Thai man fined and sentenced to prison over craft beer review

[Burma Bill]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

suspended prison sentence for posting a picture and review of a craft beer on Facebook.

In a wider context, who constantly monitors Thai social media for such posts that are "illegal" - the RTP or Military Intelligence?? 1984!

[brianthainess]

The beer LORDS must be pleased, shame they can't make a good one.

[Frankie baby]

Don't tread on toes, especially big brewers?

[Bangkok Barry]

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Or is this simply a bought and paid for judge, who will not tolerate the promotion of good beer, by a small producer? 

That thought crossed my mind, but the billionaire-owned two major breweries also cannot advertise their produce. I remember a while ago Singha would show tv commercials with people dancing and ecstatic over being able to drink their water. Just more proof that Thailand is a lunatic asylum run by idiots. 

[KhunLA]

44 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

How so? The big beer companies can't advertise either. And this guy was not selling craft beer, he was posting a review. Plenty of people have been fined for posting pictures of the big companies' products. 

I am not saying it isn't a ridiculous rule that even posting a review of a beer (if it includes a picture) or a picture of yourself with a beer can lead to big fines - it is ridiculous. But saying this is "the elite protecting the elite to the detriment of the country, blah blah blah" is just a typical AN cliche with no substance.

Thailand was one of the first countries to ban TV advertising of alcohol and I have no problem with that. But this is going too far.

The rules & regulation to produce craft beers in Thailand favor the big 2. 

 

Small breweries simply can't mass produce the volume needed to be within the regulations.   Thus have to contract production out of TH, then import their product, at higher overhead cost & taxes, making their pricing uncompetitive.

 

It's called control and protection of the Big 2.

[Bangkok Barry]

4 hours ago, Lemsta69 said:

That's how they do things around here bro. Get used to it or spend the rest of your life getting het up about it. Howling at the moon and flapping your arms around ain't going to change things here one iota.

That's the problem, isn't it. No-one doing anything to change things. Thailand - Hub of Apathy.

[PeterA]

How stupid can it get?

Before I got hacked and blocked on Facebook earlier this year, I could buy  ganja, any sex object and guns all day from FB classified.

But post a picture of a beer? Amazing. Someone has their head up the wrong place.

[Bangkok Barry]

3 hours ago, TheFishman1 said:

It just shows you how powerful the beer monopoly is in Thailand, TIT

The beer monopolies are also banned from promoting their product. When did you last see a beer commercial in Thailand? The same stupid law applies to everyone in this case. Makes a change, I suppose.

[Bangkok Barry]

4 hours ago, PeeJayEm said:

Could there be a bias of alchies or at least heavy drinkers here living in ignorance or denial of the harm the stuff does to individuals, families and society.

No. Just people with a brain who don't believe for a second that showing a photo of a beer bottle will have people jumping on their unlicensed motorcycle to shoot down to the local store to stock up on said beer.

[Bobydog]

5 hours ago, madmitch said:

Let's hope that Thailand elects a Government that will get rid of ridiculous laws like these. 

Don't hold your breath lol

[kingstonkid]

5 hours ago, Robert Tyrrell said:

Good Morning,

 

What an absolute absurdity !! Meanwhile other Thai Nationals put more then 2 on a motorcycle, No helmets , Open pick-up trucks loaded with people in the back , Drunk drivers and many posting on social media showing beer and whiskey , ALL THE TIME !! 

The problem is that it was a positive comments about a craft beer.  Singa Chang not happy 

[Bangkok Barry]

3 hours ago, Tropposurfer said:

Talk about an entire governmental system doing the bidding of your mega-rich monopoly masters. Disgraceful but par for the course.

Singha and Chang are subject to the same anti-advertising law.

[Bangkok Barry]

15 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

The rules & regulation to produce craft beers in Thailand favor the big 2. 

 

Small breweries simply can't mass produce the volume needed to be within the regulations.   Thus have to contract production out of TH, then import their product, at higher overhead cost & taxes, making their pricing uncompetitive.

 

It's called control and protection of the Big 2.

This thread is not about production. It is about promotion of the product.

But yes, I agree with what you say.

[ignore it]

Don't miss the beer, booze and cigarette adverts. Weed shop ads and promos still amuse, but need some chick click bait.

[josephbloggs]

32 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

The problem is that it was a positive comments about a craft beer.  Singa Chang not happy 

How do you know it was a positive review? It's good nothing to do with what he said, it's the fact he posted a picture of it (yes, stupid law, I know). Do you really think Boonrawd would call the police for one person on his personal FB page posting a picture of a craft beer? How does that affect them? It's a ridiculous comment to make.

[OJAS]

34 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

The problem is that it was a positive comments about a craft beer.  Singa Chang not happy 

And had the comments been negative you can bet your bottom dollar that the craft brewer wouldn't have taken them lying down, with the result that the individual could have found himself serving extra time in the Bangkok Hilton for the criminal offence in LOS of defamation!

 

[StayinThailand2much]

Amazing Thailand. Even in Muslim countries they're shaking their heads...

 

Also, considering that Facebook isn't a Thai company, what is their justification? Maybe the day will come that they block FB, Twitter, YouTube, Google, etc., following their overlords' example.

[pixelaoffy]

Just remember the corporate companies producers of Chang Singha and Leo 'pay' a lot of money to ensure they have control of the beer market .

We all know what a pathetic narrow minded kingdom it is.  highlighted everyday with stories like this .

