Asiatique restaurant fined Bt460,000 for showing beer bottles in menus

[mikemac]

So you can't have logos in a menu, but it's ok to be seen from miles away?

Showing the brand is perfectly ok. It's showing what's termed a 'pack-shot' - product, glass with contents - that's illegal here.

So it won't be too long before glass fronted refrigerators will have their doors painted in bars, restraunts, mom and pop corner stores etc. RIDICULOUS!!

Like they do in Australia with cigarettes. Not only are the packets all in a plain black pack, with the brand name and actual type of cig or tobacco in fine print, but the packets are hidden behind doors so you can't even see them. Just in case you get a peek of them when paying for your newspaper and become an on-the-spot chain smoker.

You can't be too careful.

[chrisinth]

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I suppose the next stage would be to stop a shop or restaurant displaying the drinks in a glass fronted fridge.

The same as they do with cigarettes, where they are hidden in shuttered display cabinets.

I know Thais are weak but this is ridiculous.

Farangs are selective with what they drink. Unlike Thais they will not drink any crap that gets them drunk quickly and cheaply. Most have good taste ( with drinks anyway ) and like their own particular brands.

Thais call every spirit Whisky, They have no concept of the difference between Whisky / Rum / Brandy / Gin / Vodka / etc

Their height of sophistication is a bottle of Spy they call wine. So a choice is not important to them.

Perhaps they will adopt the American idea where all bottles of alcohol appear to be sold and kept in plain brown paper bags

I once shared some vintage 125 year single malt scotch with some very good and close Thai friends.

To my astonishment and dismay..and then not really surprised at tall...they mix soda water and Ice cubes...

I suggested that they try sipping it straight as then they could appreciate what they had in front of them...

Oh well.....

If a splash of water isn't added to the whiskey, then the full flavour isn't released.

That was how we did it in Ireland (so spelling correct.......... ) and how the professionals do it.

But, everyone to their own; it could have been coke or an M-150 thrown into it instead of soda or ice..............................

[DM07]

Can I still wear my Singha- vest?

[stephenterry]

Agree that someone made a 'complaint'. Easy money. IMO pictures in a menu merely show what's on sale as in pictures of food, it's not publicly promoting/advertising specific brands. But there again, I'm not a Thai enforcer who would interpret the law according to his agenda.

Got clamped on Saturday - fair cop -parking in a restricted hours zone. Took a 20 baht bus to the police station, got fined 400 baht by a smiling cop, and by the time I got back by 30 baht tuk-tuk, the wheel was unclamped. Easy money.

[Halion]

Just another example of how bloody bipolar this country is.

Lunacy is now replacing madness. Never known a nation so stuck between reverse and first gear.

[simon43]

My understanding is as long as you avoid pics of brand labelled produce in glasses and bottles you are ok.

If there are no pictures of the beer in the bottle and in the glass, then hotel guests (especially Chinese, Russian etc), do not have a clue what is on offer and how much one can buy for how many baht?

Asking a mainland Chinese to choose a brand of beer, (even if I speak in Mandarin etc) is no good - they will moan and tell me that they thought the price was for a large bottle, not a small bottle etc etc.

This are 'private' hotel bars/restaurants ==> no walk-in customers. Do I still have to stick to all these rules listed above?

If so, I'll have to ditch the 'pretty' skirt/top that I'm wearing and go back to jeans/t-shirt

[Prbkk]

Was the beer heiress fined for handing out the calendars ( featuring virtually naked women and beer) at government house? No...connected. Remember her...the one who said rural people shouldn't get a vote because they are uneducated.? Chitpas...family now changed to something else for fear of backlash/boycott

http://news.thaivisa.com/thailand/thai-army-dismisses-socialites-military-themed-birthday-party/16504/

[stephenterry]

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I suppose the next stage would be to stop a shop or restaurant displaying the drinks in a glass fronted fridge.

The same as they do with cigarettes, where they are hidden in shuttered display cabinets.

I know Thais are weak but this is ridiculous.

Farangs are selective with what they drink. Unlike Thais they will not drink any crap that gets them drunk quickly and cheaply. Most have good taste ( with drinks anyway ) and like their own particular brands.

Thais call every spirit Whisky, They have no concept of the difference between Whisky / Rum / Brandy / Gin / Vodka / etc

Their height of sophistication is a bottle of Spy they call wine. So a choice is not important to them.

Perhaps they will adopt the American idea where all bottles of alcohol appear to be sold and kept in plain brown paper bags

I once shared some vintage 125 year single malt scotch with some very good and close Thai friends.

To my astonishment and dismay..and then not really surprised at tall...they mix soda water and Ice cubes...

