Thai celebrity's Instagram posing with beer bottles is commercial

[webfact]

Celebrity's Instagram posing with beer bottles is commercial



BANGKOK: -- A well-known celebrity has admitted that her recent photo poses on Instagram with a bottle of beer was to promote a beer brand and pledged to cooperate with health officials in a campaign to stop alcoholic drinking.

This was revealed by Dr Samarn Futrakul, director of the Office of the Alcohol Control Committee today.

He said the celebrity, Ms Virithipha Phakdiprasong or widely known as “Woonsen” has admitted that her recent Instagram poses with a bottle of beer was meant for commercial purpose.

She and her lawyer voluntarily offered to give information on the controversy, Dr Samarn said.

She said she was approached by a marketer for posing with a beer brand, and said it was not just playfully but seriously to promote a beer brand, not a drinking water of the same brand, he said.

He said her cooperation in giving information was very useful and it was an obvious commercial purposes for alcoholic drink.

He said more investigation would be needed whether this commercial campaign using celebrities would link to more people involved.

He declined to elaborate but said her information would be useful in the inquiry process as well as in the court.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/celebritys-instagram-posing-with-beer-bottles-is-commercial


-- Thai PBS 2015-10-22

[Bluespunk]

Could not care less.

[rkidlad]

I wish they'd put even 0.1% of this effort into stemming road casualties.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

I wish they'd put even 0.1% of this effort into stemming road casualties.

Or in preventing the police from selling the streets and sidewalks for their own benefit. Would love to be able to walk on the sidewalk or have 2 full lanes of traffic on the side streets around Sukhumvit

[SOTIRIOS]

....so why isn't she being fined or arrested...because she said 'Sorry' ???

...and why don't they seize her revenue and donate it to charity....

[rkidlad]

....so why isn't she being fined or arrested...because she said 'Sorry' ???

...and why don't they seize her revenue and donate it to charity....

"It's not what you know - it's what you can prove" doesn't apply at all in Thailand. Laws and rules are just made up and broken as they go along.

This is all just a publicity stunt on her behalf and the police. If she comes clean that she did it for money, no charges will be pressed and she can take the moral high ground. Good for her career. All publicity and all that.

Remember, drinking alcohol is immoral. You'll go to hell for it. Stealing, killing and lying is okay as long as you can lie to yourself that you didn't do it or it was just an accident.

[trainman34014]

And afterwards she went home and had a few beers !

[Wilsonandson]

Singha sells drinking water.

[waldroj]

What a nasty little man Futrakul is!

Why doesn't he go after ThaiBev (the ones that stood to gain the most from this) instead of the celebrities.

This is nothing more than subterfuge to deflect public attention from other more serious government failings.

Even Chang Beer escape mention in this Thai PBS item.

[DrTuner]

When a "celebrity" poses with anything, it's always for commercial reasons, they derive their income from getting their mug in media. D'oh!

[Prbkk]

At least she has the brains to concede that the game is up and the hollow denials of the other so-called celebrities are shown to be lies. But these people believe they can do anything and get away with it because they always have.

Restrictions on beer advertising, aimed at an adult audience, are crazy. Trying to stop sleazy celebrities using social media to promote a product is not silly.

This behaviour is corrupt, just like cash for comment or endorsement in the UK, Australia, the U.S., everywhere.

[ratcatcher]

Singha sells drinking water.

Chang sells drinking water, so does 7/11. So what?

[DrTuner]

Trying to stop sleazy celebrities using social media to promote a product is not silly.

This behaviour is corrupt, just like cash for comment or endorsement in the UK, Australia, the U.S., everywhere.

No stopping that. In the 1st world many have learned to filter it out, in here however idolizing C-grade "celebrities" is still going strong.

[webfact]

BEVERAGE
Apologetic actress admits to promoting beer on social media
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- VIDEO JOCKEY and actress Virithipa Yamnam has confessed that it was business, and not fun or a personal favour, that drove her to post a picture of herself online with an alcoholic beverage.

Virithipa, or VJ Woonsen as she is also known, has taken a different tack to other celebrities, who were quick to say they had not been paid for posting similar pictures and they did it simply because they felt like it.

Virithipa, accompanied by her lawyer, made the confession during a meeting with officials on Wednesday.

"She has provided cooperation and useful information," said Dr Samarn Futrakul, director of the Alcohol Control Committee Office. "She has said the picture is meant to promote beer, not drinking water, which is sold under the same brand".

