BANGKOK, THAILAND – Thailand introduced tougher alcohol controls for Songkran 2026 in an effort to curb the deadly holiday road toll that has claimed more than 250 lives in a single week.
Alcohol and Songkran: the numbers behind the festival
Every year the Songkran holiday ended with a casualty report that shocked even seasoned observers. In 2024, 287 people died on Thailand’s roads during the festival week; in 2025 the toll fell to 253, a decrease of 12 percent that officials presented as a success – still more than 250 deaths in seven days.
Thailand was among the most dangerous countries in the world for road traffic. According to the WHO, around 23,000 people died on the country’s roads each year, almost 40 deaths per day. During Songkran this figure rose noticeably as mass travel on rural highways, motorcycles as the main mode of transport and heavy alcohol consumption coincided.
Official statistics indicated that drunk driving caused about a quarter of all crashes during the festival week, although experts assumed a higher share because not every driver was tested. The trend showed only slight improvement: 264 people died in 2023, 287 in 2024 and 253 in 2025, fluctuations that underlined how fragile the progress remained.
For comparison, about eight people died on an average day in road traffic in Germany, which had a similarly sized population. From these numbers, analysts said, no structural decline in Thailand’s road deaths could yet be inferred.
The new Alcohol Act BE 2568 – what changed in 2026
The legal basis for the new rules was the updated Alcoholic Beverage Control Act No. 2, BE 2568 from 2025. It was more precise and stricter than its predecessor and covered the entire chain from licence holders to bartenders and small retailers.
Anyone selling alcohol without a valid licence now faced an immediate fine of 5,000 baht, about 133 euros. More severe penalties applied to offences involving individuals: those who sold alcohol to under-20s or to visibly intoxicated people risked up to one year in prison, a fine of up to 100,000 baht – around 2,666 euros – or both.
The tightened provisions applied not only to bars and restaurants but to anyone selling alcohol commercially, including convenience stores, markets and food stalls. The law therefore placed significantly greater responsibility on traders, bartenders and restaurateurs than before.
Sales hours: when serving is banned
Permitted alcohol sales times were clearly defined in law. Serving and selling were only allowed between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and between 5 p.m. and midnight; from midnight to 11 a.m. sales were banned nationwide.
Those who ignored the time limits faced up to six months in prison or a fine of up to 10,000 baht, about 266 euros. In serious or repeat cases, both penalties could be imposed together.
The same rules applied to expatriates and tourists who operated bars or restaurants in Thailand. No exceptions were allowed for private parties on commercial premises or special Songkran promotions, and alcohol was completely prohibited in national parks and on government property during the festival.
Discounts and free drinks: also punishable
A provision that was seldom discussed in public but expressly written into the law banned price campaigns and marketing activities that encouraged higher consumption. Prohibited offers included discounts, Happy Hour promotions, “buy two get one free” deals and free drinks designed to boost sales.
Violations carried the same penalties as breaches of sales hours: up to six months in prison or a 10,000-baht fine. In practice, officials rarely enforced this paragraph consistently, particularly in tourist areas.
On Khao San Road in Bangkok, Bangla Road in Phuket or Walking Street in Pattaya, such promotions formed part of everyday business models. This made the situation particularly risky for foreign operators, as ignorance of the law did not protect against sanctions.
Civil liability: when the owner pays too
The new law went beyond administrative fines by explicitly regulating the seller’s civil liability. Those who served someone who later caused an accident injuring people or damaging property could be held jointly liable and required to pay compensation alongside the perpetrator.
Comparable rules already existed in countries such as Germany and Australia and in several US states. Staff were therefore advised to protect themselves through consistent checks and refusals where necessary.
The law listed concrete signs of intoxication, including unsteady walking, bloodshot eyes, trembling hands, slurred speech, sudden aggression and a strong smell of alcohol. Where doubt remained, practical tests were allowed, such as touching the fingertip to the nose with eyes closed or walking ten steps along an imaginary straight line; those who failed were legally considered not sober.
Checks in 2026: what authorities announced
For Songkran 2026 several agencies announced intensified inspections. The revenue department planned systematic licence checks in well-known water-play areas and pledged immediate action against unregistered vendors.
The national police headquarters promised deployments in all major celebration zones. In Bangkok, water play was only permitted in designated areas, facial recognition systems were to be used at control points and unauthorised street closures were banned.
Since 1 April 2026 ten key traffic offences had carried higher fines and points under the driving licence system. Motorists who reduced their point balance to zero automatically lost their licence for 90 days, without any room for discretion.
Drink driving was particularly costly, attracting fines of 5,000 to 20,000 baht and an immediate deduction of four points. The authorities framed these measures as part of a broader push to cut the festival’s heavy death toll.
Phuket’s alcohol-free festival model
Phuket took a different approach with its twelfth alcohol-free Songkran festival in the old town. The event combined temple bathing rituals, a music programme and designated water zones, but strictly no alcohol.
The model had won national recognition and received several awards. It was unclear whether other cities would follow this example in future years.
Why laws alone were not enough
Despite stricter alcohol rules, denser checks and tougher penalties, a basic question remained: why did the measures not work better? Around 84 percent of Songkran accidents involved motorcycles, the transport option for low-income groups who often had no alternative.
Many people from rural provinces travelled for hours to Bangkok because train and bus tickets were unaffordable, ending their journeys tired on motorcycles. Structural factors therefore played a central role in the risks on the roads.
Researchers at Thammasat University identified underlying causes in a 2025 analysis: economic centralisation forced millions into long return trips, weak public transport left motorcycles as the only viable option, and emergency capacities in provinces were far lower than in major cities.
Anyone crashing on a rural road in Chiang Rai waited longer for help than in the capital, the study noted. No alcohol law could change these basic disparities in infrastructure and access to medical care.
What now applied – for operators and guests
Bar, restaurant and shop operators were urged to verify their licences, comply with sales hours, cancel price promotions and train staff. Those who served alcohol to visibly drunk people or under-20s risked not only criminal punishment but also civil co-liability in the event of damage.
Foreigners running venues were advised to seek local legal counsel if unsure about obligations under the new law. For guests, including international tourists, the message was clear: the rules applied equally to everyone, and Songkran 2026 would be monitored more strictly than in previous years.
Thailand officially framed the 253 deaths in seven days during Songkran 2025 as a success compared with earlier years. Whether 2026 would bring a lower toll, observers argued, depended not only on legal reforms but also on tackling the country’s broader structural challenges on the roads.