I have been pondering this while enduring a few days away . I may not be the smartest man on earth, but I'm sure that I know what 'banned' means.

The gov banned all alcohol adverts in all media. So why on earth did I see adverts over songkran in newspapers and on TV. Several Thai papers were carrying full page ads for Chang lite and I saw several whisky ads on TV.

Maybe the law was passed by toothless tigers.

Among other things banned:

Driving on the wrong side of the road

Prostitution

Firecrackers at Loi Krathong

etc...etc..etc...

Make your own judgement.

on my condo's elevator's door there is a sticker that reads please don't smoke in here. sponsored by boonrawd brewery, maker of singha beer.

It may just be foreign brands of alcohol that are banned?

I see, but, prostitution and people throwing firecrackers are done by individuals that can slip in under the radar and then deny it was them. A small crime commited by small people.

This does not apply to major companies like Chang and whisky makers. Plus there name is on the crime. I just can't see how they can get away with it.

The point is that laws aren't exactly rigidly enforced in Thailand. That's why 10yr olds drive to school on motorcycles.

If Patpong etc. is flying under the radar, where was this radar manufactured??

If Patpong etc. is flying under the radar, where was this radar manufactured??

Thailand of course.

As I understand it the ban is not law yet, it has to be passed by the NLA (the banning law not the alchohol but maybe that does too).

I see, but, prostitution and people throwing firecrackers are done by individuals that can slip in under the radar and then deny it was them. A small crime commited by small people.

This does not apply to major companies like Chang and whisky makers. Plus there name is on the crime. I just can't see how they can get away with it.

Chang Brewery (Thai Beverage Co.) CEO is probably Thailand's richest man. Mekhong; SangSom; Beer Chang etc are all under his banner. This might explain why...?

Money talks and BS walks

I see a brand new Singha Billboard down here in Phuket.

Went up within the last 2 weeks.

If Patpong etc. is flying under the radar, where was this radar manufactured??

Well obviously Patpong the bars themselves do not promote prostitution; the place offers drinks and things to see, and if you want to pay the lady of the establishment money so that she can take a leave of absence, then you may do so; any FURTHER transaction is struck on the basis of the woman acting as an independent contractor and has nothing at all to do with the bar.

In the same way that legally, massage parlours ofer a Thai massage (legal) and bathing and room service; any further activities are struck directly between the masseuse and the client without additional consultation of the landlord.

To ban or control patpong on a legal basis as it stands now would be similar to banning file sharing entirely worldwide simply because there are some copied music videos and episodes of family guy floating around illegally.

Patpong is not under the radar at all; they have a legal right to be there; the independent contractors selling their bodies to foreign men with beer guts and jandals smitten by the UV lights, pasties over nipples and pent up sperm supplies from 'not having got some in a very long while' are the ones that could be chased; let's see that must be like 10,000 court cases per night...imagine trying to enforce that!

Obviously I personally would love to see Patpong, NEP and Cowboy reduced and controlled to a smaller size as they are lame, sleazy, loser magets and whatever; I'd also like to see a ton more regulation and control (and reduction) of the massage parlour industry.

But I'm not the one in control here; and thus a sigh of relief is breathed by 43.6% of the Thaivisa male faithful.

For beer ads, well Chang might very well be promoting Chang water. Just like Camel Trophy clothing; they aren't cigarettes or beer!

The alcohol law is only a draft as I understand it:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=117352