From Songkran to Nyepi Day
I am wondering how true it is that the proposed ban on alcohol during three days of the Thai New Year (Songkran), 11 – 14 April 2009, would put tourists off visiting.
My understanding was the ban would not affect foreigners but what if it did apply to everyone? Like most people, I suspect, I enjoy sitting down with a cold glass of something alcoholic while on vacation; but having to abstain for a short while really wouldn’t bother me.
There is precedence for enforced abstinence, albeit on religious rather than health & safety grounds.
The best known is probably the Holy Month of Ramadan when Muslims commemorate the revelation of the Holy Quran to the Prophet Mohammed. During this month Muslims are required to fast from dawn until dusk, abstaining from eating and drinking, sex and smoking. The impact of this on tourists, in Dubai for example, is that “visitors should not be seen eating in public places during Ramadan. During Ramadan all Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. Eating, drinking and smoking in public areas during daylight hours should be avoided.
Hotels provide meals at restaurants that are not exposed to the public view in the fasting hours.” Ramadan this year is 21 August until 19 September 2009.
So no booze during the day and consumption behind closed doors at night. Does that put tourists off visiting at that time? I don’t know: what do you think?
Let’s look at another case: Nyepi Day, a Hindu holiday in Bali.
On this day the island stops. Everything is quiet: there is no transport, which includes aircraft (the airport is closed) and tourists must stay inside their hotels. This is even more dramatic than banning alcohol but does it put tourists off visiting at that time? Well in all my years of arranging holidays to the island I did not experience any negative reactions. Nyepi Day this year is on Thursday 26 March.
My view is that if we are going to visit other countries we must respect their laws and mores; if we are unhappy about them for any reason then obviously we can choose not to go. Personally I think Thai New Year is a lot of fun and I am sure it would continue to be so with or without the alcohol. What do you think?
