Japanese restaurant fined Bt50,000 for promoting alcohol

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

The pre-pandemic beer promotion girls have disappeared from the W District Night Market in Bangkok. But the menus still have brand photos. They will likely disappear soon though. What's next? Beer logos covered over on the draft taps. Pull-down shutters on the hard liquor shelves like the cigarette shelves?

 

Actually, I don't know if this is deliberate or not, but the hard liquors have been removed from the outdoor service bar related to the Cheers pub. Staff have to walk all the way to the enclosed Cheers pub to get whiskey, rum, vodka, etc., unlike past practices. Insane!

 

And what about all the pop-up Chang promotion locations out Phra Khanong and other spots? Oh, right, the power of monopolies. 

Edited July 23, 2020 by Kaoboi Bebobp
Addtions.

[toofarnorth]

11 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

You can have a girl in a tight Chang dress (to promote Soda water????)

but a picture of a beer on a menu or a Chang mug is prohibited? 

These rules are enforced in a way that is quite arbitrary by the way, 

and I imagine completely ineffective in reducing alcohol consumption.

 

 

Just what I was thinking. Up here there is what is called M J Market , not too sure if it goes past midnight but that is not important.  There is a Chang tent , Chang beer mats and Chang pretties in Chang T shirts , the town mayor allows it  , funny thing is I can't stand Chang beer.

[RichardColeman]

18 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The law prohibits the promotion of alcoholic drinks or stimulating the thirst for drinks via discounts.

Sheesh, imagine how many more the 30k death every year would increase from drunken driving if they did !

[spidermike007]

15 hours ago, Don Mega said:

Great, so you agree he broke the law and was punsished accordingly, not sure why all the butthurt.

 

speaking of butthurt I got 8 speeding fines in the mail yesterday, such an inane law lacking any sort of real substance that does not change, improve or affect anything.... I should make a thread crying about it.

No. Just ignore them as most of us do, and most of the nation does. Again, we are going back to the validity and sensibility of a law? Does 80kph on the elevated toll roads make sense? Does 90kph on divided four lane highways make sense? Do these silly speed limits make the nation safer? With over 6,000 fatalities within the first six months of the year, on the roads, I would argue not. 

Edited July 23, 2020 by spidermike007

[ChipButty]

2 hours ago, johng said:

Another stupid thing I read is that soda water is not for sale during the no alcohol sales times/days

How about this one, In 7/11 Heineken zero no alcohol beer cannot be sold, jing jing

[Peterphuket]

Unfortunately, I don't stay in that area, I like to diner there once to help him a bit in this hard times.

Unbelievable, 50 thousand baht.

[drgoon]

Like that great Kiwi No1 hit by OMC....    How Bizarre

 

 

[ChipButty]

They dont seem to enforce this law in Phuket I just had a drive around my area and there is quite a lot of beer signs hanging outside of bars 

[Peterphuket]

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Happy endings are allowed but no happy hours ^^

Maybe he have to change the sign to "Happy Endings"

A word is enough to the wise.

And police can't catch him that way.

[mikosan]

So they have found an alternative way of shutting down businesses that managed to survive the COVID-19 closures.  Brilliant minds at work.

[Bob A Kneale]

18 hours ago, YetAnother said:

ridiculous policy; beer-making-at-home big business grower these days

...and illegal.

Edited July 23, 2020 by Bob A Kneale

[Bob A Kneale]

17 hours ago, spiekerjozef said:

If you promote Cider and call it apple juice, everything is fine.

That's what you think.

[johng]

30 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Heineken zero no alcohol beer cannot be sold,

Well on this I agree entirely, beer without alcohol shouldn't be sold at all never ever ????

[Bob A Kneale]

15 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

the fact that those laws in the first place are asinine, idiotic, moronic, illogical, nonsensical, stupid (I think I’ve made my point)...

Fact?  Huh?  That's just your subjective opinion, it's not fact.

[Don Mega]

43 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

No. Just ignore them as most of us do, and most of the nation does. Again, we are going back to the validity and sensibility of a law? Does 80kph on the elevated toll roads make sense? Does 90kph on divided four lane highways make sense? Do these silly speed limits make the nation safer? With over 6,000 fatalities within the first six months of the year, on the roads, I would argue not. 

I do ignore the speed limits but the fines that arrive in the mail I pay, would annoy me no end to not being able to renew road tax and have to pay an additional too !!

