First-Ever Global Alcohol Policy Conference Kicks Off In Thailand

[Lite Beer]

First-ever Global Alcohol Policy Conference kicks off in Thailand

BANGKOK, 13 February 2012 (NNT) – The Global Alcohol Policy Conference hosted in Thailand begins today with delegates in the field of public health from over 50 countries attending to set up a framework aimed at cutting down alcohol-related damage.

Deputy Director-General of the Department of Disease Control Dr. Nopporn Chuenklin stated Thailand has been given the honor to host the first-ever Global Alcohol Policy Conference, under the concept of “From the Global Alcohol Strategy to National and Local Action”, during 13-15 February at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani. Public health academics and anti-alcohol activists from 59 countries across the globe are participating in the conference during which they will exchange experience and put into motion the universal strategy to reduce alcohol-induced health problems and deaths.

The World Health Organization has indicated that currently there are over 2 billion alcohol drinkers in the world, which equals to around one-third of theentire world’s population. Alcohol is the cause of over 60 diseases; each year 2.5 million deaths are attributed to alcohol consumption. Despite Thailand being one of the first countries to impose strict anti-alcohol policies by issuing more than 12 laws related to alcohol, the country is listed as number 40 among the world's top drinkers; it currently ranks fifth among countries with the highest rate of refined alcohol consumption. Most importantly, the figure of Thai drinkers aged 15 and up stands at 16 million, each of whom reportedly consumes an average of 58 liters per person per year; 9 times as much as the world's average of 6.13 liters.

Dr. Nopporn pointed out that the aim of this conference is to establish a framework to encourage all countries to seriously push ahead in cutting down alcohol-related damage.

Besides the indoor conference, six fields trips will be organized to visit Thailand's successful alcohol control initiatives, including the Santi Asoke Community, the Samre Community, the Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market, the Phra Mongkutklao Hospital, the Thai Health Promotion Foundation Headquarters and Asia Precision Co., Ltd., which have taken the initiative to impose an anti-alcohol policy on its staff.

-- NNT 2012-02-13

[DocN]

I drink to that!

[voodoomagicman]

Is there a free bar?

[bigbamboo]

First off we need an international ban on being able to buy alcohol between the hours of two and five in the afternoon so that grown ups are unable to purchase wine from a supermarket for their drunken evening soiree in case young kids should pop in to their local Tesco Lotus for a wine box of chardonnay whilst bunking off school.

Edited February 13, 2012 by bigbamboo

[whybother]

Interesting that the WHO puts the alcohol consumption of Thais at 7.08 litres per capita (15 or over).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_alcohol_consumption

[Pib]

Besides the indoor conference, six fields trips will be organized to visit Thailand's successful alcohol control initiatives, including the Santi Asoke Community, the Samre Community, the Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market, the Phra Mongkutklao Hospital, the Thai Health Promotion Foundation Headquarters and Asia Precision Co., Ltd., which have taken the initiative to impose an anti-alcohol policy on its staff.

And to get a balanced picture six additional field trips to major bar/red light districts in Bangkok, Pattaya, and Phuket are also planned.

[nisakiman]

Right, here we go again.

The Righteous, having acheived their aims of de-normalising tobacco with their lies and junk science have now turned their attention to alcohol.

Be prepared for appeals to "protect the cheeldren", and a blizzard of figures plucked out of thin air to "prove" that alcohol must be severely restricted for "people's own good".

The fake charity Alcohol Concern has already been having meetings with the fake charity ASH about how to adopt the tobacco control template for alcohol control. It won't be long now before you will start to see warning labels on booze. These will get larger and larger, and then it will be photoshopped porno pictures of diseased livers etc, then it will be plain packaging, and so it will go on.

The Neo-Puritans have the bit between their teeth, and they are going to try to curtail everything that doesn't agree with their own personal warped morality.

You have been warned.

[Om85]

Mannn, 1st the crack down on drugs, then the crack down on tabaco, and now 2 more crack downs :

one in prostitution and other on alcohol, wow , i think that our governants are planning to purify this country of sin, the next crack down will be on sex.

