-month "rain retreat" for a rebirth of their soul or win-yann. Thais traditionally abstain from alcohol during Lent and every year farangs complain about the ban on beer and booze sales throughout the 4-day holiday marking the beginning of Phansa. This ban is in accordance with the 2008 Alcohol Control Act prohibiting alcohol in temples, public health service locations, hospitals, government offices, schools, and petrol-filling stations. The fine for breaking this law is 6 months in jail and or a 10,000 baht fine and ti could get worse, as the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) attempts to curtail alcohol consumption throughout the 3 months of Lent. set up a committee to control alcohol drinking during Buddhist Lent.
They've set up a hotline 1555 for people to snitch on violators and have ordered the city's thetsakit or inspectors to seek out wrong-doers thus aiding the over-worked police officers by decrease the number of alcohol-related crimes and accidents. The Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin played to the crowd and conducted a purposeless survey to gauge the people's response to a ban of booze on New Year's Day and during the Songkran festival. 75% of respondents agreed with the no-alcohol initiative, however a poll is not a binding plebiscite.
Drinkers have responded to this plan with unanimous outrage.
My religion is "beer' and I need to celebrate Beermas every day, but i don't tell Muslims or Buddhists or Christians that they have to drink too. No, I tell them to piss off and leave me alone and I'm sure that that the millions of Thais spending billions of baht will agree with me.
Free Beer for everyone.
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