webfact Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Penalties for alcohol in gift baskets By The Nation Published on December 3, 2009 Penalties for alcohol in gift baskets Managers of shops that sell New Year gift baskets with alcoholic drinks could face up to a year in jail and/or a fine of up to Bt500,000. Director for the Thai Health Promotion's Centre for Alcohol Studies, Thaksaphon Thamarangsi, said yesterday the National Committee for Alcohol Consumption Control gave a warning on October 8 that alcohol was banned from New Year gift baskets. People who broke the law face up to six months jail and/or a fine of up to Bt10,000 for violating Article 30 (50) of the Criminal Law, while those deemed to have violated Article 32 about alcohol ads faced up to a year in jail and/or a fine up to Bt500,000. The shop could also be fined up to Bt50,000 a day for the period items were on sale. As this is the first year the law is being implemented, the Disease Control Department's Alcohol and Tobacco Consumption Control Office chief Saman Futrakul said they had called related agencies and shops to explain the regulations and give advice on gift baskets. -- The Nation 2009/12/3 [newsfooter][/newsfooter] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
endure Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 They're obviously taking advice from the UK government. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DP25 Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 People will never think of buying the alcohol from the next aisle over and giving it with the basket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LawnGnome Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 People will never think of buying the alcohol from the next aisle over and giving it with the basket. Shhhhhhh, Not so loud ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slapout Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 What would be the reaction to asking for a bottle of booze being gift wrapped? Whats the difference in a New Years gift basket and a birthday gift basket? The potential penalty for committing these dastardly deeds seems to be going in the same direction as prices in a lower tourist market, up, up, up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Splatter Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 They should ban the big jars of Nescafe too. Not only is caffeine bad for you, Nescafe tastes like ........... ( Don't even think about getting me started on the Milo. ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Splatter Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 And what's with that Bird's Nest stuff? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LawnGnome Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 This topic came up last year when the ban was initially enacted, so actually this isn't current news. Do we have to rehash the same old replies? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtoad Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Clearly this is an important crackdown for the government to enforce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orosee Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 <snip> If you are financially well and don't mind 4 regular seasons, come to Korea where grown-ups are not yet treated like infants by their government, where beer is 60 Baht/half liter and the bars close for 60 minutes each day (not all at the same hour though). Well, these gift baskets are stupid too, but the bottle of booze has always been the highlight and not subject to an expiry date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnyboy Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 what next? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilHarries Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 I never bothered with these stupid gift baskets anyway, 95% crap and a bottle of whisky. Anyway it's easy to see that this move is going to have a dramatic impact on Thailand's drink problem. All those village Lao Khaw drinkers will now just have to drink...........errrr..............ummmm................Lao Khaw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lensta Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Why is it that I doubt that one baht from fines will find its way into the government coffers. This is just another avenue to collect some tea money IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsprtliving Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 And what's with that Bird's Nest stuff? Bottle bird spit....Mmmmmm Yummm! That always goes over so much better than a horrible, evil bottle of Johnny Walker! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aka_jack Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 And here's me thinking the thai new year was in april ! talk about trying to spoil everything ! good job there not a super power ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulHamon Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JatujakShopper Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 You know, that sounds pretty good... I even like kimchee. <snip>If you are financially well and don't mind 4 regular seasons, come to Korea where grown-ups are not yet treated like infants by their government, where beer is 60 Baht/half liter and the bars close for 60 minutes each day (not all at the same hour though). Well, these gift baskets are stupid too, but the bottle of booze has always been the highlight and not subject to an expiry date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAWP Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Typical insanity that most governments seems to think they can enact on the people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NamSod Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Wouldn't it make more sense to enforce this during Songkran? I grieve every year at the hundreds killed during that period on motorcycles mostly as a result of alcohol consumption. