Proposal To Raise Drinking Age To 21

[sriracha john]

20 January 2006 19:47

Just months after banning cigarette displays from shops, the Health Ministry expressed confidence that its latest initiatives – raising the legal drinking age to 21 and banning liquor advertising on television and radio – will succeed, despite the impact on business.

Health Minister Phinij Jarusombat announced this week that his agency would propose a bill that would potentially ban all television and radio liquor advertising and increase the legal drinking age from 18 to 21. Although the measures represent a drastic change from existing law, ministry representatives said Wednesday they were confident they would be able to push the new restrictions through.

Health officials have acknowledged they will face some opposition from the business sector, but believe the social and political environments favor tighter regulations, said Dr Samarn Futrakul, head of the Health Ministry’s tobacco and alcohol consumption group.

The ministry has proposed increasing the drinking age to 21. Currently, 18-year-olds can buy alcohol from liquor retailers and 20-year-olds can enter bars and nightclubs serving alcohol.

The ministry has also proposed limiting liquor advertising on television and radio to a narrow window between 2am and 5am or prohibiting the ads altogether. Liquor advertising can currently begin at 10pm.

Analysts said one of the industries to suffer most from a complete ban on TV ads would be media companies, which rely on liquor ads for between two and three percent of their advertising revenues.

“The initiative would have an adverse impact on total advertising in general,” wrote a media analyst in Phatra Securities’ research report, released Wednesday. The report estimates that advertising growth for 2006 will plummet from 9.3 percent to 6.5 percent if a total ban is introduced.

Liquor companies, however, were careful not to criticize the ministry’s proposed policy.

“If [the new law] is applied across the board and is fair to all players, we would not have any objections,” said Kantatit Sukontasap, a spokesperson for Thai Beverage, the largest liquor manufacturer in the country. Executives at Riche Monde, distributors of Johnnie Walker and Spey Royale, agreed.

Analysts said that the response from market leaders was not surprising, as the commercial blackout would most likely help those which had already established a strong presence.

“When you have a total ban on advertising it benefits existing players because it closes the door to newcomers,” said an analyst at Phatra Securities.

The proposals, which come on the heels of a Securities and Exchange Commission announcement that it will hold off on deciding whether Thai Beverage can list on the SET until the Health Ministry has proposed new alcohol laws, are being publicized among young people, said Dr Samarn.

Traffic accidents are a leading cause of death among young adults in the country. Health Ministry data indicates that nearly half of all traffic fatalities are caused by drinking.

Although there has been a global debate over the benefits of raising the drinking age, Dr Samarn said the research was clear.

“Without a doubt, all the research shows that if you increase the [legal age], you will decrease consumption and save lives.”

[gburns57au]

20 January 2006 19:47

Just months after banning cigarette displays from shops, the Health Ministry expressed confidence that its latest initiatives – raising the legal drinking age to 21 and banning liquor advertising on television and radio – will succeed, despite the impact on business.

Health Minister Phinij Jarusombat announced this week that his agency would propose a bill that would potentially ban all television and radio liquor advertising and increase the legal drinking age from 18 to 21. Although the measures represent a drastic change from existing law, ministry representatives said Wednesday they were confident they would be able to push the new restrictions through.

Health officials have acknowledged they will face some opposition from the business sector, but believe the social and political environments favor tighter regulations, said Dr Samarn Futrakul, head of the Health Ministry’s tobacco and alcohol consumption group.

The ministry has proposed increasing the drinking age to 21. Currently, 18-year-olds can buy alcohol from liquor retailers and 20-year-olds can enter bars and nightclubs serving alcohol.

The ministry has also proposed limiting liquor advertising on television and radio to a narrow window between 2am and 5am or prohibiting the ads altogether. Liquor advertising can currently begin at 10pm.

Analysts said one of the industries to suffer most from a complete ban on TV ads would be media companies, which rely on liquor ads for between two and three percent of their advertising revenues.

“The initiative would have an adverse impact on total advertising in general,” wrote a media analyst in Phatra Securities’ research report, released Wednesday. The report estimates that advertising growth for 2006 will plummet from 9.3 percent to 6.5 percent if a total ban is introduced.

Liquor companies, however, were careful not to criticize the ministry’s proposed policy.

