Alcohol displays visible to passers-by to be banned

BANGKOK: -- Shops nationwide cannot have displays of alcoholic drinks that can be seen from outside from December 5 onwards, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday.

However, they can still display alcoholic drinks inside.

Thawat Sunthracharn, director-general of the Public Health Ministry's Disease Control Department, noted that the alcohol industry was subject to less strict restrictions than those imposed on tobacco companies.

Cigarette packs cannot be displayed at all, but the display of alcoholic drinks in shops, convenience stores and groceries will continue to be legal as long as passers-by cannot see it from outside.

"The measure is not aimed at preventing regular drinkers from drinking, but to block the increase of new drinkers - especially teenagers," Thawat said.

Thawat said the ministry would finalise details of the restrictions on alcohol advertising and announce these nationwide by December 3.

"Manufacturers, retailers and state officials who enforce the law might be confused about what's allowed and disallowed, so we will clarify everything before the ban takes effect," said Thawat.

FDA deputy secretary-general Manit Arunakul said alcohol advertisements on banners and billboards placed in public view will be prohibited. Advertising banners placed in front of shops must also be moved inside.

Manit said "sexy" drink promoters would be allowed to work as long as there is no logo of alcoholic products on their clothing.

Public Health Minister Mongkol na Songkhla yesterday insisted the proposed Alcohol Control Act sent back by the Cabinet for reassessment would be enforced before the New Year as it was aimed at reducing the death toll from road accidents during the long weekend.

Deputy Prime Minister and Industry Minister Kosit Panpiemras will chair a meeting of the working group set up by the Cabinet to discuss the Act next Tuesday. The main issue to be reconsidered will be the minimum legal age to buy alcohol, initially specified at 25.

"The minimum age will be lowered to under 25, but the exact age will be decided by the working group," said Mongkol.

"It could be 21, 20 or 18 years," said Thawat. "Thai people graduate at about 22 and have the right to vote at 18. It might be too much if those people have no right to buy a drink."

--The Nation 2006-10-20

The game continues.

On 16, the Cabinet sent "back the Alcoholic-Beverage Control Bill for further discussions among relevant authorities".

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=88733

And now, the bill will come again on 24.

That's fast for "further discussions".... Especially in Thailand.

I think a modification of my avatar will be forthcoming to include the latest thai antiquity....

Are we gonna lose the "Drink, Don't Drive" Johnny Walker ad on Baiyoke? I'll miss it!

Phuket has already lost the US$ 4 million Johnnie Walker Classic which had been scheduled for March next year. 10,000 visitors and the world's top golfers.

The tournament organisers shifted it to South Korea earlier today. It won't be coming back.

Phuket has already lost the US$ 4 million Johnnie Walker Classic which had been scheduled for March next year. 10,000 visitors and the world's top golfers.

The tournament organisers shifted it to South Korea earlier today. It won't be coming back.

Don't suppose the New Puritans ever thought about the wider implications of all this hypocritical <deleted>, eh?

Hahahaha.

"The measure is not aimed at preventing regular drinkers from drinking, but to block the increase of new drinkers - especially teenagers," Thawat said.

Yeah, I can so clearly recall the day back in the late 60's when as a fresh faced teenager I saw a bottle of beer in a shop window.

"Drrrriiiinnnnk meeeeee........Drrrriiiiinnnnnk meeeeee." it was saying. So I walked in "Hey punk, make my day and give me that beer. I'll be back".

When will these overstuffed pompous goons realise what the whole world knows? The more you bury the facts of life the deeper people will dig to find them. Especially teenagers. Hiding something just makes it more glamourous, more attractive and more desirable. All prohibition did was to create a massive underworld crime business.

But, seriously, does this mean that the beer bars of Pattaya will have to hide the bottles of fire water that line their shelves? Will we have the Thai equivalent of the religeous police patrolling the streets? "Hey khun Plodprasop, if I lean against this power pole, incline my head at 15 degrees left and look through these binoculars I can see the corner of a Sang Thip label. SHUT THAT PLACE DOWN!"

How many politicians does it take to change a light bulb? None, they just pass a decree banning the sunset.

Seems like a typical loss of face scenario,

Oops, we just tried to do something absolutely ridiculous, oh well we better take that back and to regain us some face we'll bring in a smaller, less ridiculous law which just creates a big pain in the ass for everyone...

Quote George: "Manit said "sexy" drink promoters would be allowed to work as long as there is no logo of alcoholic products on their clothing."

Well the breweries aren't going to pay these girls NOT to sell their brand are they - unless theY only allow the advertising on THE INSIDE OF THE DRESS - aha - I think I've struck gold here!!! :-)

I'm sure they'll find something other than logo's that they can put on the uniforms.

Whatever laws they come up with, the alcohol producers will find loopholes.

If what Camelot says is true ie. that Phuket has lost the $4 m Johnny Walker Golf Classic with its 10,000 visitors and world's best golfers, then you can't blame the organisers one little bit for moving it to Korea. They need legislative and legal certainty , something which the Thais don't understand or appreciate it seems. All this fuss about new alcohol laws and probably almost nothing, if anything will change. ,,,,,???? Perhaps golf is seen as another example of decadent "western cultural values" which the new bureaucrats would like to see disappear from the Kingdom's life. After all the deposed PM didn't mind a round of golf.

I believe this is the biggest sports event in Thailand, and possibily the only one close to international levels.

They've shot themselves in the foot again!

That tournament pulls in big big crowds and with it lots of $. The golf crowd are big spenders. It's also a very popular tournament with the hi so. Many of which we're probobally for the ban.

Unfortunatley as usual they don't wait and discuss things properly before making things public. This happens all the time and creates confusion.

