Beer maker ThaiBev in trouble over Phuket Veg Fest flags

[webfact]

Beer maker ThaiBev in trouble over Phuket Veg Fest flags
Darawan Naknakhon


The Chang logo is clear - but where does it actually say 'Beer'?

PHUKET: -- The Provincial Health Department (PHD) is to take legal action against ThaiBev, the brewer of Chang Beer, after the beer logo appeared on flags for the upcoming Vegetarian Festival all over Phuket Town. The Jui Tui shrine is also named in the PHD complaint.

This afternoon (September 17) Dr Krit Sakulpad from the PHD lodged a complaint with Phuket Town police that ThaiBev was using the Vegetarian Festival to promote its beer, which is against the law.

The yellow flags, carrying the company's elephant logo with the word "Chang" on blue or green backgounds, were found by PHD staff at the intersection near SengHo book store, near Phuket Post Office, at the Suriydet Circle, on Bangkok Rd, in front of the Naga Market, in front of Phuket Prison, and at a shrine at Saphan Hin.

Dr Krit said this contravened the 2009 law law controlling the consumption of alcohol and on most advertising of alcohol that might lure people to consume alcoholic beverages.

The authorities will push for the arrest of anyone breaking this law, which mandates penalties of up to a year in jail or fines of up to B500,000

Doctor Krit added, “This festival is a great festival and one main focus should be to discourage people from consuming alcohol and to be free of sin.

“Promoting alcohol at this time is particularly inappropriate and goes against the cultural of Phuket.”

He urged restaurants and shops not to sell alcohol during this period.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/beer-maker-thaibev-in-trouble-over-phuket-veg-fest-flags-48765.php


-- Phuket News 2014-09-18

[starkey_rich]

Thaibev sponsors many events including the world volleyball at Karon I wonder if they are going to complain about that also?

Or will that hurt the tourist trade?

[steelepulse]

I thought that Chang had their water specifically to not contravene alcohol laws, but to promote their brand. No one in the world specifically looks to buy Chang drinking water, but it serves as a great branding tool for the company.

[ThaidDown]

with the word "Chang" on blue or green backgounds

Think the problem would be with the green background, as this is the logo for Chang Beer. The blue background is for advertising Chang water.

Usually the blue background would be used in Thailand to get round the ban on alcohol advertising.

[khwaibah]

with the word "Chang" on blue or green backgounds

Think the problem would be with the green background, as this is the logo for Chang Beer. The blue background is for advertising Chang water.

Usually the blue background would be used in Thailand to get round the ban on alcohol advertising.

This is what should have been used.

[daoyai]

This great festival that includes self mutilation and piercing the face and body should not be associated with a cold beverage, blood and beer don't mix!

[steelepulse]

with the word "Chang" on blue or green backgounds

Think the problem would be with the green background, as this is the logo for Chang Beer. The blue background is for advertising Chang water.

Usually the blue background would be used in Thailand to get round the ban on alcohol advertising.

This is what should have been used.

Correct, different colour and also including the word water. Looks like they tried to pull a fast one did Thaibev.

[kamahele]

So they wanted Thaibev to sponsor and event with no logo? And no logo is going to induce me to drink Change for sure!

[webfact]

priceless !!

I've posted thousands of news and thought I've seen it all.....

[stevenl]

So they wanted Thaibev to sponsor and event with no logo? And no logo is going to induce me to drink Change for sure!

Strange comment, did you read anything in this thread?

[waynethor]

This great festival that includes self mutilation and piercing the face and body should not be associated with a cold beverage, blood and beer don't mix!

You're right!

"Doctor Krit added, “This festival is a great festival and one main focus should be to discourage people from consuming alcohol and to be free of sin. "

Self-mutilation isn't a sin? And how the h*ll does the huge amounts of blood that are self-shed in Phuket during this "festival" work into the ideals of a vegetarian festival? Last I checked, blood doesn't flow from vegetables when they're cut, but when animals are slaughtered for food, part of the process is to bleed them. Seems that these guys who self mutilate, usually by piercing skewer type devices through their skin in the effort of honoring vegetables, should cover their bodies with manure instead. That seems much more appropriate, for many reasons.

Edited September 18, 2014 by waynethor

[Ace of Pop]

Can we have a Doo Gooder Free Festival, for Folks who enjoy Freedom.

