Millions of Thais reduced or stopped their alcohol consumption during an annual Buddhist festival.
A sobriety promotion campaign has been conducted for decades during the annual rainy season retreat, better known as the "Buddhist Lent".
This year, the three-month period of Buddhist Lent began on July 21 during Khao Phansa and will end on October 17 during Ok Phansa.
Most of the 72 million Thais consider themselves Buddhists, which doesn't stop them from drinking an average of 7.8 liters of alcohol per person, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) figures for 2019.
Thai people's alcohol consumption is significantly higher than the global average of 5.5 liters per person.
According to a report published on July 15, 2024, by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, at least 10% of Thais consumed excessive amounts of alcohol in the previous year.
See: Increasing excessive alcohol consumption in Thailand
The moral code of Buddhism, contained in the five precepts, calls for avoiding intoxicating substances, including alcohol, which cloud the mind and can lead to unethical behavior.
A new you
The Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) has partnered with the Stop Drink network and other organizations to encourage people to reduce their drinking habits.
The slogan of their campaign is: 'New You Via Alcohol Abstinence'.
The campaign features a young woman with a broken heart whose life is transformed by her svelte body and healthier skin since she gave up alcohol.
It also shows how men can get rid of their big belly and bags under their eyes by giving up alcohol.
“You will see positive results in three months,” promises Dr. Pongthep Wongwatcharapaiboon, Director General of ThaiHealth.
For over 20 years, the foundation has been organizing alcohol awareness campaigns during the Buddhist Lent.
It offers practical advice and support to stop or reduce alcohol consumption through ThaiHealth's 1413 helpline.
The foundation believes it is essential to plan how to avoid alcohol to stop drinking or at least reduce consumption.
For example, it advises people to occupy their time with community or family activities that don't involve alcohol.
People who feel the urge to drink are encouraged to quench their thirst with sour fruit juices that mimic the taste of alcohol.
They are also advised to get rid of the alcohol stocks they keep at home and prepare to say "no" to anyone who invites them to have a drink.
Friends and family members are also considered an important source of support for those trying to break the habit.
The Buddhist Lent campaign even includes recipes for mocktails to show drinkers that they don't need beer or other alcohol to have fun.
Success rate
Last year, 10.2 million drinkers out of Thailand's 24.8 million participated in the campaign, an increase of 770,000 from the previous year.
Among the participants, 21.3% said they had not touched alcohol during the three months of Buddhist Lent.
About 9.1% abstained for part of the period, while 10.5% reported drinking less.
Two-thirds of participants (66.3%) reported feeling emotionally and physically healthier after stopping or reducing their alcohol consumption.
A survey conducted among participants estimated that they had saved an average of 1,509 baht ($39.78) per person, totaling approximately 4.2 billion baht during the campaign.
Jarulak Rueangsuwan, Secretary-General of the National Savings Fund, stressed that people who stopped drinking could redirect their money towards their retirement savings.
Pongthep added:
“Stopping or reducing alcohol consumption is also beneficial for human relations.”
Alcohol and health
The WHO warns that alcohol consumption, a toxin, even in small quantities, poses health risks.
In the world, around 2.6 million people died from alcohol-related causes in 2019.
Among them, 1.6 million died from non-communicable diseases, 700,000 from injuries and 300,000 from communicable diseases.
Studies show that long-term alcohol abstinence can help reduce the risk of developing different types of cancer.
Faxingtawan Wiykrrn stated that he was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis at the age of 38, after a long period of daily alcohol consumption.
“Health indicators suggest that I could develop liver cancer,” said this former heavy drinker.
This health alert prompted her to make major changes in her life.
Not only has she stopped drinking, but she also shares her recipes for healthy plant-based drinks on social media to encourage others to follow the same path.
Like her, millions of Thais discover the benefits of reducing or stopping alcohol consumption during the Buddhist Lent, and many of them report positive changes that extend beyond the three-month period.
See also:
Difficult start for the decrease in the price of wine and other alcohols in Thailand
Thailand wants to put warnings on alcohol bottles
The radical drop in the price of wine and other alcohols in Thailand is angering an NGO
Thai bars urged not to serve alcohol to drunk customers
The ban on the sale of alcohol during Buddhist festivals is being called into question in Thailand
Alcohol + durian: a deadly mix normally well known in Thailand
Source: Thai PBS World
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3 comments
« Drinking an average of 7.8 liters of alcohol per person, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) figures for 2019 ».
It would be necessary to add 'per year' and specify the alcohol content in the drinks.
Drinking 7.8 liters of beer and Cognac is not the same thing!
Dear Alex,
If we refer to the WHO statistics, the consumption of "X" liters of alcohol per year, per inhabitant, corresponds to liters of pure alcohol…
If we do the math, these 7.8 liters of beer, wine or cognac actually become, for a drinker of Chang beer, at 5% alcohol, a consumption of 156 liters of beer per year or for cognac (40%), 19 liters of cognac…
But again, most Europeans are well above the 7.8 liters of Thais!!!
The problem of alcohol consumption in Thailand is no more prevalent than in our European or American countries… Russians, Poles (to name but a few of the most publicized) and most European countries have a much higher consumption per capita than Thais, who are in the range of 7 to 8 liters of alcohol per year, while the French, Belgians, Spaniards, Italians, etc… are between 11 and 13 liters per year and per capita…
If we consider that 30 to 40% of all these populations do not drink alcohol, we can consider that some Europeans are consuming between 20 and 30 liters annually!
The problem in Thailand is that the Thai drinker does not know how to moderate or abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages when circumstances require it, for example, when he knows perfectly well that he will have to go home by car or motorcycle, which does not prevent him from getting drunk to the point of endangering not only his life, but also that of other innocent people who would be on his way, at the wrong place, at the wrong time…
With an equal population and almost equivalent road traffic, France has almost 10 times fewer road deaths than Thailand, where 70% of accidents are the result of drug use or alcohol consumption (in 2023, 3,126 deaths in France compared to 29,860 in Thailand).
A regular, controlled alcohol consumption by a Thai person who consumes it only at home, without causing any adverse consequences for his family, relatives and others, is a personal choice... it only destroys his health, which is already a sign of great weakness of character and intelligence, and as Mr. VU SON would say, it's a matter between him and the management of his karma.
Unfortunately, most Thais consume alcohol at parties, celebrations, family gatherings or with friends without any moderation or limits, and most of them don't drink out of thirst or for the pleasure of tasting, but because they haven't emptied their wallet or the stock of available drinks, made available to them... as long as there are full bottles, they have to empty them !!!
Not very “Buddhist” all that!