Absolutely crazy, the bars could make a lot of money, but not allowed to sell alcohol. A restaurant not far from me was selling alcohol during a Buddha holiday, asked everyone to try to keep it out of sight, but the police came in plain clothes, just sat and watched them serving beer and wine, then carted off the owner, huuuge fine many thousands, he didn't do it the following year!
Its madness. Same as you cant buy alcohol between 2-5pm in the main shops. Unless you buy over 10 litres What a ****ed up system.