Time, ladies and gentlemen, please

Well it looks like a decision has finally been made even though it has taken 53 years.

- Roger Crutchley

According to Deputy Prime Minister Sophon Zarum, that quirky ban on the sale of alcohol in Thailand from 2pm to 5pm will soon be lifted. The ban had always defied logic. Let’s hope there's not a catch, as the buildup to it, which involved several U-turns, has been a trifle confusing to say the least.

I am ancient enough to remember when the ban was originally introduced in 1972. The reason given was to discourage government officials taking (heaven forbid) extended lunches. Even inactive post people were not spared. There was simultaneously a purge on nightlife with many bars, clubs and dubious coffee shops biting the dust.

Of course Thailand isn’t the only country in which licensing laws have been an issue. In the 1960s England had strict laws on alcohol consumption. One expression that was always guaranteed to ruin a good evening out was the bartender announcing “Time, gentlemen, please” a polite way of saying “for God’s sake, go home” or words to that effect. To be fair 10 minutes earlier there was a “last orders” call to give the patrons the chance of a nightcap.

I lived in Reading, Berkshire where the closing time was 10pm but only a few miles away was the Oxfordshire border where the pubs closed at 10.30pm and sometimes later. So when we were chucked out of the Berkshire establishment it invariably prompted a sprint to the nearest tavern in Oxfordshire so we could extend the evening a little.