New Law Totally Bans Alcoholic Beverage Ads In All Media

[george]

Cont'd from

New law totally bans alcoholic beverage ads in all media

BANGKOK: -- Thailand will impose a complete ban on alcohol advertisements in all forms of media as a move to promote good health and reduce road accidents related to drunken-driving, the new Public Health Minister said on Thursday.

Dr. Mongkol na Songkhla, who became interim public health minister early this week, said he expected the new law to be announced within two weeks, but it would come into effect once published in the Royal Gazette.

Similar to an already instituted prohibition on cigarette and tobacco advertisements, the new ban would not permit ads for alcoholic beverages on television or radio, in print media, or in posters and billboards.

''The prohibition will protect people's health and to reduce road accidents,'' said the health minister, claiming evidences in health research as a scientific back-up for the ban.

''During the recent New Year's celebrations, some 600 lives were lost in road accidents,'' he said.

Dr. Mongkol vowed to give birth to another law to protect non-drinking people within a year before the interim government's term ends in October next year.

The new law, he said, would see a strict control on alcohol outlets and an establishment of drinking free zones.

Meanwhile, Dr. Narong Sahamethapat, deputy director of the Department of Disease Control, said he would meet with brewers and advertising agencies to brief them on the new ban but did not elaborate when or where such a meeting might take place.

--TNA 2006-10-12

[Unknown]

The new law, he said, would see a strict control on alcohol outlets and an establishment of drinking free zones.

And we thought that with Thaksin gone, life would get better...

[bkkmadness]

Well a couple of posters on the other topic quite rightly brought up the point of televised sporting events where alcohol is often advertised (on football shirts or something), whats the deal there? They did suggest in the other statement that this might be the exception to the rule, or what, no more football on Thai TV? I don't think so.

Drinking free zones? Be interested to see how they are going to impliment that scheme.

Here's a start to solving drink driving problems - DONT PUT CARPARKS AT NIGHTCLUBS! In Ratchada there is one big club called the Pump Up pub which is based on a car theme, huge parking lot outside, and the end of the night everybody drives out of there in their cars drunk on whiskey. And every week there is a drink driving accident on that road.

[Thaddeus]

I've never understood the need for alcohol to be advertised.

It's like saying ...... sshhhhhh if they don't see it on Television they'll never know about it.

[Heng]

Well a couple of posters on the other topic quite rightly brought up the point of televised sporting events where alcohol is often advertised (on football shirts or something), whats the deal there? They did suggest in the other statement that this might be the exception to the rule, or what, no more football on Thai TV? I don't think so.

Red screen and blurry censors.

[bkkmadness]

Well a couple of posters on the other topic quite rightly brought up the point of televised sporting events where alcohol is often advertised (on football shirts or something), whats the deal there? They did suggest in the other statement that this might be the exception to the rule, or what, no more football on Thai TV? I don't think so.

Red screen and blurry censors.

Yep, that sounds about right.

[mrbojangles]

Well a couple of posters on the other topic quite rightly brought up the point of televised sporting events where alcohol is often advertised (on football shirts or something), whats the deal there? They did suggest in the other statement that this might be the exception to the rule, or what, no more football on Thai TV? I don't think so.

Red screen and blurry censors.

Yep, that sounds about right.

It will probably be the same as Cigarrette advertising on Formula 1 cars. If theyr'e racing in countries where ciggie advertising is banned, they take them off. But if theyr'e racing in a country where it's ok to advertise, they leave them on and we (being in a country where it is banned) can still see the adverts Bit whacky really !!

[taxexile]

there is no alcohol advertising in the uk , the home of binge drinking , violent behaviour and rivers of vomit in the streets every weekend.

one way to curb drinking is to increase the taxes on alcohol , but with the booze business here run by powerful figures , it probably wont happen.

to reduce accidents , the police need to be educated as much as the drivers. the police have to start pulling over those who break traffic laws and breathalysing them , but that probably wont happen either.

strict enforcement of drink driving laws has worked in other countries

Red screen and blurry censors.

saw a programme on tv a while back where the pretty young thing doing the announcing was wearing a low cut strapless dress , the top part of her chest area was pixellated , as were two imaginary straps up to her shoulders.