[HooHaa]

perhaps thai bev should take their flags and their sponsor money and say bugger off to the vegetarian festival

[Guest]

This is the most amazing festival Phuket has to offer, better than songkran. Simply something out of ordinary. Well worth of visit.

One of the rules is not to drink alcohol during the festival time. I guess that is reason why this sponsoring is on now talked about.

For the preparations I just visited Thai Wasadu to get classes, ear protection and face mask. All needed during the last day parade.

[iReason]

Doctor Krit added, “This festival is a great festival and one main focus should be to discourage people from consuming alcohol and to be free of sin."

[rotary]

It may be the law but what a silly law

[JacChang]

Dr Krit Sakulpad didn't get enough tea money from Chang this year.

[DrTuner]

Veggie munchers always seem to be uptight. Eat some meat.

[webfact]

ThaiBev rushes to change Phuket Veg Fest 'beer' flags
Saran Mitrarat


That's better: Chang with a blue logo denotes healthy drinking water, not beer, says ThaiBev

PHUKET: -- Brewing giant ThaiBev has jumped to correct sponsorship flags for the Vegetarian Festival after the Public Health Department filed a complaint with Phuket Town police that the company was illegally advertising beer.

The complaint came after yellow flags were erected around the city with the Chang logo and the word “Chang” on a green background.

ThaiBev has generally used the green background to market beer and a blue background to market its drinking water.

Today the green-logo flags were taken down and replaced with flags bearing the logo on a blue background.

In addition, the company erected large roadside signs saying, “Chang drinking water supports Phuket’s Vegetarian Festival”

ThaiBev’s Phuket Manager told The Phuket News this morning. “In fact, we oroginally registered the trademark using a green logo.

“[by putting the green logo on flags] we did not intend to promote or support alcohol use during the festival; we know very well that this is not allowed.

“We had good intentions to support the great cultural vegetarian festival – we did not intend to damage its image,” she explained.

The rush to fix the flags came after Dr Krit Sakulpad of the PHD lodged a complaint with Phuket Town police that ThaiBev was using the Vegetarian Festival to promote its beer, which would be a breach of the 2009 Alcohol Control Act. (story here)

http://www.thephuketnews.com/beer-maker-thaibev-in-trouble-over-phuket-veg-fest-flags-48765.php#sthash.4indaOeJ.dpuf

“To make sure everyone is satisfied, we are happy to change all the flag logo to blue ones,” she noted. “All flags have now been changed by sticking a blue logo [over the green one].”

A lawyer has been retained to answer the accusation by the PHD, and the company will hold a media conference soon in an effort to minimise the damage.

Meanwhile, Teeravut Sritularak, President of the Jui Tui shrine – which received sponsorship from ThaiBev – confirmed that ThaiBev had signed a contract with the shrine based on advertising its drinking water.

“They supported us this year as in previous years, using the blue logo for Chang drinking water,” he told The Phuket News.

“The flags along the roads are made and installed by the sponsors themselves. ThaiBev used a blue logo last year, so possibly there was some mistake along the way this year,” he explained.

“All flags are now changed already. I want to thank ThaiBev for kindly supporting us and decorate the streets of Phuket to promote the Vegetarian Festival for us,” he added.

Although it was originally suggested that the Jui Tui shrine would also face legal action, Mr Teeravut said “The case will involve only ThaiBev and the PHD. Jui Tui will not be involved.”

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/thaibev-rushes-to-change-phuket-veg-fest-%E2%80%98beer%E2%80%99-flags-48785.php


-- Phuket News 2014-09-18

[khwaibah]

I'll drink to that..

[casualbiker]

Ludicrous calling it a vegetarian festival!

http://www.ibtimes.com/phuket-vegetarian-festival-2013-where-self-mutilation-brings-virtue-1424088

[stevenl]

Ludicrous calling it a vegetarian festival!

http://www.ibtimes.com/phuket-vegetarian-festival-2013-where-self-mutilation-brings-virtue-1424088

For most of the people partaking it is simply that: a vegetarian festival. The excesses are just that, excesses, and the talk in your link about 'animal cruelty' is just a western invention, but does not reflect the opinion of most people eating vegetarian during this period.

