Petrol Stations To Be Warned About Alcohol Sales

[george]

Petrol stations to be warned about alcohol sales

A massive campaign to strictly control alcohol and ban its sale in gas stations across the country will kick off next week in a bid to raise awareness about the danger of drink driving during Songkran, Deputy Public Health Minister Manit Nopamornbodi said yesterday.

He said provincial health office chiefs would be asked to check petrol stations across the country for alcohol sales.

The ministry would warn gas station owners still selling alcohol to comply with the law, then any offenders who break the law would be prosecuted.

Under the Alcohol Control Act, service station owners and grocery shops located in gas station compounds are banned from selling alcohol. Those who violate the law face a fine of Bt 10,000 and up to six months jail.

Selling alcohol is also banned in schools, hospitals, dormitories, temples and government offices.

Manit said he would also prohibit department stores from selling alcohol to customers in gift baskets. If people wanted to include drinks in gift baskets they must buy and put them in themselves.

Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai said he would study the possibility of issuing a ministerial regulation to control the advertising of alcohol products in newspapers, magazines and broadcasting.

While the law was passed last year, a National Alcohol Policy body chaired by the prime minister and the National Alcohol Control panel chaired by the health minister, have yet to meet to draw up plans, policies, etc, to limit alcohol consumption and advertising.

Manit, who oversees alcohol control, said committees at provincial levels had not been completed. Some 44 provinces had yet to set up alcohol control groups. But when they were organised a national debate would be held on alcohol issues.

According to a health ministry report in 2006, some 31 per cent of the population - 16 million people - drink alcohol. Nine million consume alcohol on a regular basis.

During the last New Year holiday - from December 30 to January 4 - 335 people were killed and some 3,810 injured in 3,549 road accidents. Police estimate 28 per cent of these accidents were caused by drunk drivers.

-- The Nation 2009-02-11

[hardy1943]

Petrol stations to be warned about alcohol sales

A massive campaign to strictly control alcohol and ban its sale in gas stations across the country will kick off next week in a bid to raise awareness about the danger of drink driving during Songkran, Deputy Public Health Minister Manit Nopamornbodi said yesterday.

He said provincial health office chiefs would be asked to check petrol stations across the country for alcohol sales.

The ministry would warn gas station owners still selling alcohol to comply with the law, then any offenders who break the law would be prosecuted.

Under the Alcohol Control Act, service station owners and grocery shops located in gas station compounds are banned from selling alcohol. Those who violate the law face a fine of Bt 10,000 and up to six months jail.

Selling alcohol is also banned in schools, hospitals, dormitories, temples and government offices.

Manit said he would also prohibit department stores from selling alcohol to customers in gift baskets. If people wanted to include drinks in gift baskets they must buy and put them in themselves.

Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai said he would study the possibility of issuing a ministerial regulation to control the advertising of alcohol products in newspapers, magazines and broadcasting.

While the law was passed last year, a National Alcohol Policy body chaired by the prime minister and the National Alcohol Control panel chaired by the health minister, have yet to meet to draw up plans, policies, etc, to limit alcohol consumption and advertising.

Manit, who oversees alcohol control, said committees at provincial levels had not been completed. Some 44 provinces had yet to set up alcohol control groups. But when they were organised a national debate would be held on alcohol issues.

According to a health ministry report in 2006, some 31 per cent of the population - 16 million people - drink alcohol. Nine million consume alcohol on a regular basis.

During the last New Year holiday - from December 30 to January 4 - 335 people were killed and some 3,810 injured in 3,549 road accidents. Police estimate 28 per cent of these accidents were caused by drunk drivers.

-- The Nation 2009-02-11

BIG BROTHER has spoken

[dumball]

So , They figure by keeping alcohol sales out of gas stations and related stores , will send a message to a whole heap of drunks that drink driving is dangerous , should I laugh out loud now or later ? Should they close every liquour outlet in the country , drunks will still be drunks , America tried that and all they got was a war on thier hands , drugs are outlawed , how many millions of pills get into Thailand every month ? Do they not learn anything about human nature ? Humans need to be controlled where the damage is being done , on the roads , the law needs to be enforced with an iron hand , sorry , here I go emulating the powers that be , not thinking . First they have to come down on the LAW ENFORCERS with an iron hand and then blah....blah....blah .

Ummm , ah , Ummm , I be a roit dumball tanite inoi . This is Thailand ...YEAH

[baht&sold]

Still a fair measure short of Mr Chalerm's previous proposal for an outright ban on alcohol during Songkran (and on all holidays).

Education is key, not banning alcohol.

[LennyW]

So these HUGE signs in the middle of Sukhumvit in Pattaya advertising Singha / Leo etc, are not there to appeal to drivers then??

[animatic]

In France they sell wine in gas stations,

but they ALSO do roadside blood alcohol testing,

and one large glass is enough to yank you.

I have this week seen 3 guys on bikes with open beer or Lao Kao bottles,

passing it back to front driver and passenger. Sure looks like education isn't happening,

nor enforcement either. I have no grips about this pronouncement,

gas stations are not the place to get an easy bottle.

Under the Alcohol Control Act, service station owners and grocery shops located in gas station compounds are banned from selling alcohol. Those who violate the law face a fine of Bt 10,000 and up to six months jail.

Selling alcohol is also banned in schools, hospitals, dormitories, temples and government offices.

None of this seems out of line.

Alcohol will still be available, but walk-in seems a better idea than drive-through,

or in schools, lets not start another generation of alcohol abusers as a learning excercise...

Edited February 11, 2009 by animatic

[Scott]

It's not a bad idea to ban alcohol sales at gas stations--I just don't know if it's such a good idea. It's better that the temptation to have a quick one not be there, but that said, the true drinkers will stop somewhere and buy what they want.

[kalbo123]

It's not a bad idea to ban alcohol sales at gas stations--I just don't know if it's such a good idea. It's better that the temptation to have a quick one not be there, but that said, the true drinkers will stop somewhere and buy what they want.

What ABOUT ALL THE 7/11'S THAT ARE AROUND THE GAS STATIONS?

OR AROUND THE CORNER..

[john b good]

The people that think up these strategies are a a bunch of "chok wowl's"

Some of these people do no have the IQ of a geranium

[dasy]

It's not a bad idea to ban alcohol sales at gas stations--I just don't know if it's such a good idea. It's better that the temptation to have a quick one not be there, but that said, the true drinkers will stop somewhere and buy what they want.

True drinkers sit in the garden or in the back of the car with a bucket of ice, gin and tonic.