“If [the new law] is applied across the board and is fair to all players, we would not have any objections,” said Kantatit Sukontasap, a spokesperson for Thai Beverage, the largest liquor manufacturer in the country. Executives at Riche Monde, distributors of Johnnie Walker and Spey Royale, agreed.

Analysts said that the response from market leaders was not surprising, as the commercial blackout would most likely help those which had already established a strong presence.

“When you have a total ban on advertising it benefits existing players because it closes the door to newcomers,” said an analyst at Phatra Securities.

The proposals, which come on the heels of a Securities and Exchange Commission announcement that it will hold off on deciding whether Thai Beverage can list on the SET until the Health Ministry has proposed new alcohol laws, are being publicized among young people, said Dr Samarn.

Traffic accidents are a leading cause of death among young adults in the country. Health Ministry data indicates that nearly half of all traffic fatalities are caused by drinking.

Although there has been a global debate over the benefits of raising the drinking age, Dr Samarn said the research was clear.

“Without a doubt, all the research shows that if you increase the [legal age], you will decrease consumption and save lives.”

Cant see it working....

can see an increase in the fake ID industry....

Lets face it, even with the current age limit there is underage drinking....they just get someone of age to buy it for them.

Cutting Advertising wont work either....Kids will still see their elders drinking at home, they will still see movies with bar scenes showing it is cool to drink....etc,etc...

If a kid wants drink they will find a way....didnt a certain US presidents kids get done for underage drinking....and a certain British Prince admitted to it and smoking pot.

they can make all the rules they want and on the face of it, it seems like a good idea but in reality nothing will change.

[MyNameIsFarang]

Let's get to the important issue: will this force up the minimum age of bar-girls?

[blabbel]

Btw, at what age do Thais become 'legal' adults, eligible to vote, signing contracts etc. ?

[The Coder]

Let's get to the important issue: will this force up the minimum age of bar-girls?

Yes. Currently one must be 20 to enter a bar or nightclub and this includes the staff. The new law raises the minimum age to 21. The minimum 20 has been enforced very widely in recent years, but not to say there aren't places or individuals out there who have managed to work around it. These laws do have an effect, maybe not 100% but they do a surprisingly great deal of enforcement in this area. Just look at RCA compared to 5 years ago. It's like a prison system with all the barriers for ID checks. 5 years ago the crowd was much younger and mainly students.

[sonthaya]

Let's get to the important issue: will this force up the minimum age of bar-girls?

Yes. Currently one must be 20 to enter a bar or nightclub and this includes the staff. The new law raises the minimum age to 21. The minimum 20 has been enforced very widely in recent years, but not to say there aren't places or individuals out there who have managed to work around it. These laws do have an effect, maybe not 100% but they do a surprisingly great deal of enforcement in this area. Just look at RCA compared to 5 years ago. It's like a prison system with all the barriers for ID checks. 5 years ago the crowd was much younger and mainly students.

That's no problem, one year older, I don't want them much below 30 anyhow.

[Abandon]

Sounds like a good idea to me. Kids mature a lot slower here in many ways out here, and 21 sounds reasonable to me in the cutural context.

True - laws can be broken, but it helps. I was going into pubs at 16 (with 18 legal age limit). If the law had been 21 I would have been 18 before I started getting in.

[chownah]

Is this a restriction on drinking or is it a restriction on going to certain places and buying certain things? Seems like what has been mentioned so far does not actually effect the legal age to drink alcohol. Is there a legal age requirement for DRINKING alcohol?

[gburns57au]

Is this a restriction on drinking or is it a restriction on going to certain places and buying certain things? Seems like what has been mentioned so far does not actually effect the legal age to drink alcohol. Is there a legal age requirement for DRINKING alcohol?

Both.....

The legal drinking age in Thailand is 18 yo.....therefore it is illegal to drink or purchase alcohol under that age.

Not that, that has ever stopped anyone from doing it.

[Ulysses G.]

I don't want them much below 30 anyhow.

Yeah, but you are in your late 90s!

[davethailand]

I don't want them much below 30 anyhow.

Yeah, but you are in your late 90s!

