The new Alcoholic Beverage Control Act (No. 2) B.E. 2568 (2025) has been published in the Royal Gazette today, and it will take effect 60 days from its publication. While the previous 2008 law was already strict, the new version focuses heavily on eliminating loopholes in advertising and promotion and introduces a new, strict prohibition on sales during late-night/early morning hours. Penalties for violations have also been substantially increased.
Comparison: New 2025 Laws vs. Previous 2008 Law
| Aspect | Previous Law (2008) | New 2025 Amendment | Impact & Analysis |
| 1.Sales Times (The Most Direct Change) | No nationwide blanket ban on sales times.Restrictions were based on location (e.g., near schools, temples) and time of day for certain venues (e.g., entertainment places), but no universal “no sales” period. | Expanded 24/7 Sales:Since 27 June 2025, following a new Prime Minister’s Office Notification on alcohol sales hours, Thailand has allowed extended sales in specific venues:International Airports – Lounges, bars, and duty-free shops may now serve alcohol beyond previous time restrictions. Licensed Hotels – In-room service is now allowed 24/7.Licensed Entertainment Venues – Extended hours until 4 am in designated provinces.General Retail Stores – No change; original sale hours remain in effect. | This is a major new change, allowing Hotels to serve customers at any time, even on days when alcohol sales are generally banned, and extends the opening hours of registered entertainment venues. Convenience stores, supermarkets, and other retail outlets are not allowed to sell alcohol between midnight and 11:00 AM. This aims to reduce late-night drinking and related social issues. |
| 2.Advertising & Promotion (Massive Expansion) | Prohibited direct advertising but had loopholes. “Marketing” was defined more narrowly. | Dramatically broadens the scope of prohibited activities: • New Definition: “Marketing communications” now explicitly includes public relations, news dissemination, creating brand image, and sponsoring events. • Sec 32/1: Bans all advertising except strictly defined “information.” • Sec 32/2: Bans using celebrities/influencers to induce consumption. • Sec 32/3: Bans using alcoholic brand names/symbols on other products (e.g., soda, clothing). • Sec 32/4 & 32/5: Bans Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities that promote the brand and bans publishing news about such activities. | This closes all major loopholes brands used for visibility. Sponsorships of sports events, music festivals, or university projects are now likely illegal. Using a beer logo on a free shirt or a brand sponsoring a charity run is prohibited. This is one of the strictest advertising regimes in the world. |
| 3.Penalties (Significantly Harsher) | Fines were generally lower. | Penalties have been increased across the board: • Illegal Sales (Sec 40): Fine increased to up to 100,000 Baht and/or 1 year imprisonment. • New Advertising Violations (Sec 43/1): Up to 6 months imprisonment and/or a fine of up to 100,000 Baht. • For Businesses: Advertising/CSR violations can lead to fines of up to 500,000 Baht. • Daily Fines: Violators can also be fined up to 50,000 Baht per day until the violation is corrected. | The drastic increase in financial and criminal penalties is designed to ensure strict compliance. The daily fines make long-running violations extremely costly. |
| 4.Definition of “Alcoholic Beverage” | Defined alcoholic beverages without any explicit exemption for very low alcohol content. | Following the 2025 Amendment (No. 2), Section 3 now clarifies the exemption. Now explicitly excludes “beverages with an alcohol content of not more than 0.5 percent”(e.g., many kombuchas, alcohol-removed beers), alongside drugs and herbal products. | This provides clearer legal guidance on what is considered a controlled alcoholic beverage versus a non-alcoholic drink. |
| 5.Committee Structure | Had a National Alcoholic Beverage Policy Committee. | Expands the committee to include more ministries, such as the Minister of Digital Economy and Society and the Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation. | Reflects a more holistic, whole-of-government approach to alcohol control, recognizing its impact on digital media, youth, and research. |
Summary of Key Issues Addressed
The new law aims to tackle several core issues that were presumably not fully resolved by the 2008 law:
- Predatory Marketing: The previous law could not keep up with modern, indirect advertising techniques like influencer marketing, event sponsorship, and branded content. The new law attempts to ban all of it.
- Late-Night Alcohol Availability: This has been expanded at the request of the Hotel and Tourism industry to better cater to the needs of tourists and entertainment venues in designated provinces, but other locations remain unchanged.
- Insufficient Deterrence: The older penalties were perhaps not severe enough to deter large corporations from violating the rules. The new fines of 500,000 Baht and daily penalties are meant to change that.
- Corporate “Greenwashing”: The law specifically targets the use of CSR and public benefit activities as a form of brand promotion, arguing that it indirectly induces consumption.
- Ancillary Marketing: The law specifically targets the marketing and advertising of other items, whether drinks or clothing, such as soda or mineral water, effectively banning the advertising of the brand as a whole.
Important Note
As per Section 43, the existing ministerial regulations from the 2008 law remain in effect unless they conflict with this new amendment. The relevant ministries have one year from the effective date (which is 60 days after its publication on Sept 9, 2025) to issue new detailed regulations that will specify the exact rules and procedures under this new law.