One day maybe they will learn to keep their traps shut until they have properly evaluated the possible implications of changing laws and worse still anouncing possible chanegs before they have even been discussed.

This is the damage that can be caused by opening your trap without thinking and trying to rush things through.

I fear it is true. I really wish it wasn't and would love to be wrong on this. These events are planned years ahead and the tournament was awarded to Phuket to help restore its tourist industry after the tsunami and promote the Thai tourism industry in general. It's a real kick in the teeth for Johnnie Walker and Riche Monde and will not go unnoticed elsewhere.

It is televised globally with weeks of build-up so getting it was a major coup. The Thai golfing fraternity must be tearing its collective hair out today.

Dr Suvit Yodmani, the enthusiastic new tourism minister, is also the sports minister and a keen golfer. He will be most unhappy about being undermined by his short-sighted, nonsense-spouting, unthinking colleagues. It makes the country a laughing stock. The South Koreans just won't believe their luck.

A lot of lobbying and effort went into getting this tournament because it's a huge international sports event. Expect more negative fallout in coming days. I'm afraid that this is just the curtain-raiser.

These measures are a holdover from the Thaksin administration and should have disappeared when his government did. But a hard-core group of Cromwellian zealots at the Public Health Ministry just won't let go. They seem to have an obsession with alcohol and tobacco. That's all they ever talk about.

The Bangkok Post is now running the story:

Sports >> Saturday October 21, 2006

JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC

Alcohol ban claims first scalp

SUCHIN CHIRAKUL

A 24-hour ban on advertising of alcoholic drinks in all forms of media issued this week prompted organisers of the Johnnie Walker Classic to relocate the tournament to South Korea.

South Korea will now replace Thailand as host of the US$4.3m tournament, which was scheduled to be held at Blue Canyon in Phuket between March 1-4 next year.

The ban, issued this week by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), will take effect after announcement in the Royal Gazette for 45 days.

According to Panlert Baiyok, the tournament's coordinator, Blue Canyon had spent around 30 million baht so far to renovate the golf course in preparation for the tournament.

--- BANGKOK POST (Oct 21) Permission obtained for a reprint on Thai Visa.

At least we've still got the beach volleyball...

Seems like a typical loss of face scenario,

Oops, we just tried to do something absolutely ridiculous, oh well we better take that back and to regain us some face we'll bring in a smaller, less ridiculous law which just creates a big pain in the ass for everyone...

Quote George: "Manit said "sexy" drink promoters would be allowed to work as long as there is no logo of alcoholic products on their clothing."

Well the breweries aren't going to pay these girls NOT to sell their brand are they - unless theY only allow the advertising on THE INSIDE OF THE DRESS - aha - I think I've struck gold here!!! :-)

Well - every cloud has a silver lining. Perhaps this won't affect sponsers logos on the girl's bare flesh

More exposed, logo'd flesh - now there's a good unintended consequence.

You heard it here first!

Good riddance to Johnnie Walker ads whatever the cost. I know that I am really sick of seeing that poison being pushed anywhere and everywhere

How many politicians does it take to change a light bulb? None, they just pass a decree banning the sunset.

Classic

Another take on that "They redefine darkness as the cultural standard" ..... and then ban all the skin whitening lotions, hazardous to on coming traffic.

Manit said "sexy" drink promoters would be allowed to work as long as there is no logo of alcoholic products on their clothing

Slippery Nipple sales will be on the increase in the Cocktail Lounge then

I hope wearing my favorite "Singha Beer" T-shirt won't make me an outcast.

I hope wearing my favorite "Singha Beer" T-shirt won't make me an outcast.

No

You'll just get arrested

But the good news , they'll let you share a cell !

I fear it is true. I really wish it wasn't and would love to be wrong on this. These events are planned years ahead and the tournament was awarded to Phuket to help restore its tourist industry after the tsunami and promote the Thai tourism industry in general.

Camelot, while the golf tournament is important to Phuket, it will also cost an estimated THB 2 billion in annual revenues to the advertising industry, affecting jobs, as well as non-support of the traditionally numerous sponsorships each year this industry provides for Thailand's youth. If it saves the youth from the evils of alcohol, OK, then we will all say it is worth it. However, to date, the FDA has not provided to the public data for their claims that it will save 18% of the youth in Thailand from ever starting to drink. My guess is, it is based on a study in another country, whose demographics and socio economic issues are night and day from those in Thailand.

The downside to this ban will be immediately felt. It will be interesting to see if, after one year, if the FDA can produce current data to support this ban in Thailand.

Watching UBC over the weekend, I noticed a fair bit of pass-through alcohol-related advertising on the news, business and entertainment channels.

Not a lot, but enough to make me wonder if this will mean a return of the hysterical red screens and accompanying irritating Muzak.

Presumably the new cabinet has the power to bounce this misguided decree before it takes effect on Dec 5. I hope they use it.

I wonder what the beer gardens will look like with all the table umbrella's removed.

The beer companies will get round the logo ban on the beer girls kit. They wil change the dress with the same company colour like green for Heiny, blue for Beer Chang, and yellow and white for Singha. But without the logo.

If it saves the youth from the evils of alcohol, OK, then we will all say it is worth it. However, to date, the FDA has not provided to the public data for their claims that it will save 18% of the youth in Thailand from ever starting to drink. My guess is, it is based on a study in another country, whose demographics and socio economic issues are night and day from those in Thailand.

I agree with you. In my opinion, the drinking problem in Thailand is centred on lao khao in the villages; un-advertised, and always available in the village shops regardless of any regulations concerning hours during which alcohol may be sold. I think there is absolutely no connection whatsoever between this culture of consumption and the advertising of more expensive branded products like Regency and Johnnie Walker.