Anyone posting booze pics will be prosecuted, anti-booze official says

[webfact]

Anyone Posting Booze Pics Will be Prosecuted, Anti-Booze Official Says
By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter

BANGKOK — Police are still weighing charges against celebrities who posted photos appearing to promote a beer brand on their Instagram accounts, while the head of the alcohol control board insists members of the public will be prosecuted for doing the same.

Over 30 actors, actresses and singers are currently under investigation by police for violating the 2008 Alcohol Control Act, which forbids advertising alcohol by even showing brand logos or “enticing” others to drink.

Samarn Futrakul, head of the Alcohol Control Board and the chief author of the act, said the celebrities must face legal consequences for posting photos of themselves posing with or drinking Chang beer on Instagram.

“Getting celebrities and artists to post photos of themselves with alcoholic beverages on Facebook and IG like this is against the law,” Samarn said Monday.

Although the photos had every appearance of being part of a coordinated campaign to promote Chang's newly rebranded product – Chang Classic – the celebrities in question have repeatedly denied being compensated for posting the photos.

In the images, most of which were posted about the same time several weeks ago, the bottles are carefully turned so their labels are clearly visible. Similar captions extol the brand.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1444800801

-- Khaosod English 2015-10-14

[Thai at Heart]

How on earth is this enforceable. Thais take photos of every meal they have..... 180mn pictures of the the everybday

[Artisi]

Sounds like the advertising campaign for Chang Classic is working well - it has been carefully promoted by the BIB and the alcohol control board everyday for a week or more - in everyone's face - well done, without it most people wouldn't even have noticed the rebranding campaign.

[fritzzz25]

There will be a new "Anti Social-media Snapshot Enforcement Division" otherwise known as A.S.S.E.D. formed who will be tasked with "playing facebook" all day.

[NickJ]

All these laws do is to give power to the drunk off duty cop to fish/hunt for coruption money......Photos of beer on menus, closing hours, distance to schools. The Force of Fools. Armed with there double edged swords and new 9mm's.......

[Crossy]

Sounds like the advertising campaign for Chang Classic is working well - it has been carefully promoted by the BIB and the alcohol control board everyday for a week or more - in everyone's face - well done, without it most people wouldn't even have noticed the rebranding campaign.

Yup

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect

[jaywalker]

Does anybody remember a few years back, when some joker managed to slip a few topless pic's of women into some slideshow that was being played in parliament? I thought that was HILARIOUS!

That one was a good play by the local bars...or maybe it was just a prank, but I'd imagine it did some good for the upscale BKK "massage" and "karaoke" establishments (and KY jelly sales for the politician's Mia Noi's) for a while.

I worked in Pathum Thani for a Thai company for a while, and they got me a room/apartment.

There were several HOT young chicks living there, and in the evenings there'd be a few BMW's out front, and seeing the BIB coming in and out all the time.

There was a restaurant that took up half the parking lot, and the lady running it used to work at some 5 Star hotel and spoke about 99% fluent English.

She liked gossip as well. She would tell me about every cop and every one of his mia noi's that stayed there. I quickly learned to not tell her anything about me, except that I worked with the Army, as I knew that would keep most at bay.

I never had any problems. The cops just came & went & ignored me aside from a sawatdee here & there.

Edited October 14, 2015 by jaywalker

[kevc]

Find it quite amusing that a person gets prosecuted for putting a pic of a bottle of beer on their Facebook page but if that same person was to ride a motorbike on busy pavement nothing would happen to them.

[MaxLee]

Anyone Posting Booze Pics Will be Prosecuted, Anti-Booze Official Says

OMFGHTYKWKLWGUOYYREWWEWW*******************

[easybullet3]

so,, all teenagers and yonger adults in thailand have to go through their Facebook albums and delete every photo where they are at a club or bar and holding a branded alcohol drink ?

this is next to impossible! as if anyoone will delete their saturday night party pics!

lets see... i cant imagine for a second that this will ever be enforced.

i guess the celebrities got punished because they are advertising a brand that is different to the company that pays the government a lot of money.

[Seastallion]

So, what of the half million Beer Chang t-shirts being worn around all the tourist traps and being sold everywhere?

