Thai man fined and sentenced to prison over craft beer review

[Ginner]

18 hours ago, worgeordie said:

If only they were that servere with DUI drivers ........but putting up a picture

of a beer on the Internet , your in big trouble...  the irony .

 

regards worgeordie

All because the PM is anti alcohol. 

[xtrnuno41]

Well i red in "my" country, there is still a law active, stating if you drive a car, there must be a person with a red flag in front to make aware a car is approaching. Happily they dont enforce that law. Or do i have to wait, some police officer start doing that?
 

[bignok]

8 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Medieval Thailand want to be the best country in the 21st century...Alcohol bans, advertising forbidden, but in the meantime go to a concert and see how much advertising there is with their umbrellas, hostesses etc.. but that is no problem, as it is no problem to drive drunk in Thailand...  

3 litre beer casks delivered to table

Rum in 7/11

Bargirls galore

 

But no photo of it online

 

 

[josephbloggs]

1 hour ago, Ginner said:

All because the PM is anti alcohol. 

He may be, but this law has been in effect since 2008.

[RickG16]

Can someone explain in simple terms how he has broken the law?

 

I don't get it.

[schultzlivgthai]

22 hours ago, worgeordie said:

If only they were that servere with DUI drivers ........but putting up a picture

of a beer on the Internet , your in big trouble...  the irony .

 

regards worgeordie

So true

[josephbloggs]

1 hour ago, RickG16 said:

Can someone explain in simple terms how he has broken the law?

 

I don't get it.

Because the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act of 2008 explicit forbids advertising or promotion of alcohol which includes enticing others to drink. Posting a picture of alcohol whilst writing a (positive) review of how good it is falls foul of that law as it can be considered promoting the product or encouraging others to try it.

 

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Translation:Alcoholic_Beverage_Control_Act,_BE_2551_(2008)

 

I don't agree with the law, I think it is way over the top, but that's what it is.

[RickG16]

20 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Because the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act of 2008 explicit forbids advertising or promotion of alcohol which includes enticing others to drink. Posting a picture of alcohol whilst writing a (positive) review of how good it is falls foul of that law as it can be considered promoting the product or encouraging others to try it.

 

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Translation:Alcoholic_Beverage_Control_Act,_BE_2551_(2008)

 

I don't agree with the law, I think it is way over the top, but that's what it is.

But what about the San Miguel (and other beer) promo girls you see around Thailand?

[joecoolfrog]

13 hours ago, madmitch said:

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

Would said government last long enough to implement radical change ?

Methinks not !

[freedomnow]

14 hours ago, Lemsta69 said:

Rediculous even.

UNsanity.

[Graemej100]

23 hours ago, wildpuppet72 said:

Ludacris! 

A new way of spelling.

[josephbloggs]

1 hour ago, RickG16 said:

But what about the San Miguel (and other beer) promo girls you see around Thailand?

No idea. Do you still see them? Haven't seen them for years in Bangkok.

My favourites were the Guinness Girls.

[kingstonkid]

9 hours 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 big companies advertise all year round they just are able to hide it in other products.  Chang water, football teams., their names on banners at sporting events. sponsorships.

 

The challenge is that this was a FB page set up for him to talk about other craft beers.  The threat is that if he gives a great review to XXX then some people that follow his site will go try it.  If they like it then they are going to telltheir friends and he will get more hits therefore craft beer companies will get more advertising.

[arithai12]

14 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.

I see your point of view but I think it is not the case. Anyone who likes a beer, be it occasionally or several per day, knows very well a) to avoid the two main Thai brands, and b) where to buy better ones. With or without ads or opinions on social media. Therefore, the legislation is useless.

As for your point about harm to society, I agree alcoholism is a major issue, no one is denying that. What people wonder about is how such draconian measures for a post about beer compare to the measures against, e.g., driving without the necessary skills and protection, the ease to procure and use firearms, the ease to procure and consume heavy drugs, or the ease with which people can set fire to a forest and get away with it.