I suggested that they try sipping it straight as then they could appreciate what they had in front of them...

Oh well.....

If a splash of water isn't added to the whiskey, then the full flavour isn't released.

That was how we did it in Ireland (so spelling correct.......... ) and how the professionals do it.

But, everyone to their own; it could have been coke or an M-150 thrown into it instead of soda or ice..............................

In Thailand, I prefer a half cube of ice made from Chang water (the best). And provide JW Red for Thai friends, anything smoother is a waste of money.

[JAG]

So you can't have logos in a menu, but it's ok to be seen from miles away?

They're advertising Singha water obviously.

Just leave it as "They're advertising Singha obviously".

[maoro2013]

Yes, most restaurants I visit have pictures of beer and spirits with names obvious.

This seems to be crazy and the fine is extraordinary. As another poster said, we need to hear the whole story

[Docno]

What a shower of sh@t eh. Not to mention the X rated pictures of dead bodies, half eaten faces, and pussing abscesses spread eagled all over cigarette packets for all the kids to see. Then there is the strong argument that a murderer can pay less and walk free. Sh@t hole of a place at times. it really pi@@es me off this kind of racism.

You can blame the Canadians for the gory cigarette packaging - they're the ones who started it. Now it's pretty widespread. Here's an article from the World Health Organisation that provides some evidence for the effectiveness of the approach: http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/87/8/09-069575/en/

[sambum]

Thai law resticts or bans many things - the problem is of course selective enforcement. You can walk down Sukhumvit Road any day and purchase pornography, prescription drugs (mostly fake), knives, tazers, and a plethora of counterfeit goods - all of wich are illegal, and all of which the police turn a blind eye to. Yet, dare to accidentaly drop a cigaret but on the already filthy sidewalk and you will immediately be fined 2,000 Baht on the spot!

Moral - those who can afford to be fined will be fined, other are time wasters and are no use to police coffers.

Question - Did you EVER see a Thai fined for "littering" of any kind, cigarette butts or any other kind of rubbish - anywhere, not just Bangkok?

[pegman]

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I can understand the logic of prohibiting alcohol and cigarettes on television adverts, racing cars etc, but going to the extreme of prosecuting for displaying on restaurant menus is IMO ridiculous.

And the key to this whole case " farang expatriates "

Serious question, as Soutpeel already pointed out:

Why doesn't the first sentence in the OP read: "In a case that could serve as a warning for restaurants and bars in Thailand,..."

but

"In a case that could serve as a warning for farang expatriates who have restaurants and bars in Thailand,..." ?

Is this just by accident or does it really mean what it says? Does this law / regulation only apply to restaurants / bars owned by farang expats?

If yes, the story would be a completely different one than the title suggests.

I believe, as TVF articles are directed to the ex-pats and English speaking farangs, you are both over reacting.

The ban is for all people in Thailand.

What I also believe is that this is an extreme case with the intention to warn all parties about the ban.

Ever heard of selective prosecution of foreigners only? Ever stepped foot in Thailand?

[Joe Bloggs1]

Very interesting but I heard about a similar stunt that was pulled on the Costa del Sol many years ago. Allegedly a British man had bought a restaurant and the business was doing OK. Eventually one Sunday there was a visit from the police who wanted to see the restaurant's permit for trading on a Sunday. The man didn't have one so he was given an on-the-spot-fine and though the amount was not mentioned I'd guess that it would be at least 100 Euros.

On the Monday the restaurant owner visited the town-hall to see about obtaining the permit for trading on a Sunday but to his surprise there was no such thing hence the fine was a scam!

Double-standards are practiced worldwide but when there is no difference between the police and the mafia what can be done?

[ggold]

The owner of the shop posted on his Facebook wall that he believes the ruling against him was unprecedented as the normally the Office of Alcohol Control Committee reached out-of-court settlement with the violators after collecting the fines.

Ministry sponsored bribes, Just another way to get kickbacks!

[wabothai]

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So you can't have logos in a menu, but it's ok to be seen from miles away?

That is the Singha Drinking Water logo. No alcohol in it.

I think we all know that mr.

[mrfill]

I suppose the next stage would be to stop a shop or restaurant displaying the drinks in a glass fronted fridge.

The same as they do with cigarettes, where they are hidden in shuttered display cabinets.

I know Thais are weak but this is ridiculous.

Farangs are selective with what they drink. Unlike Thais they will not drink any crap that gets them drunk quickly and cheaply. Most have good taste ( with drinks anyway ) and like their own particular brands.

Thais call every spirit Whisky, They have no concept of the difference between Whisky / Rum / Brandy / Gin / Vodka / etc

Their height of sophistication is a bottle of Spy they call wine. So a choice is not important to them.