[Bob A Kneale]

12 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

You can have a girl in a tight Chang dress (to promote Soda water????)

No, that's illegal also if it shows the brewery's name.

[Bob A Kneale]

3 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

6 hours ago, Crusader said:

These guys obviously haven't done the rounds in Bangkok...beer promotions everywhere.

They are probably police owned establishments.

There's so much garbage posted here about the alleged number of bars that are "police owned".

[Burma Bill]

19 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

Bizarre and totally pathetic !

yes indeed, and the Thai Temperance Society still having a "big say"??

[Bob A Kneale]

3 hours ago, Snig27 said:

 You’ll note that massive advertising for Singha and Chang “water” exists everywhere. 

Yes, and if this restaurant had been promoting water it would have had no problems!

[Bob A Kneale]

3 hours ago, Naamblar2014 said:

4 hours ago, missoura said:

Covid 19 checkpoint...

 

That's so funny.  The only way it could have been better would have been if the umbrella was a Chang brand.

Why is it "so funny"?  Is it advertising Leo alcoholic drinks?

[Bob A Kneale]

3 hours ago, Snig27 said:

Because that is not why the law exists. It is there to kill competition to the big breweries. 

So the "big breweries" are allowed to advertise alcoholic drinks whereas their competition isn't?  Is that what you're saying?

[Bob A Kneale]

3 hours ago, 5633572526 said:

As have many laws. Selective enforcement is the issue here. Happy to clear that up for you.

I doubt that he needed anything "clearing up" by you.

[Bob A Kneale]

3 hours ago, Snig27 said:

They then introduced Leo, Singha and Chang waters to allow them to ignore the law.

So there's a law that makes advertising water illegal, is there?   If there isn't, how could they be ignoring the law?

[curious297]

First the shops hide the cigarette packets yet I can place a packed in open view in public. Isn't that advertising? Smoking a cigarette outside where everyone can see me, isn't that advertising also?

 

Then they make us hide any pictures of alcohol on the menu, Facebook ads etc yet if I put my Chang labelled cold glass of beer on the table whilst eating in a restaurant, isn't that advertising? 

 

What's next? Maybe we should not be allowed to show pictures of my delicious looking food dishes on the menu as it could encourage obesity? Perhaps all home drinking cabinets should be treated like gun cabinets, with biometric readers, locks and such?

 

We hear about stabbings all the time but you can advertise and buy as many knives as you want.

 

You can overdose on many types of pills for example Aspirin yet they are available to buy in large killing quantities, over the counter all day, every day without a prescription. 

Daily aspirin behind more than 3,000 deaths a year, study suggests

How many car showrooms are advertising and selling their killing machines unchecked (I have never been asked whether I have a drivers license when buying a car) all day, everyday attributing to one of the biggest causes of deaths amongst Thai people, even more than Covid 19 but again, that's OK.

 

The government are not our parents yet they feel that they must guide is in their the right direction which is what exactly? 

 

Most under aged start drinking and smoking not because of advertising but because of the easy access to alcohol and cigarettes at home. It starts with parents educating their children yet the government wants to treat us adults as their siblings. The difference is, when you do wrong, there's no slap on the wrist, it's a 50K fine and possible prison, really!!! 

 

Did you ever see hard drugs like cocaine, yaba, weed advertised? People still know about it, know how and where to get it. Why not destroy the film industry as I am sure they are to blame for all that drug use promotion and shameless alcohol product placements. Why not sue them for millions instead of killing restaurants just trying to make a living?

 

For years, I used love watching Cheers, the TV show. Never caused me to start drinking or smoking.

 

 

Is this picture of a TV bar even allowed in Thailand? If so, I can show a fake bar but God forbid I show a real working bar!!!

 

Whatever happened to common sense? 

 

Here is the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act (2008) for the Curious ones in english.    

Edited July 23, 2020 by curious297
Correction

[drbeach]

19 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

It is these draconian and sanctimonious laws which are then enforced with a puritan levels of hypocrisy which completely destroys attitudes towards Thailand... 

 

With each news report such as this that I see my tolerance towards Thailand diminishes.

 

 

I know its just a game, but for FF$, haven’t businesses already struggled enough.... It really is time to get rid of these juvenile and hypocritical laws so that the Police can do some genuine work for a change.

