<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Thailand has temporarily eased a ban on the sale of afternoon alcoholic drinks in a move aimed to attract more tourists.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Restaurants, bottle shops and other authorised outlets can now sell beer, wine and spirits from 2pm to 5pm as part of a six-month trial, the </span><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0mprzzxn73o" rel="" target="_blank" title="BBC"><span>BBC</span></a><span> reports.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Overseas tourists, including Australians, have often been confused by the afternoon prohibition of alcohol sales in Thailand, a top destination for partygoers.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/jacinta-allan-victoria-1000-public-service-jobs-to-go-in-huge-budget-cuts/3aed8f6d-4a57-4006-a356-9334d91e4047" target="_blank"><strong><span>1000 jobs slashed in $4 billion public service bloodbath</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It was started in 1972, partly to deter public servants from drinking during work hours.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Alcohol sales in Thailand are now permitted from 11am to midnight during the next 180 days while an expert panel examines its impact.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Previously, breaking the ban carried the risk of a fine up to 10,000 baht ($437).</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/thailand-eases-afternoon-alcohol-ban/f3f9fd75-b134-4a10-8267-290201c94eeb" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The change comes in the lead-up to the Christmas and the New Year holiday, both peak periods for tourists.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>New Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has pledged to kickstart the economy by reviving tourism following years of political unrest.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Local beer brands Chang and Singha are favourites among overseas visitors,</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>About 800,000 Australians visit Thailand every year, according to Tourism Research Australia.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple App Store</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>.</span></em></strong></div></div>