This maybe true of the Thais in your village in Nakon nowhere dear boy, but not all Thai's are rice picking peasants,

I have been to dinner with some of the boys who drink bottles of wine which are more than your pension or teachers salary so maybe less of the all encompassing generalisations about a population you obviously know very little off outside your little farang bwana bubble you live in

The most outrageous generalisation is the suggestion that 'Farangs are selective with what they drink'.

[wabothai]

have a very small sign at the front, saying private club.

Than it is none of governments f..... business what you advertise or merely show.

Who is responsible for this utter ridiculous move. Some police general? Name please.

[casualbiker]

I suppose the next stage would be to stop a shop or restaurant displaying the drinks in a glass fronted fridge.

The same as they do with cigarettes, where they are hidden in shuttered display cabinets.

I know Thais are weak but this is ridiculous.

Farangs are selective with what they drink. Unlike Thais they will not drink any crap that gets them drunk quickly and cheaply. Most have good taste ( with drinks anyway ) and like their own particular brands.

Thais call every spirit Whisky, They have no concept of the difference between Whisky / Rum / Brandy / Gin / Vodka / etc

Their height of sophistication is a bottle of Spy they call wine. So a choice is not important to them.

This maybe true of the Thais in your village in Nakon nowhere dear boy, but not all Thai's are rice picking peasants,

I have been to dinner with some of the boys who drink bottles of wine which are more than your pension or teachers salary so maybe less of the all encompassing generalisations about a population you obviously know very little off outside your little farang bwana bubble you live in

Your boys as you call them are just as stupid spending $1000 on a bottle of wine!

[jlwilliamsjr18]

Plain and Simple....this is ludicrous!

[Joe Bloggs1]

Oh by the way, in the 1970's the police in Cyprus had double standards with their hand-held radar guns. When Cypriots drove by nothing would happen but as soon as a white face appeared, up would go the radar gun.

One can surmise that fining foreigners improves a country's balance of payments but fining locals does not.

[Yahooka]

I believe that Thailand has just copied Norway`s ridiculous alcohol laws.We have the same draconian laws against alcohol advertising........being in LOS now will soon be like coming home !!!

[Thai at Heart]

Absolutely idiotic

[mikemac]

Was the beer heiress fined for handing out the calendars ( featuring virtually naked women and beer) at government house? No...connected. Remember her...the one who said rural people shouldn't get a vote because they are uneducated.? Chitpas...family now changed to something else for fear of backlash/boycott

http://news.thaivisa.com/thailand/thai-army-dismisses-socialites-military-themed-birthday-party/16504/

Just spent a while reading up on this Chitpas woman, she sounds like quite a piece of work. Her family have even distanced themselves from her.

I believe the quote that stirred up a storm was that many rural Thais lacked a true understanding of democracy, or words to that effect.

Outrageous ! Someone should conduct a poll of all rural Thais regarding their understanding of democracy and disprove this mad woman's claim.

Actually it reminds me of a famous book I read years ago when in Vietnam, "When Heaven and Earth Changed Places", by Vietnamese author Le Ly Hayslip.

The book is about "her childhood during the Vietnam War, her escape to the United States, and her return to visit Vietnam 16 years later." (Wiki)

She grew up in a small village not far from the Marble Mountain, Danang, typical poor farmers who were very much isolated in their own little world.

On the very first page of her book she says -

.................."We knew nothing about Democracy and even less about Communism"...............................

I would recommend this amazing book to anyone.

[mikemac]

I suppose the next stage would be to stop a shop or restaurant displaying the drinks in a glass fronted fridge.

The same as they do with cigarettes, where they are hidden in shuttered display cabinets.

I know Thais are weak but this is ridiculous.

Farangs are selective with what they drink. Unlike Thais they will not drink any crap that gets them drunk quickly and cheaply. Most have good taste ( with drinks anyway ) and like their own particular brands.

Thais call every spirit Whisky, They have no concept of the difference between Whisky / Rum / Brandy / Gin / Vodka / etc

Their height of sophistication is a bottle of Spy they call wine. So a choice is not important to them.

This maybe true of the Thais in your village in Nakon nowhere dear boy, but not all Thai's are rice picking peasants,

I have been to dinner with some of the boys who drink bottles of wine which are more than your pension or teachers salary so maybe less of the all encompassing generalisations about a population you obviously know very little off outside your little farang bwana bubble you live in

Your boys as you call them are just as stupid spending $1000 on a bottle of wine!

................"I have been to dinner with some of the boys who drink bottles of wine which are more than your pension or teachers salary"......................