According to Samarn, information provided by Virithipa has made it clear that the posting of such pictures was a form of advertising.

"But I won't go into details. I won't say who else is implicated either," he said.

Samarn said Virithipa have now expressed her readiness to help campaign against alcohol consumption.

"It's the court that will make the final ruling. But I think her cooperation should be grounds for leniency when her case goes to the court," Samarn said.

Aside from Virithipa, many other celebrity have recently posted pictures of themselves online with beer products. Among them are Pakorn Lam, or Dome, Natthaweeranuch Thongmee, or VJ Ja, Wichian Kusolmanomai, or DJ Petjah, and Nontaporn Teerawattanasuk, or Ying Yae.

Samarn said it was clear that these entertainment figures had violated the law, which bans advertisements of alcoholic beverages.

Piti Bhirombhakdi, an executive of Boon Rawd Brewery, was apparently among the first to raise questions about why so many celebrities suddenly posted pictures of themselves with beer products on social media at the same time.

Earlier this week, his representative met with Samarn to provide information about what looked like an advertising campaign from another beer firm.

After a meeting that lasted for nearly two hours, Samarn said information from Piti's representative was very useful but he refused to disclose any details.

According to Samarn, more celebrities will be summoned to testify over the alleged advertising of alcohol beverages.

Thailand has implemented many measures, including the ban on advertising for alcoholic beverages, to discourage drinking among Thais. Alcohol consumption is widely blamed for many social problems, crimes and road accidents.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Apologetic-actress-admits-to-promoting-beer-on-soc-30271422.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-23

[waldroj]

Oh so nice of Boon Rawd to assist!

Rather than engage in a price war with Thai Bev, they support Futrakul in this pathetic little display of government concern over alcohol consumption.

Still I suppose, for the beer companies, any publicity is good publicity!

[wombat]

lesson 101......aint no such thing as bad advertising.

[realenglish1]

The Company in Question is getting a huge bang for their advertising Dollar Very good Ad agency . The police are pawns in their hands Use them to get in the newspapers

[gandalf12]

Thailand has a lot more important issues to deal with than some stupid advert posted online. Come on guys get your priorities right

[johnmcc6]

Since Chang beer dropped it's alcohol content from 6 to 5.5% it tastes terrible. Plus they reduced the quantity diguising it in a new bottle. They blame the hike in excise tax for the change. I would rather pay an extra few baht to have it return to its previous flavor. I now pay more for Leo anyway. But I would rather the old Chang. Anyone else feel the same?

[condobrit001]

Since Chang beer dropped it's alcohol content from 6 to 5.5% it tastes terrible. Plus they reduced the quantity diguising it in a new bottle. They blame the hike in excise tax for the change. I would rather pay an extra few baht to have it return to its previous flavor. I now pay more for Leo anyway. But I would rather the old Chang. Anyone else feel the same?

Actually, it used to be 6.3% in earlier times. Drinking just a little bit more at a slightly faster pace will restore the old buzz though, so don't worry.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

headline should read....Actress that really can't act trying to squeeze more attention for herself out this issue. Media whore

[steveyinasia]

And afterwards she went home and had a few beers !

More likely, had a lot of beers, drove home, ran over a policeman, said sorry again and all is forgiven.

[Bluespunk]

"Samarn said Virithipa have now expressed her readiness to help campaign against alcohol consumption."

How nice of her.

And will this non entity give back the money she was given for this campaign?

[MaxLee]

Did she confess with a gun held behind her back, Burma-treatment confession (<-well not exactly, but technically serious enough to please the responsible officials....)????

[Wilsonandson]

Since Chang beer dropped it's alcohol content from 6 to 5.5% it tastes terrible. Plus they reduced the quantity diguising it in a new bottle. They blame the hike in excise tax for the change. I would rather pay an extra few baht to have it return to its previous flavor. I now pay more for Leo anyway. But I would rather the old Chang. Anyone else feel the same?

Yes what happened to Chang. I like the new green bottle design but the beer inside is watered down horse piss.

As for the op woman who drink beer are unsexy to me. Drink wine.

[theguyfromanotherforum]

She outsmarted everyone. Good on her.

[waldroj]

"Samarn said Virithipa have now expressed her readiness to help campaign against alcohol consumption."

How nice of her.

And will this non entity give back the money she was given for this campaign?

That's like suggesting certain police give back their share of a recent 'award'!

[longtom]

Can somebody explain to me what the difference is between this instagram promotion and the English Premier League shirt promotions for Thai beer? Seriously.