Pattaya, Thailand-
A note about this weekend…..we have been getting questions if there will be a total alcohol sales ban from Saturday night 6:00 PM the 27th this upcoming fireworks weekend to Sunday evening 6:00 PM the 28th due to local elections. Total as in even supermarkets and convenience stores won’t sell as Pattaya, unfortunately, remains under a restaurant and bar sales ban for eight months now.
Some media has reported this as the entire country. This is incorrect. It is only areas having local elections like Tambons, which to be fair is many, many, many areas. However, as confirmed this morning with Pattaya City Hall, Pattaya PROPER is not having elections and is a special administration zone anyways.
No, the mayor is not up for election locally. Your mileage may vary heavily depending on areas and districts outside of Pattaya and we advise you to check locally if in these areas, but the actual area in city limits is exempt, like an election earlier this year that saw sales banned in Nongprue but not in Pattaya.
The short answer, if your area is not having local elections, like Pattaya proper, there is no sales ban, and sales at 711, etc. can continue during this weekend’s major fireworks festival. If you are having local elections in your Tambon, area, etc. then sales will be banned in that area. Unfortunately, for now, the restaurant sales ban and bar closures remain regardless in Chonburi and Pattaya until further notice, although there is a Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) meeting later this week set to discuss these restrictions that could “possibly” see some relief, but no guarantees.