Rise in drinking among teenage girls

BANGKOK: -- Thailand is the world’s fifth heaviest nation of drinkers, with a worrying rise in drinking among teenage girls, according to figures released yesterday by the Ministry of Public Health.

The figures were announced to launch the ministry’s campaign against the sale of cigarettes and alcohol to children under the age of 18

A recent survey shows that Thais drink an average of 14 litres of alcohol each year, putting Thailand in fifth place in world drinking leagues behind Portugal, Ireland, the Bahamas and the Czech Republic.

In 2003, a report suggested that 1.06 million Thai boys between the ages of 11 and 19 drank alcohol.

More worryingly, the same report showed a fivefold rise in drinking among girls aged 15-19 years between 1998 and 2003, with eight percent of young female drinkers consuming alcohol at the least 3-4 times each week.

Yesterday Deputy Health Minister Suchai Charoenrattanachai launched the government’s drive against underage cigarette and alcohol sales in the country's north-eastern province of Ubon Ratchathani, where he addressed over 5,000 volunteers, students, officials and shop owners.

Ceremonially pouring alcohol into the ground and setting fire to cigarettes, the deputy minister began a procession which fanned out to villages in the locality to publicize the government’s ‘D-Day’ on underage cigarette and alcohol sales.

From 1 December, anyone caught selling cigarettes or alcohol to minors will face harsh penalties.

Statistics show that between 1999 and 2001, the number of Thais aged 11 and above who smoke cigarettes rose from 10.2 million to 10.6 million, with a particularly worrying rise among young people.

-- TNA 2004-11-30

who are the real drinkers in LOS? The Thais or the farangs?

Explorer

So loads and loads of pi**ed up Thai girls wandring around......???

COOL!

Yeah, are those figures based soley on the thais or have they taken the amount of alocohol consumed and divded it by the poplation to get their 'average'

Rise in drinking among teenage girls

A recent survey shows that Thais drink an average of 14 litres of alcohol each year, putting Thailand in fifth place in world drinking leagues behind Portugal, Ireland, the Bahamas and the Czech Republic.

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They used to be fourth. I guess they won (or is it lost?) one place.

Just curiously, it never said particularly where they went to get drunk, was it at a "pub" or Karaoke, at home etc.

Could give an insight into where the govt, could focus its resources....

Zmegma, your Avtar tends to contradict your username....