[the_heart_thief]

I started drinking at fifteen! (Legal age in the Philippines is 18.) We didn't asked an adult to buy the drinks, but my friends and I go to a regular shop, rent a private cottage, and we get served with beer by adults. (Money indeed can buy many things!)

I don't think, putting a lot of restrictions when it comes to drinking alcohol will help. It might only incite rebellion, and kids might just drink it coz it's "a thrill" to break the law. (At that age anyway.) Making alcohol sound "exclusive" will make it more appealing to others in many ways.

Awwwwwwwww!

Edited January 22, 2006 by the_heart_thief

[wilko]

I'm so not convinces that this will have any affect whatsoever it is seems to be a totally uresearched , nape-of-the-neck reaction too...what????

Compare the liberal attitude to alcohol in Europe to the restrictive laws in the USA and then compare alcohol problems.

There'll just be more unsupervised kids secretly drinking large amounts of alocohol in a very short space of time so that they can drink their stash undetected and then go off and goof off on a motorbike somewhere...

[chanchao]

> Let's get to the important issue: will this force up the minimum age of

> bar-girls?

Of course not. You don't have to drink to be a waitress. Even though the legal age to enter a bar (pub, disco, etc.) as a customer is 21, you can apply for a job as a waitress or bartendy at 18. (Or bar girl, for that matter)

[Dragonman]

Is this a restriction on drinking or is it a restriction on going to certain places and buying certain things? Seems like what has been mentioned so far does not actually effect the legal age to drink alcohol. Is there a legal age requirement for DRINKING alcohol?

Thailand has no minimum age for alcohol consumption. Not many countries that permit alcohol consumption have! There is usually a clause that allows consumption in private or with parental consent. Such as in the UK. Even in America only, I believe, 7 or 8 States have a total restriction to 21 years.

[SamuiRes]

20 January 2006 19:47

Just months after banning cigarette displays from shops, the Health Ministry expressed confidence that its latest initiatives – raising the legal drinking age to 21 and banning liquor advertising on television and radio – will succeed, despite the impact on business.

The ministry has also proposed limiting liquor advertising on television and radio to a narrow window between 2am and 5am or prohibiting the ads altogether. Liquor advertising can currently begin at 10pm.

Analysts said one of the industries to suffer most from a complete ban on TV ads would be media companies, which rely on liquor ads for between two and three percent of their advertising revenues.

Watching a Thai movie last night they blocked out alcohol on a bar table in the same way that they block people smoking. Seems to have started already.

[barryofthailand]

Is this a restriction on drinking or is it a restriction on going to certain places and buying certain things? Seems like what has been mentioned so far does not actually effect the legal age to drink alcohol. Is there a legal age requirement for DRINKING alcohol?

Thailand has no minimum age for alcohol consumption. Not many countries that permit alcohol consumption have! There is usually a clause that allows consumption in private or with parental consent. Such as in the UK. Even in America only, I believe, 7 or 8 States have a total restriction to 21 years.

In Thailand the minimum drinking age is 18, the minimum age to enter and drink in a nightclub is 20.

In America their is a federal drinking law of 21 years old which forces all the states to comply.

Barry

[Dragonman]

Is this a restriction on drinking or is it a restriction on going to certain places and buying certain things? Seems like what has been mentioned so far does not actually effect the legal age to drink alcohol. Is there a legal age requirement for DRINKING alcohol?

Thailand has no minimum age for alcohol consumption. Not many countries that permit alcohol consumption have! There is usually a clause that allows consumption in private or with parental consent. Such as in the UK. Even in America only, I believe, 7 or 8 States have a total restriction to 21 years.

In Thailand the minimum drinking age is 18, the minimum age to enter and drink in a nightclub is 20.

In America their is a federal drinking law of 21 years old which forces all the states to comply.

Barry

Barry, sorry to be pedantic, but I do not understand where you have got the minimum drinking age from in Thailand. All my legal papers clearly state it is the minimum age for purchase and that there is no legal drinking age.

Also the federal law in the States, to which you refer, is the National Minimum Drinking Age Act 1984, which again relates, on a national basis, to the purchase and public possession of alcohol. It is left to each individual State to decide their own laws regarding consumption in private or with parental consent.

[gburns57au]

Barry, sorry to be pedantic, but I do not understand where you have got the minimum drinking age from in Thailand. All my legal papers clearly state it is the minimum age for purchase and that there is no legal drinking age.