[Sydebolle]

All the more proof that this country is run by complete morons. If I look at the gross misuse of alcohol, the complete disregard to alcohol-related laws as far as sales and consumption is concerned, this "legal case" is taking the biscuit. 

But yes, keep 'em silly and stupid, fine online comments but disregard the thousands of alcohol-related deaths yearly. Same with prostitution vs. Sutthisarn and Rajadapisek, Patpong or Patong, same as corruption and "no tips please".

What a farçe and the next show of jokes is around the corner in less than three weeks when a new set of pigs will be invited to feast on the troughs so nicely kept filled by the uneducated, ill guided taxpayers and voters ....... 

PS: was that ruling handed down by one of those semi-divine judges who is entitled to rest and recreate in those villas in the National Parks near Chiang Mai .... just asking for a friend ???? 

[soalbundy]

Note to self, don't write a review.

[Cat Boy]

And here I thought the whole Kid Rock Bud Light bat-sh*t crazy hysteria over a single can of beer in the US was the height of absolute insanity. 

 

Anti-defamatiion run amok to the extent a reviewer in a public forum apparently cannot mention the name or display a picture of the very product he is commenting upon. 

[Bday Prang]

5 hours ago, PeeJayEm said:

Thailand's alcohol advertising laws and penalties for breach of them are not at

all out of step or overdone.  In UK the penalty is an unlimited fine or imprisonment not exceeding two years.

 

Seems most if not all posts here are against the legislation. Could there be a bias of alchies or at least heavy drinkers here living in ignorance or denial of the harm the stuff does to individuals, families and society.

 Alcohol can be advertised in the UK subject to what most would consider "sensible" regulation IE not targeting young people for example. It can also be advertised on facebook (apparently)

I am neither a heavy drinker nor an alcoholic, nor am I ignorant of the potential damage it may cause to certain individuals.

Most people posting on this thread are aware of the real reasons for the legislation, the bias you mention is against the overt hypocrisy 

You can discuss this at length during the next meeting of the temperance society with other like minded people

There is a very thinly veiled advertisement for "Regency" shown regularly on Thai TV complete with a health warning 

[JayClay]

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

The beer monopolies are also banned from promoting their product. When did you last see a beer commercial in Thailand? The same stupid law applies to everyone in this case. Makes a change, I suppose.

The beer brands still advertise all over TV. They don't (consciously) advertise their beer products, but they all luckily happen to have a drinking water product with extremely similar packaging which is stocked in every supermarket and 7/11 across the country.

 

This is a luxury small breweries clearly can't afford.

[JayClay]

7 hours ago, dslocum said:

Dare I say, you're in serious trouble now Mate!

Check the image again...

[AhFarangJa]

It is so blatantly obvious that the two big brewers here are behind this action. They do not want any competition. Yet, at the same time it is ok to plaster their names everywhere in the so called excuse that they are advertising drinking water. I just hope that the mp's pictured with him are picking up the tab. 

[Bday Prang]

5 hours ago, tonypattaya said:

Thailand was one of the first to ban advertisements for killer tobacco products. Hats off to them. I would not oppose Western Countries to follow their lead and ban alcohol advertising, particularly to under sixteen year olds.

              Alcohol advertising in the UK  is already not allowed to target or be seen to target under 18's nor may adverts feature anybody who appears to be under 25, doubt its much different in any western european countries. This was not the case when I was growing up but I don't remember there being anymore alcoholics then than there is now. although I'm sure there will, of course, be some "official statistics" somewhere to prove me wrong.

              Alcohol advertising is generally not intended to promote the consumption of it  by non drinkers it is more about attracting the existing drinkers of other brands to switch to the product being promoted and that's the essence of the legislation here, protecting the established monopoly in other words. People are less likely to switch from "Chang, Leo and Singha" if they are not aware of the alternatives

As for ciggies, I don't remember the last time I saw an ad for them either in the UK or Thailand, but the UK definitely  introduced the current plain packaging for cigs well before Thailand did

[Bday Prang]

3 hours ago, Xonax said:

This Law is insane, but any Thai citizen knows, that alcohol advertising is currently illegal.  A review for beer should be considered advertisement, or else we would be drowning in advertisements for alcoholic drinks camoflaged as reviews. Law is Law and is supposed to be followed in any country in the world. If only all other laws in Thailand was enforced just as strictly, there would be far less deadly traffic accidents and far less violent attacks and shootings.

It wouldn't be such a fun place to live though,  It would just be a hotter version of any other western country. 

I'm quite happy with the way things are here. I was even happier 25 years ago

[roietfortress]

17 hours ago, worgeordie said:

If only they were that servere with DUI drivers ........

 

regards worgeordie

that's not a bad idea.  print public notices of the faces of guys convicted of drunk driving. put them up in every market.

 

let villagers know who the drunk drivers are. of course they already know. its their uncle and he drove during Songkran XD

 

#

[d4dang]

so how much will it cost this guy to get this crap over with? Is this an election gimmick?

[bristolgeoff]

I know  beer adverts anywhere in thailand are barred,don,t know why.Bit silly really.In bangkok u see signs saying happy hr and prices but i,am told that break  the rules too.A review is another one that is over the top,one day thailand will realise the advertising of alcohol does not effect sales and people will drink beer or spirits anywhere,along with opening hrs for bars in thailand in tourist areas.Think about some of the rules that you as a country enforce which are stupid