Prayut urges drinkers to sober up for Buddhist Lent period

[webfact]

Prayut urges drinkers to sober up for Buddhist Lent period
By The Nation

 

File photo

 

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has expressed concern about drinking among Thais, saying that the habit yielded more disadvantages than good.

 

He called upon people to use the Buddhist Lent period (July 9 to October 5) to refrain from drinking alcohol, as this would save money and boost their health. 

 

Government spokesman Lt-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said on Sunday that Prayut was worried because the World Health Orgainsation had ranked Thailand as fifth in the world in terms of the number of alcohol drinkers.

 

Drinking also contributed to road accidents and other social issues such as domestic violence and crimes, he said.

 

It has also been reported that the number of new drinkers aged 15-19 has risen by 4.96 per cent a year.

 

“The Premier wants Thai public members to use the Buddhist Lent period to reduce or refrain from alcohol drinking, which would also be a great merit,” Sansern said.

 

The previous campaign to reduce alcohol consumption during Buddhist Lent had proven successful, with 81.2 per cent of participants’ families saving money. It also boosted the participants' physical health (80.5 per cent), promoted their mental health (50.2 per cent), and reduced family problems by promoting family unity and happiness (31.1 per cent), he said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30320296

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-07-10

[webfact]

Thailand Ranked Fifth in the World for Alcohol Consumption

 

BANGKOK – A government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said on Sunday.Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is concerned about the drinking habits of the Thai people, especially among young people aged 15-19.

 

Lt Gen Sansern said Gen Prayut’s concern was based on a World Health Organisation (WHO) report that said Thailand was ranked fifth in the world in terms of alcohol consumption and the average number of drinkers in the 15-19 agegroup was rising 4.96% per year.

 

The report said Thai people could reach a shop selling alcoholic drinks with an average walk of 4.5 minutes, indicating it was very easy for them to get a bottle of liquor, said the spokesman.

 

Full story: http://www.chiangraitimes.com/thailand-ranked-fifth-in-the-world-for-alcohol-consumption.html

 

-- © Copyright Chiang Rai Times 2017-07-10

[webfact]

PM appeals to Thais to quit drinking during Buddhist Lent

 

 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha has called on Thais, especially youth, to quit drinking or reduce alcoholic consumption on the occasion of Buddhist Lent.

 

Government spokesman Lt-Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the prime minister would like Thais to take advantage of the three-month period of Buddhist Lent to quit their drinking habit or to reduce drinking, pointing out that, according to statistics, 81.2 percent of those who participated in the no-drinking campaign could quit drinking, could save household spending of up to 80.5 percent and their physical and mental health has improved substantially.

 

He said the prime minister is concerned drinking habit among Thais which, he noted, is increasing, especially among youth of between 15-19 years of age.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/pm-appeals-thais-quit-drinking-buddhist-lent/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-07-10

[smedly]

well my interpretation of this news topic is a steep rise in tax on drink to pay for the huge defence budget that they cannot afford or need

 

within the next 2 months expect a huge rise in alcohol tax and I mean huge, and like the last rise on cigs that was supposed to be a few % was in reality more like 40%

 

They really are going to kill tourism in Thailand because they want to buy submarines

 

you heard it here first

 

many people that I know used to come here for holiday 2-3 times a year are already going elsewhere because they feel they are now being ripped off - couple that with the exchange rates and Thailand can say goodbye to its biggest export business .... tourism

 

they really need to think this through

[Cadbury]

3 minutes ago, smedly said:

well my interpretation of this news topic is a steep rise in tax on drink to pay for the huge defence budget that they cannot afford or need

 

within the next 2 months expect a huge rise in alcohol tax and I mean huge, and like the last rise on cigs that was supposed to be a few % was in reality more like 40%

 

They really are going to kill tourism in Thailand because they want to buy submarines

 

you heard it here first

 

many people that I know used to come here for holiday 2-3 times a year are already going elsewhere because they feel they are now being ripped off - couple that with the exchange rates and Thailand can say goodbye to its biggest export business .... tourism

 

they really need to think this through

I think you sniff he wind correctly smedly. This is just more than just lecturing from a virtuous and wholesome leader. They have already said a tax increase is coming but claimed it would not be much. Judging by this most recent sermon you can count that as a lie.