Also the federal law in the States, to which you refer, is the National Minimum Drinking Age Act 1984, which again relates, on a national basis, to the purchase and public possession of alcohol. It is left to each individual State to decide their own laws regarding consumption in private or with parental consent.

But you are being pedantic....the minimum legal age for drinking alcohol in Thailand is 18yo.....This relates to both the purchase and consumption of alcohol. There is now the rule for 20yo for entering a licenced premises which is not related to the minimum drinking age....A 19yo can be charged with being on a licenced premises even if they are only drinking soft drink....that is a law of entry not of drinking.

Underage drinking will happen in the home and it is not a licenced premises so it becomes the parents call on if a young person can drink alcohol in the home or not.....once the child turns 18yo then it is his/hers call on if they drink or not.

[blabbel]

Ahh, so the age of becoming a legal adult is 18?

Why should an adult not be allowed to decide whether to drink in a bar or not?

BTW, if there is no law prohibiting the consumption of alcohol, merely the purchasing and consumption in licensed premises, then 18 isn't the legal age, gburns, minors won't get arrested for boozing. "legal" as in "law".

It's up to the parents to enforce what they deem appropriate...

Anyways, none of this is to be taken literally, unless you're 15 and want to paint the town red in Bangkok.

[gburns57au]

Ahh, so the age of becoming a legal adult is 18?

Why should an adult not be allowed to decide whether to drink in a bar or not?

BTW, if there is no law prohibiting the consumption of alcohol, merely the purchasing and consumption in licensed premises, then 18 isn't the legal age, gburns, minors won't get arrested for boozing. "legal" as in "law".

It's up to the parents to enforce what they deem appropriate...

Anyways, none of this is to be taken literally, unless you're 15 and want to paint the town red in Bangkok.

Blabs....

I quite agree with you....at 18 and old enough to vote, serve in the armed forces, old enough to marry, etc...Why shouldnt they be allowed to enter a licenced premises and drink???

The law states that it is illegal for a person under the age of 18 to purchase or consume alcohol period.....the problem with underage drinking at home is that it is very hard to police...Unless it becomes a real problem....then the Phu Yaai Baan or the local cops would address the situation. The law is the law but as we all know the law is not the reality.

[barryofthailand]

If you are too young to purchase you are too young to drink.

Barry

[wilko]

If you are too young to purchase you are too young to drink.

Barry

Forget about wether it is enforceable or wise or not, forget about going and buying it anywhere..... but are you sure it is in fact actually illegal for someone/anyone under 18 to consume alcohol in Thailand? Either at home in private or anywhere?

It certainly isn't in most of Europe. In the UK you are allowed into bars at 14 if accompanied, but not allowed to drink. I have to qualify that a little as most of the licensing laws in UK have been overhauled r=cently ansd dare largely decided on a local basis.

[Dragonman]

This is an interesting website related to this subject.

www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/LegalDrinkingAge.html

Research by State Uni. of New York.

[Plus]

I think this policy will be very effective, and the one banning ads on TV, too. The result will be heavy losses for major beer and whiskey producers but a huge windfall for moonshine makers. City kids will drink less, village boys will drink just the same, but illegal stuff.

I don't know why they are still allowed to vote and marry at 18 only. They are good for army training only.

[wilko]

This is an interesting website related to this subject.

www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/LegalDrinkingAge.html

Research by State Uni. of New York.

this above site does not differentiate between alochol consumption and purchasing in the UK where the law is as follows......

Wikipedia -

In the United Kingdom, children may enter pubs in the company of an adult until 9 PM and 14-year-olds may enter pubs unaccompanied if they order a meal. Some jurisdictions allow minors to drink in private, in some cases requiring parental permission; others do not.

Drinking in UK:

Drinking age: -

5 in private (and with parental consent), 16 or 18 in public (see below)

18 or 16 in certain circumstances (see below)

Purchasing age: -

Persons aged 16 and over can be served beer and cider (and wine in Scotland) if ordered with a meal in a restaurant or in a pub with an area specifically set aside for meals.