(ps: my beer consumption is about one per week)

[Adumbration]

15 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

In a country that is facing so many pressing issues, it is a bit of an abomination that a judge would impose a fine on this guy. Such bizarre nonsense. Such a twisted interpretation of the law. 

 

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

The monoplies of the elite will be protect at all costs.

[josephbloggs]

23 minutes ago, Adumbration said:

The monoplies of the elite will be protect at all costs.

Yawn. Another AN / TVF cliche. 

[SuwadeeS]

That is schizophren.

The should punish traffic law offenders with this 150.000 Baht, but no, because the are fake in morality.

[The Old Bull]

The big brewers don't want craft beer catching on. They are using their political clout to do them in.

[sambum]

On 4/25/2023 at 7:28 PM, proton said:

should have stuck to cannabis, what an insane sentence

Absolutely ridiculous! The same as not being allowed to purchase alcohol between 2pm and 5pm at Tesco or Macro, but anywhere else seems to be OK? This in a resort that is trying to resurrect the tourist trade!!! 

"Please come to even more amazing Thailand for your holidays!!!" (But by the way, between 2pm and 5 pm don't try to buy a few beers to take "home") 

However, you can go to a number of local establishments and get stoned "out of your brain"? No plomplem because Mr Anutin has cleared the way, and found another way to increase his already considerable fortune! Maybe well on his way to the Forbes list as well as being a contender for PM?

[Lemsta69]

42 minutes ago, sambum said:

Absolutely ridiculous! The same as not being allowed to purchase alcohol between 2pm and 5pm at Tesco or Macro, but anywhere else seems to be OK? This in a resort that is trying to resurrect the tourist trade!!! 

"Please come to even more amazing Thailand for your holidays!!!" (But by the way, between 2pm and 5 pm don't try to buy a few beers to take "home") 

However, you can go to a number of local establishments and get stoned "out of your brain"? No plomplem because Mr Anutin has cleared the way, and found another way to increase his already considerable fortune! Maybe well on his way to the Forbes list as well as being a contender for PM?

Calm down fella, you'll burst a blood vessel.

[Kalasin Jo]

On 4/25/2023 at 7:08 PM, worgeordie said:

If only they were that servere with DUI drivers ........but putting up a picture

of a beer on the Internet , your in big trouble...  the irony .

 

regards worgeordie

Yeah quite agree.  I see pics almost daily of a Thai someone with a variety of beverages in course of consumption on her FB feed. Don't suppose for a second that she is aware of this absurd law and wouldn't have the means to pay the ridiculously high fines this guy received, let alone survive a spell in the clink. Meanwhile and very sadly her husband eventually died from alcohol abuse at the age of 46 and her younger son now aged 26 and a really nice, caring lad I've known for 10 years,  was admitted to emergency care for od'ing on alcohol today. Ironic that some here in Thailand think that the decriminalising of " weed" here is an issue.

My best regards to you worgeordie

[Zack61]

On 4/26/2023 at 7:49 AM, madmitch said:

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

They will get to elect nobody. 

[PeeJayEm]

8 hours ago, arithai12 said:

I see your point of view but I think it is not the case. Anyone who likes a beer, be it occasionally or several per day, knows very well a) to avoid the two main Thai brands, and b) where to buy better ones. With or without ads or opinions on social media. Therefore, the legislation is useless.

As for your point about harm to society, I agree alcoholism is a major issue, no one is denying that. What people wonder about is how such draconian measures for a post about beer compare to the measures against, e.g., driving without the necessary skills and protection, the ease to procure and use firearms, the ease to procure and consume heavy drugs, or the ease with which people can set fire to a forest and get away with it.

(ps: my beer consumption is about one per week)

The point of the alcohol advertising legislation in Thailand and other countries is not to stop adults destroying their  lives or limit their freedoms but to restrict the exposure of children to the advertising.  The laws are often very specific about how and where the adverts can be made: for example only on tv after the evening time-shed (9pm in UK), not in cinemas showing juvenile rated movies or other public scenarios.  This guy posted in Facebook which is available to everyone all the time - and I think that is where he fell foul.  Basically he's an idiot if he doesn't know he should post on a restricted adult zone instead of at all times of day to everyone on Facebook.