[the scouser]

there is no alcohol advertising in the uk , the home of binge drinking , violent behaviour and rivers of vomit in the streets every weekend.

You've been reading the Daily Mail again, Tax.

Scouse.

[LaoPo]

Curious though where the government will now 'pick' the missing-taxes from the (huge) advertisement income.

The advertising agents will probably have to lay-off quite a number of workers too.

The 'good' thing is that the alcohol producers can lower their prices ....they safe a lot of promotional money......don't they ?

LaoPo

[mrbojangles]

there is no alcohol advertising in the uk , the home of binge drinking , violent behaviour and rivers of vomit in the streets every weekend.

You've been reading the Daily Mail again, Tax.

Scouse.

Yeah

Tax, where do you get that info from, firstly about not advertising in the uk and secondly rivers of vomit etc. I think the new laws have actually worked, much to the dissapointment of do-gooders wanting it to fail.

To my knowledge, alcohol is still advertised in the uk but with strict guidelines i.e. it doesn't have the power to improve your social and sexual success and it doesn't encourage drinking at work or drinking and driving etc.

[steveromagnino]

Curious though where the government will now 'pick' the missing-taxes from the (huge) advertisement income.

The advertising agents will probably have to lay-off quite a number of workers too.

The 'good' thing is that the alcohol producers can lower their prices ....they safe a lot of promotional money......don't they ?

LaoPo

confused.. what tax on ad income? Most of the ad agencies, production companies and TV stations have numerous ways to avoid paying tax, I doubt there is much income from ads actually taxed.

If they actually rigorously enforced the true tax rates for imported liquor, that would cover it and then some.

Advertising dollars will be spent somewhere else; no doubt they won't result in discounted beer sorry to say!

But if only eh? 5 bottles of chang for 100b...yep the sure way to test price elasticity of beer :-)

[aznyron]

The new law, he said, would see a strict control on alcohol outlets and an establishment of drinking free zones.

And we thought that with Thaksin gone, life would get better...

I don't see a problem with that in the USA you can't advertise alcohol on tv and I do not recall seeing a poster on the road advertising beer no one is being affected with this law except people who market and advertise the products they will survive

[LaoPo]

Curious though where the government will now 'pick' the missing-taxes from the (huge) advertisement income.

The advertising agents will probably have to lay-off quite a number of workers too.

The 'good' thing is that the alcohol producers can lower their prices ....they safe a lot of promotional money......don't they ?

LaoPo

confused.. what tax on ad income? Most of the ad agencies, production companies and TV stations have numerous ways to avoid paying tax, I doubt there is much income from ads actually taxed.

If they actually rigorously enforced the true tax rates for imported liquor, that would cover it and then some.

Advertising dollars will be spent somewhere else; no doubt they won't result in discounted beer sorry to say!

But if only eh? 5 bottles of chang for 100b...yep the sure way to test price elasticity of beer :-)

Well, I'm not sure about (avoiding) taxes but suppose there ARE taxes coming in for the government, one way or another. And the larger (beer/liquor) companies in Thailand do pay taxes, don't they, and that would include the companies promoting their booze.

The 'advertising dollars' would go somewhere else....? Where?

If the companies cannot promote the booze anymore in LOS...where would the money go ?

I'm talking about local companies, not the foreign alcohol producers.

LaoPo

[stoneman]

Do you suppose this will be the end of the Johnnie Walker advertisement on Bayoke Tower that has been there for almost a year?

[taxexile]

You've been reading the Daily Mail again, Tax.

Scouse.

please ! i'm a telegraph reader.

Tax, where do you get that info from, firstly about not advertising in the uk and secondly rivers of vomit etc. I think the new laws have actually worked, much to the dissapointment of do-gooders wanting it to fail.

although i admit i have never actually seen a river of vomit running along a uk street ,

binge drinking among under 30's is certainly a problem in the uk , along with the loutish and violent behaviour that often accompanies it.

i was under the (false ??) impression that all alcohol advertising was banned in the uk.

drunken driving has certainly been reduced over the years , but i would put that down to stricter enforcement by the police and the willingness of courts to lock up offenders rather than because of a ban on advertising.

i dont see how you can stop people from drinking too much , some people improve after a little alcohol , some need a bit more .

but for most people , alcohol renders them boring , stupid , obnoxious or violent , or all four , and those are the ones who should be made to drink milk , but unfortunately you cant have selective legislation like that .