Otherwise the minimum drinking age is 18. [1]

OR - The UK goernment web site -

http://www.direct.gov.uk/Parents/YourChild...6210&chk=VQ8lNQ

Under five years old

It is illegal to give an alcoholic drink to a child under five except under medical supervision in an emergency.

Under 14 years old

Your child cannot go into the bar of a pub unless it has a ‘children’s certificate’. If it does have one, you can only go into parts of licensed premises where alcohol is either sold but not drunk (eg a sales point for consumption away from the pub), or drunk but not sold (eg a garden or family room).

14 or 15 years old

Your child can go anywhere in a pub, but not drink alcohol.

16 or 17 years old

Your child can buy or be bought beer or cider to drink with a meal, but not in a bar (ie in an area specifically set aside for meals).

Under 18 years old

Except for 16 or 17 year olds having a meal in a pub (see above), it is against the law for anyone under 18 to buy alcohol in a pub, off-licence, supermarket, or other outlet, or for anyone to buy alcohol for someone under 18 to consume in a pub or a public place.

Some towns and cities have local by-laws banning drinking alcohol in public.

Edited January 24, 2006 by wilko

[sriracha john]

Drinking in UK:

Drinking age: -

5 in private (and with parental consent)

I'm not from there... so can someone in the UK tell me if there is much of an outcry or organized protests from the 5 year olds demanding rights to drive cars, vote, and enter the military?

[sriracha john]

As said in OP, the Health Ministry somehow seems to often get what it wants:

Alcohol ads to be banned

Published on Jan 24 , 2006

The Cabinet Tuesday approved a variety of strict measures to control alcohol consumption, including a ban on public advertising and the sale of alcoholic drinks near schools.

Excise taxes on drinks would be drastically hiked, especially on beers and popular lowpriced white spirits, government spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee said. Selling drinks to people under 21 would also be considered a crime, he said.

Integrated rehabilitation treatments for alcoholics would also be set up across the country. The idea, proposed by National Centre for Control on Alcohol Consumption, would be further implemented by relevant government agencies and formulated as law in the near future.

[zzap]

Beer is expensive already, "white spirits" are produced bypassing the tax-office, I don't see higher taxation having much effect, unless they "crackdown" on illegal destillers (such as my neighbour).

[Oishi]

20 January 2006 19:47

Just months after banning cigarette displays from shops, the Health Ministry expressed confidence that its latest initiatives – raising the legal drinking age to 21 and banning liquor advertising on television and radio – will succeed, despite the impact on business.

Health Minister Phinij Jarusombat announced this week that his agency would propose a bill that would potentially ban all television and radio liquor advertising and increase the legal drinking age from 18 to 21.

Okay so what have we here?

Remember as with all irony there is a small part of truth…

You can become a professional soldier at the age of 18 in Thailand, be sent to the war zone in the South…that might kill you.

You can have a kid at the age of 18…raising another life.

You can drive a car at the age of 18 and the BKK traffic it will slowly kill you…

But now you have to be 21 years old to enjoy life…have fun with friends…and don’t give me the crap about having fun without alcohol…would you stand up and sing a karaoke song without alcohol?

So what will you do as an 18, 19, 20 year old who wants to spice up your no smoking, no sex, no life…life?

Well drugs would be easier to buy since probably no one will ask for an ID

Or more possible, get someone you know, like your older brother or sister or friend to buy the liquor for you…but where can you drink it...and get drunk?

Well yes of course!

In you car…

The next thing will be that Tesco Lotus, Carrefour, 7 Eleven, Macro and everyone else will have to hide the liquor like with the cigarettes…next up it will be the chili’s and the perfume, My mint, pineapples, chewing gum….

The next time you enter a 7 eleven their will only be a postbox where you can whisper into what you would like to buy…well and of course there will be prepaid telephone cards for AIS, DTAC and Orange so you can buy ringtones, dance and be happy with life.

The hardcore Muslims extremist in the south would start a new life in Iran or Iraq because life in Thailand had become harder than any of those....Aha! That might be the idea on the whole deal…they are doing this to solve the conflict in the South.

Well got a bit off track on the last part there…I should cut down on the Vodka have to go to school tomorrow.

How do you drink a "Phinij Jarusombat" anyway? Is it with salt and lemon?

You know you will here the truth from drunken kids….or is it…na never mind….