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farangpattaya Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 <snip>If you are financially well and don't mind 4 regular seasons, come to Korea where grown-ups are not yet treated like infants by their government, where beer is 60 Baht/half liter and the bars close for 60 minutes each day (not all at the same hour though). Well, these gift baskets are stupid too, but the bottle of booze has always been the highlight and not subject to an expiry date. Maybe you're right, but since most lo-so people aren't used to think for them selves or possible consequences of their actions (like children), it's the government that has to do that. It's the same daft rule as the limited time frames in which you are allowed to buy spirits, or the ban on alcohol prior to elections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAWP Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 <snip>If you are financially well and don't mind 4 regular seasons, come to Korea where grown-ups are not yet treated like infants by their government, where beer is 60 Baht/half liter and the bars close for 60 minutes each day (not all at the same hour though). Well, these gift baskets are stupid too, but the bottle of booze has always been the highlight and not subject to an expiry date. Maybe you're right, but since most lo-so people aren't used to think for them selves or possible consequences of their actions (like children), it's the government that has to do that. It's the same daft rule as the limited time frames in which you are allowed to buy spirits, or the ban on alcohol prior to elections. You seem confused. The gift-baskets are not bought nor received by any 'low-so'. They mc-bike-driver on the corner will by Singha or Mekong and toss it back himself with his friends. And no, I don't think it is the governments position to take care of anyone. It is YOUR responsibility to take care of yourself. The governments ONLY job is to guarantee that no-one else trample on your right to be free and able to make those decisions for yourself without threat of violence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alstaxi Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 This well planned , carefully thought out crackdown will save a lot of grief this xmas season. For songkran I suggest moving the squirt guns and buckets as far away from the beer as possible, could save lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesMad Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 mai pen rai So we just "re-pack" our gift baskets, and put in the bottles ourselves. I assume the selling of alcohol is not banned at this stage?! The only way to prevent giving alcohol is to ban all alcohol from Thailand!! BUT that is NEVER going to happen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALLSEEINGEYE Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Yet another law that is half thought through. Exactly how is this going to save lives or improve the health of Thais? The Thai government has a long history of preferring to keep its citizens ignorant and uneducated then tries to impose ridiculous laws to either control them or extort money from them (or the expat business men and tourists). Most other countries will spend time and money educating their citizens about social issues either starting in school or by using public service messages on TV and Radio (which all stations should be required by law to do so many hours of per month). Songkran is a perfect example, one week before Songkran they start to suggest that drinking and driving might not be such a good idea instead of instilling this mindset into the population day in and day out year to year. You cannot change the culture of a people by simply imposing ridiculous laws seasonally !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmac Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 I never bothered with these stupid gift baskets anyway, 95% crap and a bottle of whisky.Anyway it's easy to see that this move is going to have a dramatic impact on Thailand's drink problem. All those village Lao Khaw drinkers will now just have to drink...........errrr..............ummmm................Lao Khaw. Indeed! Look at the savings you can make now........just need to buy the whisky and forget the crap. Well done Health Department! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samtam Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 These gift baskets are a complete load of twaddle anyway, and Central/Tops' habit of lining narrow aisles with them, and blocking the fruit/veg weighing counters with these baskets being assembled is one of the most annoying practices that occur at the holiday/festival season. If removing alcohol makes them less popular, then I'm all for it. I'm sure I saw many laden with bottles of booze today at Central Food Hall today. And whilst I'm ranting...which numbskull designed the layout of CFH, (which they claim is the world's no 3 supermarket...are you taking the michael)? Apart from the said habit of reducing the space by holiday baskets, other areas are encroached upon by the placement of new stalls not originally part of the design, that make wheeling a trolley around more and more difficult, through this walkway with a supermarket on either side. This habit has now deteriorated by the row of perfume counters that run through the centre of the space designated as an entrance to the supermarket. Is there no such thing as shop design/layout in Thailand? Rant over. Carry on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinnieTheKhwai Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Clown government.. Trying to enact something that's unenforceable, but will nonetheless stress the point that the country is become less free with more government meddling by the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAWP Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Clown government.. Trying to enact something that's unenforceable, but will nonetheless stress the point that the country is become less free with more government meddling by the day. Indeed. And don't miss the gold-nugget that the regulations supposedly was added last year, when the PPP was still in power? Much like the 2am-closing come to light under TRT? And now some pencil-pusher on a high horse wants it enforced. Push them all into the ditch, I say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominique355 Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 (edited) a ) The good thing about this rule is that the Government can claim to have done something about the drinking problem ... b ) The bad thing is that this law is not going to change anything and not prevent one single person from buying or giving a bottle of whiskey or wine as a gift. Now, what's more important? of course a ). Edited December 3, 2009 by dominique355 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koto Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 They should ban the big jars of Nescafe too.Not only is caffeine bad for you, Nescafe tastes like ........... ( Don't even think about getting me started on the Milo. ) Have another drink and don't call in the morning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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