Or I wonder if it maybe someone behind the scenes like his missus who is driving these high-minded, clean living issues like anti-booze and lewd and sensual dancing. 

 

[Thechook]

Thais would like Prayuth to take advantage of the three-month period of Buddhist Lent to quit his dribbling habit or at least wipe his lips, pointing out that, according to statistics, 81.2 percent of those who watched his Friday ramblings dramatically increased their medicine.  If Prayuth could quit preaching and writing poetry during this period it could save household spending of up to 80.5 percent and peoples physical and mental health would improve substantially.

[Thechook]

2017.  Who Drinks The Most? - Alcohol Consumption By Country

 

Thailand does even make the top 25.  Top 5 phewie, blowing own trumpet again.  Bit disappointed at the Team Aussie barely making it to number 22, we were champions once.

 

http://www.worldatlas.com/articles/who-drinks-the-most-alcohol-consumption-by-country.html

 

[maoro2013]

Interesting statistics. I wonder where the underlying information is gathered. Doesn't sound like it wo u ld be accurate. Mental health improvement!!! How do they get this number.

All fake I think.

[Somtamnication]

Should be easy enough as no one drank over the Bhuddist holiday. 

[mikebell]

So the stupid hours for buying/not buying alcohol don't work?

[Muggi1968]

According to (August 2016)

http://thedailyviz.com/2016/08/25/charting-world-alcohol-consumption-how-much-does-each-country-drink/

Thailand rank no 73 in the world....

I guess numbers are easy to manipulate ...

Do not worry Australia....You are no 23 
 

 

[bandito]

1 hour ago, Thechook said:

2017.  Who Drinks The Most? - Alcohol Consumption By Country

 

Thailand does even make the top 25.  Top 5 phewie, blowing own trumpet again.  Bit disappointed at the Team Aussie barely making it to number 22, we were champions once.

 

http://www.worldatlas.com/articles/who-drinks-the-most-alcohol-consumption-by-country.html

 

 

In my personal experience is Poland nr 1, Russia nr 2 closely followed by Norway and Sweden.

All of these countries drinking hard liquor, gallons of it.

[alant]

1 hour ago, Thechook said:

2017.  Who Drinks The Most? - Alcohol Consumption By Country

 

Thailand does even make the top 25.  Top 5 phewie, blowing own trumpet again.  Bit disappointed at the Team Aussie barely making it to number 22, we were champions once.

 

http://www.worldatlas.com/articles/who-drinks-the-most-alcohol-consumption-by-country.html

 

Maybe a bit sozzled when he read the report?

[Hayduke]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

....He called upon people to use the Buddhist Lent period (July 9 to October 5) to refrain from drinking alcohol, as this would save money and boost their health. 

Might want to think again General. The last thing you need is 65 million sober people.

[alant]

If this report exists and is accurate then as pointed out the laws preventing the sale of alcohol are not really working, not that they would even be repealed, can't lose face can we now... 

[inThailand]

Another lost opportunity to be another HUB. No elections, for we have alot of HUB work to do.

[Jimbo2014]

The problem facing Thailand is the balance between reducing alcohol consumption for Thais (probably not a bad thing) while not banning if from tourist areas.  Many tourists come here to drink and relax and regular Thai's are not consuming their vast quantities of booze at these venues (except for those engaged in the 'entertainment' industry).   

[Yann55]

When a majority of people start to feel that the world is becoming overwhelmingly unfair, that those with money and power grow in arrogance, selfishness and brutality day after day, that the barriers between classes are getting thicker and higher by the minute ... when people start to feel that the problems cannot be solved any more, then they start looking for ways to forget  about them.

 

That's when alcohol, drugs, video games, smartphones and their array of 'social' apps (which in effect end up making people autistic), TV dramas and all other forms of temporary painkillers come in the picture.