[stoli]

What meat product is used in the manufacturing process of beer? I believe it is a vegetarian product, is it not? Beer does go good with a big steak though.

[Suradit69]

Ludicrous calling it a vegetarian festival!

http://www.ibtimes.com/phuket-vegetarian-festival-2013-where-self-mutilation-brings-virtue-1424088

Actually I believe it's technically called the "Nine Emperor Gods Festival." But you go ahead and feel your "righteous ludicrousness." We all have our own ways of finding pleasure & blessings ... maybe piercing our cheeks or maybe tripping out in labeling things we don't comprehend as ludicrous.

The Nine Emperors are generally thought to be 9 stars around the Big dipper and children of female deity, Dou Mu, 斗母. Seven of the stars are visible while two are invisible stars and they are known as:

Tan Lang Tai Xing Jun, 貪狼太星君

Ju Men Yuan Xing Jun, 巨門元星君

Lu Cun Zhen Xing Jun, 祿存貞星君

Wen Qu Niu Xing Jun, 文曲紐星君

Lian Zhen Gang Xing Jun, 玉廉貞綱星君

Wu Qu Ji Xing Jun, 武曲紀星君

Po Jun Guan Xing Jun, 破軍關星君

Zuo Da Dao Xing Jun, 左輔大道星君 (Invisible star)

You Bi Da Dao Xing Jun, 右弼大道星君 (Invisible star)

The Nine Emperor Festival last for 9 days and devotees turn vegetarian during this period to achieve ritual cleansing. Devotees, including non Chinese ones, pray for blessings and to get rid of misfortunes and bad luck.

The festival starts on the last day of the 8th lunar month with invitation of the Nine Emperors to the temple. The deities are welcomed at bodies of water rivers banks and at the welcome ceremony, there are urns representing the nine emperors.

http://www.chinatownology.com/nine_emperor_gods.html

Edited September 18, 2014 by Suradit69

[Patanawet]

What meat product is used in the manufacturing process of beer? I believe it is a vegetarian product, is it not?

Well not meat maybe but most brewers use 'finings' to clear the beer quickly.

Finings are usually a fish product.

[casualbiker]

Ludicrous calling it a vegetarian festival!

http://www.ibtimes.com/phuket-vegetarian-festival-2013-where-self-mutilation-brings-virtue-1424088

Actually I believe it's technically called the "Nine Emperor Gods Festival." But you go ahead and feel your "righteous ludicrousness." We all have our own ways of finding pleasure & blessings ... maybe piercing our cheeks or maybe tripping out in labeling things we don't comprehend as ludicrous.

The Nine Emperors are generally thought to be 9 stars around the Big dipper and children of female deity, Dou Mu, 斗母. Seven of the stars are visible while two are invisible stars and they are known as:

Tan Lang Tai Xing Jun, 貪狼太星君

Ju Men Yuan Xing Jun, 巨門元星君

Lu Cun Zhen Xing Jun, 祿存貞星君

Wen Qu Niu Xing Jun, 文曲紐星君

Lian Zhen Gang Xing Jun, 玉廉貞綱星君

Wu Qu Ji Xing Jun, 武曲紀星君

Po Jun Guan Xing Jun, 破軍關星君

Zuo Da Dao Xing Jun, 左輔大道星君 (Invisible star)

You Bi Da Dao Xing Jun, 右弼大道星君 (Invisible star)

The Nine Emperor Festival last for 9 days and devotees turn vegetarian during this period to achieve ritual cleansing. Devotees, including non Chinese ones, pray for blessings and to get rid of misfortunes and bad luck.

The festival starts on the last day of the 8th lunar month with invitation of the Nine Emperors to the temple. The deities are welcomed at bodies of water rivers banks and at the welcome ceremony, there are urns representing the nine emperors.

http://www.chinatownology.com/nine_emperor_gods.html

Get of your high horse.. your own post confirms exactly what I said. It's ludicrous to call it a vegetarian festival because it's not, it is what you showed in your post. Thanks for clearing that up!

[belg]

isn't beer made from vegetarian stuff ?

[Patanawet]

isn't beer made from vegetarian stuff ?

Not entirely. See my earlier post.

[Sydebolle]

Blue on yellow = green! Of course its <deleted> but it would serve perfectly well for a logical explanation

[NamKangMan]

A big loss of face for someone in the company over this blunder.