[PeeJayEm]

17 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

 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 

Sorry  - don't know about "Regency"

The point of the alcohol advertising legislation in Thailand and other countries is not to stop adults destroying their  lives or limit their freedoms but to restrict the exposure of children to the advertising.  The laws are often very specific about how and where the adverts can be made: for example only on tv after the evening time-shed (9pm in UK), not in cinemas showing juvenile rated movies or other public scenarios.  This guy posted in Facebook which is available to everyone all the time - and I think that is where he fell foul.  Basically he's an idiot if he doesn't know he should post on a restricted adult zone instead of at all times of day to everyone on Facebook.

[josephbloggs]

6 hours ago, Kinnock said:

So a 1 Billion THB marketing campaign that includes prime time TV ads for Chang Cold Brew is OK, but a review for craft beer is not?

 

What are you talking about "prime time TV ads"? There has been no TV advertising of alcohol allowed in Thailand for over 20 years (by memory). Let's not make stuff up please.

[Kinnock]

1 minute ago, josephbloggs said:

What are you talking about "prime time TV ads"? There has been no TV advertising of alcohol allowed in Thailand for over 20 years (by memory). Let's not make stuff up please.

I'm not sure it you're being sarcastic or not.  There's a TV ad showing a classic Airstream caravan sporting a Chang Cold Brew logo, three guys drinking from Chang Cold Brew logo cooler cups, and the voiceover says 'join the Chang Cold Brew club.

 

Chang may claim it's an ad for cooler cups, a caravan or a fictitious club .... but it's obviously an ad for beer, and part of the 1 Billion THB advertising campaign.

 

Are we also supposed to believe Singha spends millions promoting 7 THB bottles of water and 15 THB soda?

[n8sail]

On 4/26/2023 at 6:14 AM, Lemsta69 said:

Where have you encountered this? I haven't seen beer pretties for ages. Pretty sure I read on here years ago that they are verboten, just like that Thai singer that twerked too much and got scolded by the PM. 

They are still around, but you have to go to actual Thai pubs not farang oriented bars.

They are great fun to chat with if you can speak some Thai, generally much smarter than your average bar girl as they are usually university students.  I was served by one at a place not far from Impact Arena just a couple weeks ago after the motor show.  Normally if you give them beer they'll sit with you between serving other customers.  Of course they are usually FAR more attractive than your average slapper from a farang bar as well.

Leo ones seem to be the rarest, in Rayong it is mostly Chang girls and sometimes Singha.

I did see some 'Tiger' girls once, can't remember where though.

[Lemsta69]

15 minutes ago, n8sail said:

They are still around, but you have to go to actual Thai pubs not farang oriented bars.

They are great fun to chat with if you can speak some Thai, generally much smarter than your average bar girl as they are usually university students.  I was served by one at a place not far from Impact Arena just a couple weeks ago after the motor show.  Normally if you give them beer they'll sit with you between serving other customers.  Of course they are usually FAR more attractive than your average slapper from a farang bar as well.

Leo ones seem to be the rarest, in Rayong it is mostly Chang girls and sometimes Singha.

I did see some 'Tiger' girls once, can't remember where though.

Thanks for the tip. I only ever saw them before in Thai-oriented places so what you say makes sense. I fell in love with a Heineken girl in Chumpon many moons ago but didn't have a chance to talk with her before we skipped town. The quiet pub suddenly got busy once the band showed up and she was rushed off her feet. Then next day it was closed ????

[Stargeezr]

I do remember the green Chang beer dresses, but I still prefer Singha beer,

so am waiting for some of that company's  pretty dress wearers.

  I guess us Foreign visitors should just drink the beer we like the best and 

not get too critical.

[josephbloggs]

Ah right. I thought you said they were having prime time beer commercials which they aren't. I agree this sails a bit close to the wind but technically it is not a beer commercial.

Believe it or not Thailand does have very a strict censorship board that has to pass any commercial before it airs (I work in that industry) - this one doesn't break the rules but it comes pretty close.