[jimbeam1]

What a load of B------X

jb1

Edited February 13, 2012 by jimbeam1

[x5david]

Besides the indoor conference, six fields trips will be organized to visit Thailand's successful alcohol control initiatives, including the Santi Asoke Community, the Samre Community, the Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market, the Phra Mongkutklao Hospital, the Thai Health Promotion Foundation Headquarters and Asia Precision Co., Ltd., which have taken the initiative to impose an anti-alcohol policy on its staff.

And to get a balanced picture six additional field trips to major bar/red light districts in Bangkok, Pattaya, and Phuket are also planned.

Don't need to go to the bar districts to witness that....any soi on any given night will find plenty of alcohol consumption, right along the roadside....don't even need to get out of the transport van...

[x5david]

Mannn, 1st the crack down on drugs, then the crack down on tabaco, and now 2 more crack downs :

one in prostitution and other on alcohol, wow , i think that our governants are planning to purify this country of sin, the next crack down will be on sex.

Good luck to them...don't see any of these going anywhere but up anytime soon...

[Reasonableman]

Hahahaha, relax guys, this conference isn't about you, unless you make it

[jalansanitwong]

I dont take seriously anything on the news any more.

Today we have had a call to stamp out prostitution and now a few hours later alcohol as well.

Maybe Thailand should be a hub for temperance.

Edited February 13, 2012 by jalansanitwong

[jaltsc]

"Thailand being one of the first countries to impose strict anti-alcohol policies by issuing more than 12 laws related to alcohol, the country is listed as number 40 among the world's top drinkers; it currently ranks fifth among countries with the highest rate of refined alcohol consumption. "

OK...Here is some insight that may have not occurred to the Thai government. For laws to be effective...THEY HAVE TO BE ENFORCED!!! and hopefully by someone who isn't already inebriated.

[hellodolly]

Well I for one am all for it. I have nothing against drinking in moderation. For my way of thinking maybe over doing it every once and awhile.

But when it gets out of control with some people there should be some help to get them back in control or stopped. I am definitely against people who want to do away with it all together. The world would be better off with out radicals.

It is just a beginning and I personally don't see munch coming out of it other than the world is starting to work together towards a solution. I really don't think Thailand has any thing to offer in the way of a answer. They figure just passing laws is the answer. The states tried that and like most of their wars they lost it.

[noitom]

No information on the other 50 countries, not even a name of a key person from WHO or one of the other countries. The figures cited are shocking, if true. Thai over 15 consumption of alcohol is "9 times" the world average. Other posters have noted all the crackdowns. All the crackdowns in the world will fail if the education on these matters is not upgraded along with education in general. Thais have to start reading books and understanding the content not just memorizing "as needed." They need to understand how to think and organize ideas and apply that knowledge to why these issues are being corrected. They need to be "interested and motivated" to dialogue about these subjects. Drugs, alcohol, corruption, illegal gambling (voluntary tax for the poor), street crime... Otherwie, Thais will never comprehend what's actually going on in their own country.

[nisakiman]

It is just a beginning and I personally don't see munch coming out of it ....

Dream on. This is the thin end of the wedge. As I said in my post above, they have already decided to use the tobacco control template for alcohol. It's a gradual process of de-normalisation accompanied by ever more restrictions. They learned the lessons from the 1920s, and realised that it has to be a step by step approach, accompanied by lots of propaganda using "the children" as a blackmail tool. It's very effective. The Nazis used it with great success.

“The state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation.”

(Mein Kampf, Adolf Hitler; 1943)

Governments are happy to bankroll the prohibitionists because in the process they get more control over the masses.

I for one am appalled at the way people are bending over and allowing the government to stick it up them. But then most people seem to think that if a newspaper quotes figures from "experts", then those figures must be true.

Not so.

If you spend a little time researching on the internet, you will see just how much you are being lied to by these "experts". Manipulation of figures is what they are "experts" at.

