July Holidays Questions

[Phred]

My holiday begins at the very end of this month and it coincides with two holidays; Asalha Bucha and Buddhist Lent Day. I will pull into town on the latter.

IтАЩve never been there during these holidays and IтАЩm just wondering what to expect. Is this a day when everything is shutdown? Can one at least buy beer in convenience stores (during the prescribed alcohol selling hours of course)? How about restaurants, stores, etc.?

On the other hand, is there anything interesting to observe associated with this holiday? Thanks in advance for any feedback.

[Manforallseasons]

This site will answer your question:

[Phred]

Thanks Manforallseasons, I appreciate the direction to the link. I rather expected the bars to be closed. But beyond that can anyone speak to buying beer in convenience stores or supermarkets. Are restaurants open and can they sell wine? Anything interesting to observe, ceremonies at temples, etc? IтАЩm a bit concerned my vacation will start out not with a bang but a whimper and I could be greeted with dark sois and shuttered everything.

[Manforallseasons]

It has been my experience that restaurants will serve wine as for convenience stores they tend to be hit and miss.

[Patanawet]

I will pull into town on the latter.

What town are you 'pulling' into?
Pattaya usually seems to be more strict than Bangkok.
Even on quite strict days in Bangkok one can often drink alcohol in bars from paper cups or teacups.
On the other hand, in my part of Bangkok, the daily ban on alcohol between 2 and 5 is strictly adhered to in restaurants. I don't know about hotel restaurants.

[newalaan2]

But beyond that can anyone speak to buying beer in convenience stores or supermarkets

Can one at least buy beer in convenience stores (during the prescribed alcohol selling hours of course)?
Supermarkets and name stores like Tesco, BigC, 7-11 etc adhere strictly to rules regarding alcohol sales, but in Pattaya I have bought beer from the smaller mom-pop stores around Tuk Com in the past even outwith the prescribed selling hours, they sell 24/7 , same for Bkk in the small shops in side streets. Last trip I forgot the time one afternoon shopping in Tops supermarket when buying beer, when refused, I just nipped across the soi to a small shop and got large bottles of beer no problem, didn't bat an eyelid.

I always forget that there are prescribed alcohol selling times when in Pattaya/Bkk especially on the back of a trip to Bf's home/village where alcohol is also for sale 24/7 and even (or to be more exact......especially) on 'Official' holidays when many have a day off.

[paulosussex]

Hi,
You can of course buy 10 litres or more during the afternoon prohibition so go ahead and share...
;)
Cheers

[Phred]

Thanks for all the feedback. So it sounds like at least a few restaurants will be open. I tend to stick to the smaller ones rather than up in town near the super tourist areas so hopefully they will be under the radar and can slip a glass of wine or two with dinner. But apart from that it does sound like it will be pretty quiet. I assume the beach vendors are still open?

But it doesnтАЩt sound like there is much public ceremony associated with the holiday such as at templeтАЩs on Confucius day in Chinese culture. Sounds like a pretty low key start to my trip.

[Phred]

Well the article on today's Sawatdee Network home page answers my last question:

TAT invites travellers to join the magnificent 2015 Buddhist Lent celebrations in Thailand

http://www.tatnews.org/tat-invites-trav ... -thailand/ (http://www.tatnews.org/tat-invites-travellers-to-join-the-magnificent-2015-buddhist-lent-celebrations-in-thailand/)

The thing is I've no idea where these places are and suspect they are pretty far flung.

[Manforallseasons]

This site will answer your question: Time to check again for July 30 & July 31.