Yes, I have had the misfortune of finding myself at the same table as big-noting arrogant asswipes like that. Trying to impress the "farang" by spending big and hoping to be the one who pays for dinner to make him look high and mighty. I have also noted certain farangs who like their company, for what reason I will never know.

I would be much happier in the company of my "not-so-rich" Thai friends, and my wife's family (rice picking peasants) who are a pleasure to socialise with and never blow their own horns.

[aslimversgwm]

I suppose the next stage would be to stop a shop or restaurant displaying the drinks in a glass fronted fridge.

The same as they do with cigarettes, where they are hidden in shuttered display cabinets.

I know Thais are weak but this is ridiculous.

Farangs are selective with what they drink. Unlike Thais they will not drink any crap that gets them drunk quickly and cheaply. Most have good taste ( with drinks anyway ) and like their own particular brands.

Thais call every spirit Whisky, They have no concept of the difference between Whisky / Rum / Brandy / Gin / Vodka / etc

Their height of sophistication is a bottle of Spy they call wine. So a choice is not important to them.

This maybe true of the Thais in your village in Nakon nowhere dear boy, but not all Thai's are rice picking peasants,

I have been to dinner with some of the boys who drink bottles of wine which are more than your pension or teachers salary so maybe less of the all encompassing generalisations about a population you obviously know very little off outside your little farang bwana bubble you live in

Here! Here! Don't you just get sick and tired of the people who post on here in such scathing terms with no apparent contact with the ever growing, highly successful, educated Thai people - dare I say 'the rising middle class' without being overly class conscious!

[aslimversgwm]

This does apply to non-farang premises as well. We checked a favourite restaurant of ours here in Chiang Mai, 100% Thai owned and managed and the owner confirmed the rulings applies to him.

We were specifically asking about displaying wine bottles and he said only those that could be seen from outside and not those in standard display cabinets and on wine racks inside his restaurant. Still a tad draconian and fairly ineffective, whatever way one read it.

[SoFarAndNear]

Thai law resticts or bans many things - the problem is of course selective enforcement. You can walk down Sukhumvit Road any day and purchase pornography, prescription drugs (mostly fake), knives, tazers, and a plethora of counterfeit goods - all of wich are illegal, and all of which the police turn a blind eye to. Yet, dare to accidentaly drop a cigaret but on the already filthy sidewalk and you will immediately be fined 2,000 Baht on the spot!

Moral - those who can afford to be fined will be fined, other are time wasters and are no use to police coffers.

Question - Did you EVER see a Thai fined for "littering" of any kind, cigarette butts or any other kind of rubbish - anywhere, not just Bangkok?

No, because they pay the usually tea money to the nice officers who come by every few weeks. Mister Ozawa Curry probably refused the bribery.....

[mikemac]

I suppose the next stage would be to stop a shop or restaurant displaying the drinks in a glass fronted fridge.

The same as they do with cigarettes, where they are hidden in shuttered display cabinets.

I know Thais are weak but this is ridiculous.

Farangs are selective with what they drink. Unlike Thais they will not drink any crap that gets them drunk quickly and cheaply. Most have good taste ( with drinks anyway ) and like their own particular brands.

Thais call every spirit Whisky, They have no concept of the difference between Whisky / Rum / Brandy / Gin / Vodka / etc

Their height of sophistication is a bottle of Spy they call wine. So a choice is not important to them.

This maybe true of the Thais in your village in Nakon nowhere dear boy, but not all Thai's are rice picking peasants,

I have been to dinner with some of the boys who drink bottles of wine which are more than your pension or teachers salary so maybe less of the all encompassing generalisations about a population you obviously know very little off outside your little farang bwana bubble you live in

Here! Here! Don't you just get sick and tired of the people who post on here in such scathing terms with no apparent contact with the ever growing, highly successful, educated Thai people - dare I say 'the rising middle class' without being overly class conscious!

Was that sarcasm ?????

[GerdT]

It’s difficult to penetrate the minds of these officials and how their logic works. A restaurant is the same like a shop or supermarket and I never found that they had problems to display bottles with alcohol content or some form of advertising for these products.

I have just googled the word whiskey and I am surprised that this page is not banned in Thailand since it has images and logos of well known whiskey distilleries on it. On the other hand watching a Thai soap in the afternoon it is permitted to show images of women and children to be beaten, killings etc and all the other violent actions that make these soaps so interesting for some viewers but certainly shouldn’t be on display during that time of the day when children are likely to watch TV.

Another thought is if the restaurant owner actually will foot the bill or will it be the brewery that produces the brand displayed on the menu card. The restaurant certainly will not only sell one brand of beer and the question is why only this specific brand on the menu card was displayed.