 

Once you realize that alcohol, drugs, video games, smartphones, social apps, etc. make a handful of rich people even richer, then you begin to think : "Houston, we have a problem".

 

And when the authorities, here or anywhere, start pontificating about all this drug taking and admonishing people on the grounds that all these drugs are bad for their health, you realize that hypocrisy is the alpha and the omega in politics.

Edited July 10, 2017 by Yann55

[joebrown]

The PM has put 'the cart before the horse' yet again with his patronising utterings. In the rural agricultural province I live in his citizens are literally drinking themselves to death. I know this because my g/f runs a shop selling mainly confectionery and drinks. Over the past 5 years her customer numbers have fallen sharply, because of deaths due to alcoholism. I have a friend who says the same thing about his wife's shop 60km further north.

People turn to drink for many reasons, and it's these reasons he should be addressing as a priority, not the after effects. From what I see and hear, the primary cause is lack of proper education, unemployment and a 'live for today' mentality. 

[nervona81732]

504 gateway rest on most all posts. Is this more internet censoring here. Getting to be like North Korea

[poohy]

16 minutes ago, joebrown said:

Over the past 5 years her customer numbers have fallen sharply, because of deaths due to alcoholism. I have a friend who says the same thing about his wife's shop 60km further north.

Same here in the last 6 weeks 2 deaths to alcoholism in our village one older guy and one about 40..... Lao kao rules here

and also 504 bad gateway message galore today is TV switching off

[Juan B Tong]

MEMO: to Lt-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd

 

1. Stop with the fake news.  It tarnished the reputation of the Kingdom

 

2.  Don't manufacture statistics.

 

A 5 second internet search  shows Thailand ranks #76 per WHO.

No statistics are available on the absolute number of drinkers in countries of the world.  

Thailand is the 20th most populous country. If everybody in Thailand drank it would not equal the number of drinkers in any of the top five drinking countries.

 

You embarrass yourself and cause loss of face for the Junta.

 

By your actions the Leader will not be able to write a poem about this!

[NanLaew]

15 minutes ago, nervona81732 said:

504 gateway rest on most all posts. Is this more internet censoring here. Getting to be like North Korea

No it's not.

 

Update your browsers(s) and OS.

[poohy]

2 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

No it's not.

 

Update your browsers(s) and OS.

Polite comment.... Not wishing to hijack the thread but (in My case)all other websites working fine so its nothing to do with OS or browser

[fxe1200]

59 minutes ago, bandito said:

 

In my personal experience is Poland nr 1, Russia nr 2 closely followed by Norway and Sweden.

All of these countries drinking hard liquor, gallons of it.

..the statistics do not reflect the consumption of (Charlie's) Moonshine or Hembränt (Sweden) or the locally made Kao Lao, which comes in my case directly from the provincial capital at a rate of 70% and is diluted locally with honey, fruit juice and others.

 

Su much to the statistics. Here is an interesting reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonshine_by_country

 

 

[natway09]

Propaganda in its finest form with the anti alcohol lobby sniffing some success as the great leader has been listening to their dribble.

Many mix ups in this report from the Boss, Alcohol does not cause road accidents Sir people do.

At fear of repeating myself          If the Government was serious about reducing illness & death from alcohol

                                                           they would ban that liver & kidney rotting Lao Khao immediately.

                                                           It is just cheap "woobler" raw spirit,

but sorry I forgot look who makes it     "vested interests" 

See the hypocrisy at it finest

[Happyman58]

Yeah he is telling Thais to stop drinking Might as well tell that to a heap of chooks in chook pen That is how much they listen to him Guess he got to say that because he knows how much money drinkers deliver to his government

[tracker1]

Not all Thais are buddhists and if anything like my Mrs staff they drink their quota well before the buddhist lent and will make up for lost consumption once it is over !

[Happyman58]

Just now, tracker1 said:

Not all Thais are buddhists and if anything like my Mrs staff they drink their quota well before the buddhist lent and will make up for lost consumption once it is over !

Yep they are only human lol

[tracker1]

I suggest another poem is in order !