Will they arrest every tourist wearing one? Every shopkeeper selling them?

[Seastallion]

There will be a new "Anti Social-media Snapshot Enforcement Division" otherwise known as A.S.S.E.D. formed who will be tasked with "playing facebook" all day.

In all seriousness, you may be right...in fact it may already be in place.

[DM07]

I don't get it: Facebook -as I see it- and my facebook- page are my private thing and as long as I am not violating any laws (drinking alcohol is not illegal in Thailand) and take a picture of myself or my friends, celebrating a private party and having a drink, it is no ones business!

I am not PROMOTING alcohol or drinking!

I take a snapshot of a private party....

What the....

[MaxLee]

I don't get it: Facebook -as I see it- and my facebook- page are my private thing and as long as I am not violating any laws (drinking alcohol is not illegal in Thailand) and take a picture of myself or my friends, celebrating a private party and having a drink, it is no ones business!

I am not PROMOTING alcohol or drinking!

I take a snapshot of a private party....

What the....

Ironic isn't it,.... F****book makes Thailand's influential people in power lose MASSIVE F*****CE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jaywalker]

I don't get it: Facebook -as I see it- and my facebook- page are my private thing and as long as I am not violating any laws (drinking alcohol is not illegal in Thailand) and take a picture of myself or my friends, celebrating a private party and having a drink, it is no ones business!

I am not PROMOTING alcohol or drinking!

I take a snapshot of a private party....

What the....

TIT, Thainess. They are under a period of reform and reconciliation that has been going on since before WW2.

You simply do not understand Thailand.

(Tongue in cheek DM07 - not having a go at you).

------------

Thai governments remind me of all the crazy shark documentaries that came out after JAWS was so popular 30+ or so years back.

They all said, "The only thing you can predict about sharks, is that they are unpredictable".

Edited October 14, 2015 by jaywalker

[terminatorchiangmai]

Just when you start to think it can not get more ridiculous.

[jaywalker]

Just when you start to think it can not get more ridiculous.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water.

[cornishcarlos]

What's next ?

6 month suspended sentence plus a 2000 baht fine, no promoting sea food... !!

[TheCruncher]

Anyone Posting Booze Pics Will be Prosecuted, Anti-Booze Official Says

Jeez and I posted one in the Whiskey thread.

Sorry but I have to catch a plane now, Bye

[h90]

How on earth is this enforceable. Thais take photos of every meal they have..... 180mn pictures of the the everybday

Give just every Thai a 30 year jail term and declare Thailand as one big jail.

Problem fixed....

[jerojero]

Can they get absolutely more idiotic?

[madmitch]

There's a Swedish guy near here who, for some completely unknown reason, has a tattoo of a Chang label on his calf. I assume he will now be spending his time in Thailand in long trousers!

I really hate to think what will be the next ridiculous law/crackdown is going to be. Can they beat this one for stupidity? Of course they can!

[englishoak]

This is the Thai way or getting people to talk about what they want... in this case its Alcahol and the topic is...... Changs rebranding... the excuse is this celebrity endorsing being illegal.

This is all a SCAM, chang are providing the marketing along with a a bit of official outrage it gets the stroy of changs new branding to every home... job done.

How many falangs are they going to nab ? cos if its illegal its illegal right ?

Edited October 14, 2015 by englishoak

[Stocky]

So what exactly happens when Everton are televised in The Premiership?

Will all eleven players be followed by blurred pixels???

[klauskunkel]

just say it's ear medicine, worked for Chalerm at least.

[desi]

This has already been publicly disputed by the Attorney General.

[jimstar1]

So can I wear my Chang T Shirt it was so expensive 100 Baht I hate I can still wear this Designer T Shirt

[SymS]

How can massive billboards advertising Chang beer be legal then?

[MaxLee]

Welcome to the new Old Nanny State Smile-land!!!!!!

[TheCruncher]

So what exactly happens when Everton are televised in The Premiership?

everton07-08.jpg

Will all eleven players be followed by blurred pixels???

There is no issue with that, neither are there issues with the big billboards showing a football team with Chang shirts, since they advertise a brandname.

Chang is more than beer, it is also Soda water.