Top Anti-Booze Crusader Removed From Post

[Gandtee]

Perhaps his removal was ordered by a cop adviser to a brewing company?

[johng]

and of course the stupidity of elected officials being honest.

Why do you want
(elected or appointed)
officials not to be honest ?

[Srikcir]

2 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

I'm not going to offer an opinion about whether this guy's crusade was good or bad.

 

But I will say:

 

-- the much publicized supposed ban on alcohol sales within 300 or whatever meters of schools never became a reality.

 

--there are still beer and other alcohol beverage buffets.

 

--there are still beer brand advertising, signage and such used around alcoholic beverage establishments.

 

--Thais (and farangs) still drink and drive excessively, and police and court enforcement of penalties is woefully lacking.

 

--and there are still beer gardens, including the annual festival out in front of CentralWorld each year (except for the King's passing).

 

So other than grabbing headlines, exactly what did this guy accomplish???

 

Apparently enough accomplishments to shake the alcohol industry:

 

"...  advocates of anti-booze legislation told the media they were informed that the two monopolies [ both ThaiBev and Boonrawd Brewery] are lobbying the Ministry of Health to remove Samarn from the post."

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2017/02/18/top-anti-booze-crusader-removed-post/

[KhonKaenKowboy]

Two monopolies?  Kind of an oxymoron... And Tiger/Heineken might disagree.  Also noticed Kirin being brewed in  LOS now....How much did the little midget foot shooters lose by making Thai Bev trade on the Singapore exchange?

[lavender19]

Good riddance I say he has not done a thing to cut down on alcohol abuse about the only thing he he did was bring in totally stupid selling hours. I own a restaurant and have to shop really early mornings for fresh produce at one time I could show my liquor licence at Macro and buy booze before 11.00 then this #### put a stop to that now I have a second trip of 60 klms to buy my booze stocks. I really hope they get rid of this stupid law

[DSJPC]

It's about time this do-gooder jerk got canned!!!

[Belzybob]

4 hours ago, tomacht8 said:

From alcohol to sexually-transmitted diseases.

It is a completely new field for him.

What a career.

Everyone clap.

[johng]

Everyone clap.

Ha ha rather not thanks !

[chiang mai]

5 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

Just another "good samaritan" that got lost in the Bhat scheme of things...........a greedy prick in other words!

What's greedy about him, did you even read the article!

[jmccarty]

5 hours ago, jaltsc said:

“…a week of allegation that authorities were pressured by beer monopolies to silence Samarn… Samarn’s new post is heading the Bureau of AIDS, TB and STIs.”

 

Can it be any more obvious how much influence big money has over the government? Public safety and health will always take a backseat to corporate profits.

 

If Samarn is successful at his new post, he will most likely be fired..er....transferred to a new post, by way of pressure from the pharmaceutical companies, due to lower sales of drugs, owing to fewer STDs within the population. 

Never underestimate the power of capitalism! No religion, philosophy or idealism can overcome the power of money!

[Krataiboy]

His transfer followed a week of allegation that authorities were pressured by beer monopolies to silence Samarn.

 

Whereas even dynamite won't shift a top cop who gets slipped a fat fee for acting as a "consultant" for a brewing outfit

 

Funny old world, ain't it?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

4 hours ago, 55Jay said:

In the grand scheme of things, his War on Booze was rather ineffective. 

 

Better luck with the War on Chlamydia.

 

One of the things that the beer industry is probably most hacked off about is the government's restrictions/bans on alcoholic beverage advertising and sponsorships that cannot show specific alcoholic beverage products.

 

So, AFAIK, they can have Chang, etc billboard and banners and commercials -- they just can't show or specifically reference beer. Nor can TV shows and commercials show specific alcoholic beverages. 

 

I have no idea if our late booze crusader had any role in the government enacting those restrictions. But I'm sure the industry wishes they weren't held back by those.

 

BTW, speaking of our monthly beer industry-commissioned police chief, has anyone else here noticed that almost every time the police ever raid any place for serving after hours or serving minors, it turns out the same places -- often well-known and long-established Thai places -- are operating without valid licenses apart from their other violations?

 

Seems our late anti-alcohol crusader also wasn't very effective in actually ensuring that alcoholic-beverage serving places are actually licensed by the government as they're supposed to be.

 

 

 

[lvr181]

It will be les majeste leveled against him next time 

[The manic]

6 hours ago, jaltsc said:

“…a week of allegation that authorities were pressured by beer monopolies to silence Samarn… Samarn’s new post is heading the Bureau of AIDS, TB and STIs.”

 

Can it be any more obvious how much influence big money has over the government? Public safety and health will always take a backseat to corporate profits.

 

If Samarn is successful at his new post, he will most likely be fired..er....transferred to a new post, by way of pressure from the pharmaceutical companies, due to lower sales of drugs, owing to fewer STDs within the population. 

A triumph for liberty lovers over puritans. 

[nisakiman]

6 hours ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

Next to go will be the anti-nicotine crusader......

One can always hope.

[kennw]

6 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

Will he be missed?

Ok maybe now we can get the new guy to help remove the stupid time limits when alcohol can be bought.

[wakeupplease]

Money Talks, even more so in this neck of the woods

[lvr181]

6 minutes ago, wakeupplease said:

Money Talks, even more so in this neck of the woods

Yup, gold rules.

 

He who has the gold rules!

[Jim walker]

Man changes job in Thailand put it on thaivisa perfect item of grate interest to all expats 

[piersbeckett]

4 hours ago, Prbkk said:

Rather than a crazy scheme (s) to restrict sales perhaps the focus might now shift to education about alcohol  , even some attempt to modernise and enforce drink driving laws.

No one likes a zealot but is a victory for the beer cartels something to celebrate? 

And produce, in Thailand, some lower e.g. 3% beers as well as non-alcoholic ones.

[AGareth2]

Just now, piersbeckett said:

And produce, in Thailand, some lower e.g. 3% beers as well as non-alcoholic ones.

try Singha light

[Lupatria]

7 hours ago, tomacht8 said:

It is a completely new field for him.

Who knows?

[Lupatria]

Now he can finally visit all the bars he ever wanted to...

[Artisi]

Nothing new, friend who was promoted to run a Major national park took the earning for entry fees etc (there was no change in fee costs, just collected and not side-tracked) from about 3m to 6m Bht in just over 12 months, generated many jobs for the  people who lived in and around the park and was a good guy to all  - recently was de-frocked from the position and reduced in rank --  it would seem that not everyone thought generating such as increase  was in line with the proposed scheme of things - would seem that nothing was passed up the line etc. and that's definitely not Kosher in LOS.

[Jiggo]

Transferred to the Clap Ministry, nice one for the C.V.

[wvavin]

This cycle will never stop as long as corruption at the top is not stopped. 

[farcanell]

10 hours ago, tomacht8 said:

From alcohol to sexually-transmitted diseases.

It is a completely new field for him.

What a career.

I can see the link..... thru my beer goggles.

[maxcorrigan]

20 hours ago, 55Jay said:

In the grand scheme of things, his War on Booze was rather ineffective. 

 

Better luck with the War on Chlamydia.

What's she got to do with it,and does Prince Charles know about this?

 

[Get Real]

Just label a person with the subtitle crusader will only that be a reason for dismissal and re-configuration, back in to the line of pawns that follow the well choosen path of the hand that leads the flock.

[DrTuner]

YES!YES!YES! GOOD RIDDANCE!

 

I'll drink to this