[jaapfries]

I've never understood the need for alcohol to be advertised.

It's like saying ...... sshhhhhh if they don't see it on Television they'll never know about it.

================================================================

That's so right, I mean: what difrence does it make anyway ? ? ? Zilch, in my book.

But if they believe it will make traffic safer, perhaps they'ld better think again.

555 T.I.T.

Jaap

Pattaya

[ThaiPauly]

Do you suppose this will be the end of the Johnnie Walker advertisement on Bayoke Tower that has been there for almost a year?

Not only that but what will happen about the annual Johnnie Walker Golf Tournament, the only one in LOS where any decent golfers turn up.

3 years ago the Benson &Hedges International Golf Tournament, in England (A PGA Tour event) had the plug pulled on it becuase sponsering by cigarette companies for any sports tournaments was Banned.

I think that the Thailand Open will now go the same way unless they can find another sponser

[Jingjok]

... but for most people , alcohol renders them boring , stupid , obnoxious or violent , or all four , and those are the ones who should be made to drink milk , but unfortunately you cant have selective legislation like that .

No, not most people, only a proportion of the Brits. See a fascinating book, 'Watching the English' by Kate Fox. An anthropological study of English behaviour. Including how alcohol provides the effects it is expected to provide.

If alcohol leads to violence, why don’t guests at an elegant dinner party, out of their skulls on Pol Roger and fine Burgundy start fighting in the street, whereas the no more pi***d yobs down my ex-local in London do? It’s all about expectation, a kind of placebo effect. Not the alcohol per se. Also note Mediterranean culture: huge drinkers, but no fighting or public bad behaviour, ever.

Back to topic: If you think about it, all this will probably achieve in Thailand is the blocking of competing brands; or heaven forbid, foreign interlopers ever entering the Thai market. Securing for ever the not-particularly-great mass market Thai brands already here. Am I just being cynical?

[gburns57au]

But really I dont need ads to tell me what to drink...I drink what I feel like or desire at any given time.....

But if cuts the road toll....then it can only be good

[Cpt_M0ney_Sh0t]

The new law, he said, would see a strict control on alcohol outlets and an establishment of drinking free zones.

And we thought that with Thaksin gone, life would get better...

I don't see a problem with that in the USA you can't advertise alcohol on tv and I do not recall seeing a poster on the road advertising beer no one is being affected with this law except people who market and advertise the products they will survive

Yes you can actualy if you go into most Ghettos in the States you will see billboards all over the place for nasty Malt Liqour Beverages. And Malt Liqour is sick, like one step up (barely) from poison. As much as I hate these add agencies pushing that junk off in the community, I don't like add censorship so much as it seems a lil to close to the censor of free speach. Expecialy if the product or service in question is legal were they are advertising it.

[Thaddeus]

A couple of good points made in this thread.......

If alcohol leads to violence, why don’t guests at an elegant dinner party, out of their skulls on Pol Roger and fine Burgundy start fighting in the street, whereas the no more pi***d yobs down my ex-local in London do?

Alcohol is a mood enhancer.... you start out happy with your lot in life, it accentuates that.... you start out already depressed or angry about something that happened at work, dole office etc, it accentuates that.

I met my Brother in Hua Hin a couple of months ago (he was on holiday from the UK) one night he said this "what's happened to you Bro', you used to be a bad drunk" ..... my reply was simple ... "In England I had a hel_l of a lot to be stressed out about... but not here"....... (whispers.... until recently, but that is sorted now)

(in the UK) drunken driving has certainly been reduced over the years , but i would put that down to stricter enforcement by the police and the willingness of courts to lock up offenders rather than because of a ban on advertising.

How long for that to happen in Thailand?

[mitrapaap]

Do you suppose this will be the end of the Johnnie Walker advertisement on Bayoke Tower that has been there for almost a year?

Not only that but what will happen about the annual Johnnie Walker Golf Tournament, the only one in LOS where any decent golfers turn up.

3 years ago the Benson &Hedges International Golf Tournament, in England (A PGA Tour event) had the plug pulled on it becuase sponsering by cigarette companies for any sports tournaments was Banned.