How many times have you seen things in the news like "drinking twice the recommended limit (itself a figure plucked out of the air) will quadruple your risk of mouth cancer" or somesuch? What they don't tell you is that the risk is so miniscule in the first place, that quadrupling that risk still leaves you with an insignificant risk factor. Four times zero is still zero. But the people are taken in by it, and so join the ranks of 'useful idiots' that the prohibitionists need to push their agenda.

"Those of us who believe in freedom must believe also in the freedom of individuals to make their own mistakes. If a man knowingly prefers to live for today, to use his resources for current enjoyment, deliberately choosing a penurious old age, by what right do we prevent him from doing so? We may argue with him, seek to persuade him that he is wrong, but are we entitled to use coercion to prevent him from doing what he chooses to do? Is there not always the possibility that he is right and we are wrong? Humility is the distinguishing characteristic of the believer in freedom, arrogance of the paternalist."

Milton Friedman.

[hellodolly]

It is just a beginning and I personally don't see munch coming out of it ....

Dream on. This is the thin end of the wedge. As I said in my post above, they have already decided to use the tobacco control template for alcohol. It's a gradual process of de-normalisation accompanied by ever more restrictions. They learned the lessons from the 1920s, and realised that it has to be a step by step approach, accompanied by lots of propaganda using "the children" as a blackmail tool. It's very effective. The Nazis used it with great success.

“The state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation.”

(Mein Kampf, Adolf Hitler; 1943)

Governments are happy to bankroll the prohibitionists because in the process they get more control over the masses.

I for one am appalled at the way people are bending over and allowing the government to stick it up them. But then most people seem to think that if a newspaper quotes figures from "experts", then those figures must be true.

Not so.

If you spend a little time researching on the internet, you will see just how much you are being lied to by these "experts". Manipulation of figures is what they are "experts" at.

How many times have you seen things in the news like "drinking twice the recommended limit (itself a figure plucked out of the air) will quadruple your risk of mouth cancer" or somesuch? What they don't tell you is that the risk is so miniscule in the first place, that quadrupling that risk still leaves you with an insignificant risk factor. Four times zero is still zero. But the people are taken in by it, and so join the ranks of 'useful idiots' that the prohibitionists need to push their agenda.

"Those of us who believe in freedom must believe also in the freedom of individuals to make their own mistakes. If a man knowingly prefers to live for today, to use his resources for current enjoyment, deliberately choosing a penurious old age, by what right do we prevent him from doing so? We may argue with him, seek to persuade him that he is wrong, but are we entitled to use coercion to prevent him from doing what he chooses to do? Is there not always the possibility that he is right and we are wrong? Humility is the distinguishing characteristic of the believer in freedom, arrogance of the paternalist."

Milton Friedman.

Well I am no internet whiz but I know enough about it to prove any thing I want to believe. For that reason I find it a very doubtful source of true information. Don't get me wrong but if you want to believe smoking and drinking causes no harm I am quite sure there is a wealth of information on it to back you up.

Reminds me of a Criminologist instructor I had. He said you could go to any big collage and find two Criminologist's that could not agree on the time of day using the same watch.

[pastitche]

Right, here we go again.

The Righteous, having acheived their aims of de-normalising tobacco with their lies and junk science have now turned their attention to alcohol.

Be prepared for appeals to "protect the cheeldren", and a blizzard of figures plucked out of thin air to "prove" that alcohol must be severely restricted for "people's own good".

The fake charity Alcohol Concern has already been having meetings with the fake charity ASH about how to adopt the tobacco control template for alcohol control. It won't be long now before you will start to see warning labels on booze. These will get larger and larger, and then it will be photoshopped porno pictures of diseased livers etc, then it will be plain packaging, and so it will go on.

The Neo-Puritans have the bit between their teeth, and they are going to try to curtail everything that doesn't agree with their own personal warped morality.

You have been warned.

Don't worry by the time they have the horror pictures on booze, you and I will be gone