Indeed. What a stupid law. Thailand is fast becoming a worse nanny state than even Australia. Give it a few years and even driving will be less of a pleasure than it currently is in Australia.

 

But the difference is that Thailand is kind of a dumbo, childish nanny state. You have all these restrictions on the sale of alcohol, but they haven't figured out yet that they could instead restrict alcohol sales to a few controlled sales channels (like liquor stores) rather than allowing 7-11s to sell them, and asking for ID to verify proof of age in all cases. This would be more effective at curbing underage drinking while still allowing adults to enjoy their vice.

[Bob A Kneale]

3 hours ago, hobobo said:

This kind of official government line is dumb beyond words. Even in Pakistan, which is 100 percent dry for its 97% Muslim majority, the Christian minority, numbering fewer than 1.6% of the total population, can publicly advertise beer which is available in special outlets!

What have Pakistan's laws got to do with Thailand, are you suggesting that Pakistan is a better, more rational place in which to live?  Geez...

[Bob A Kneale]

2 hours ago, Dart12 said:

I would have never known it's a law.  It's clearly not a law enforced...unless you upset them for some other reason.  I can video violations every 10 feet on outside signs.

Go on then, let's see the videos advertising alcohol.

[Jackcwba]

Just when you think they can’t come up with anymore nonsense you read this.

 

The law prohibits the promotion of alcoholic drinks or stimulating the thirst for drinks via discounts.?? 

 

55 maybe they should take a trip down khaosan road they will fine every bar there. 
 

 

let them work peacefully <deleted> #FarangLivesMatter 

[Don Mega]

5 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

Any of these morons aware that the internet is also being accessed OUTSIDE Thailand?

The alcohol laws of Thailand stipulate:
- no alcohol sale to anyone below 20 years of age, to be checked if questionable (ok with me)

- no alcohol sale before 11am, between 2pm and 5pm and after 10pm until 11am next morning *
- no alcohol sale on Buddhist days (only Buddhist country in the world, by the way, with such a law) *

- no alcohol sale as of 6pm prior to an election day until 12pm of the election day *
- no alcohol advertising whatsoever, incl. beer coolers and illuminated bar decoration lights *

* complete absence of common sense and no clue, what funny purpose these laws have, except allowing the police to collect non-receiptable fines again. 

So, Thai Beverage and Boonrawd must be delighted over this but, as we are in Thailand, the nice thing is that any booze is available 24/7 irrespective of whatever the government circus' clowns in Bangkok say. Wine sales must be dead as most wines need a description beyond the grape and the growing area to educate Khon Thai that slurping Chateau-Neuf-du-Pape 1954 might not be quite the way and Chateau Petrus is not used to gargle either ???? 

 

 

Section 32 of the 2008 Alcoholic Beverage Control Act prohibits the following:

• Posting a drink with the brand visible
• Posting a bottle which makes it clear what brand it is
• Encouraging people to drink
• Posting properties of drinks
• Showing appreciation or urging people to taste
• Posting a beer glass with a brand on it
• Translating news or writing about alcohol even though the drinks are not available in Thailand. Authorities view it could motivate people to fly to buy them.
• While travelling, never post photos of alcohol drinks not sold in Thailand since it could make people crave them and try to buy them
• Posting a gift with the logo or trademark of a drink even though the drink itself is not in the photo because it implies someone has bought the drinks.
• It doesn’t matter when a post is made so long as it contains alcohol drinks, authorities can always charge you.

[Sujo]

7 minutes ago, Don Mega said:

 

 

Section 32 of the 2008 Alcoholic Beverage Control Act prohibits the following:

• Posting a drink with the brand visible
• Posting a bottle which makes it clear what brand it is
• Encouraging people to drink
• Posting properties of drinks
• Showing appreciation or urging people to taste
• Posting a beer glass with a brand on it
• Translating news or writing about alcohol even though the drinks are not available in Thailand. Authorities view it could motivate people to fly to buy them.
• While travelling, never post photos of alcohol drinks not sold in Thailand since it could make people crave them and try to buy them
• Posting a gift with the logo or trademark of a drink even though the drink itself is not in the photo because it implies someone has bought the drinks.
• It doesn’t matter when a post is made so long as it contains alcohol drinks, authorities can always charge you.

Then why dont they go fine every bar. They dont, they use obscure laws to get money, thats all it is. That you refuse to understand it is a matter for you.

 

Next they will be checking everyone to see if they are wearing underpants.