I think that the Thailand Open will now go the same way unless they can find another sponser

So sorry for the decent golfers if they can't show up without alcohol advertisement. Is sport and alcohol not basically a contradiction by itself?

[LaoPo]

Total Ban on alcohol beverage advertising.....new government - new plan

New laws for foreign investments (other topic).....new government - new plan

We want Quality Tourists (other topic).....new government - new plan.

Sigh..................

Let's wait for the other plans, shall we?

LaoPo

Edited October 12, 2006 by LaoPo

[tavarich]

It's funny the whiskey that most Thai's drink is never advertised on T.V. or in the media.

same for cig's they roll their own. Its just another politician trying to get noticed.

[taxexile]

No, not most people, only a proportion of the Brits. See a fascinating book, 'Watching the English' by Kate Fox. An anthropological study of English behaviour. Including how alcohol provides the effects it is expected to provide.

you may well have a good point there .

however , at dinner parties the mix is (usually) couples known to each other , either in a restaurant or house, as opposed to groups of single competing males down the pub .

other european countries do have the same problems with drunken males.

thai youths are also known for their propensity for violence after a skinful too.

so whereas i am no defender of british alcohol fuelled yobbery , i dont think it is only the english that show a willingness to fight after drinking.

and i agree with the mood enhancing comment about alcohol too.

[basjke]

Do you suppose this will be the end of the Johnnie Walker advertisement on Bayoke Tower that has been there for almost a year?

No way,they will just do the same thing as 7-11 does with the ban on showing cigarettes.Put it upside down.

[Thaddeus]

Do you suppose this will be the end of the Johnnie Walker advertisement on Bayoke Tower that has been there for almost a year?

No way,they will just do the same thing as 7-11 does with the ban on showing cigarettes.Put it upside down.

Ahhh .... that's why the bottles in the bar optics look like that

[tracer]

The new law, he said, would see a strict control on alcohol outlets and an establishment of drinking free zones.

And we thought that with Thaksin gone, life would get better...

As anyone knows its a waste of time complaining about it as WHO READS THE BLOODY ADS.

Good. Thats likely nobody... If there is an add its likely something we KNOW and if its a Thai product there is no need to know as it likely tastes like shit....

I seem to remember some guy in the usa tried it... they tried it in many places. If people and I mean here Thai people donot want it, its a dodo... so a waste to even post about it....

I am sure if I want booze I can get it. Ok, maybe means buying a box and not a bottle...

Drink free zones, good idea, just better if they announce where it is so one can avoid or choose them...

To be honest living here, some people here for ages behave like tourists so its likely a good rule for their health. In my case it absolutely makes no difference as I have to be home from Patong over the Kamala and Surin hills before dark as otherwise it gets dangerous. They still have these acc to rumours local Kamala boys trying to increase their income by robbing those at night over the hills and MANY houses empty as the farangs are leaving due to well informed burglaries and more then useless attempts to catch those doing it...

[tracer]

A couple of good points made in this thread.......

If alcohol leads to violence, why don’t guests at an elegant dinner party, out of their skulls on Pol Roger and fine Burgundy start fighting in the street, whereas the no more pi***d yobs down my ex-local in London do?

Alcohol is a mood enhancer.... you start out happy with your lot in life, it accentuates that.... you start out already depressed or angry about something that happened at work, dole office etc, it accentuates that.

I met my Brother in Hua Hin a couple of months ago (he was on holiday from the UK) one night he said this "what's happened to you Bro', you used to be a bad drunk" ..... my reply was simple ... "In England I had a hel_l of a lot to be stressed out about... but not here"....... (whispers.... until recently, but that is sorted now)

(in the UK) drunken driving has certainly been reduced over the years , but i would put that down to stricter enforcement by the police and the willingness of courts to lock up offenders rather than because of a ban on advertising.

How long for that to happen in Thailand?

Easy, have all Thai drivers do a new exam without bribes....

Should kick so many of the road its safe,

and as anyone on Phuket will admit, they should charge 10000 baht or more to the company/driver who gets stuck on a hill due to driving overweight or using the wrong gears.

The idiots drive a large car and havent got a clue how to drive over the hills...