BANGKOK, THAILAND – Industry leaders in Bangkok warned that a 15‑day delay in a cabinet ruling on alcohol regulations threatened New Year tourism revenue.
The Thai cabinet faced a deadline in early December 2025 in Bangkok to approve amendments affecting late‑night serving hours, a timeline that industry leader Sorathep Rojpotjanaruch, President of the Restaurant Association, said placed pressure on hotels during a period when millions of international visitors finalised their travel plans.
Concerns over global reporting
Foreign outlets including Bloomberg, BBC, and Trend News published reports about the restrictions in November 2025, and Sorathep Rojpotjanaruch said the coverage added pressure on the cabinet to act.
Industry requests and data
The Restaurant Association under Sorathep Rojpotjanaruch sought two amendments in Bangkok: allowing guests to remain seated until 1:00 a.m. and removing the 14:00–17:00 gap, actions tied to measurable changes in tourist behaviour during the December–January season.
Accident data comparing the 14:00–17:00 period with the 02:00–04:00 period showed the lowest incident rates in the afternoon window and the highest in early morning hours, figures that Sorathep Rojpotjanaruch referenced when urging the Bangkok cabinet to revise regulations.
Regional competition
Tourism officials in Bangkok monitored visitor statistics from Vietnam, Japan, and Malaysia, countries that recorded higher arrivals during 2024 and 2025, while Thailand reported lower numbers in the same period.
Reports from the Restaurant Association indicated that multiple restaurants in Bangkok and other provinces had closed in 2025 after months of reduced footfall and uncertainty regarding operating hours.
Deadline pressure
In late November 2025 in Bangkok, Sorathep Rojpotjanaruch urged ministers to meet the early December deadline to prevent cancellations across the 31‑day holiday period.
The Restaurant Association calculated that missing the early December deadline could cut revenue across thousands of venues during the final 15 days of the year, a scenario that Sorathep Rojpotjanaruch linked directly to the disputed alcohol rules.