Cabinet approves alcohol consumption control bill

Thye Nation BANGKOK: -- The Cabinet Tuesday approved a bill to control alcohol consumption and prohibit advertisement of alcoholic drinks.

Public Health Minister Mongkol Na Songkhla said the bill would provide comprehensive control of alcohol consumption. Among other things, it would prohibit the sale of alcoholic drinks to people under 20 years old. It would also set zoning for alcoholic drinks sale and consumption, he said, adding that the sale would be prohibited near temples and schools.

The bill would be submitted to the National Legislative Assembly for deliberation soon.

-- The Nation 2007-03-13

Anti-booze campaigners sign up Surayud
BANGKOK: -- Campaigners trying to reduce the availability of alcohol in Thailand - through restrictions on sales and advertising - have enlisted a high-profile supporter. Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has added his name to a rapidly growing petition, which lists people who back the alcohol control bill. The bill faces opposition from businesses, especially over plans to totally ban alcohol advertising. If passed, the legislation will ban alcohol sales to people under-20 and sales near religious sites and educational institutes.

The anti-alcohol network of 246 organisations is gathering signatures in support of the bill, due to go to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) this month. Caravans in support of the bill are converging on the capital from four directions and have collected around 4 million signatures along the way with the help of www.stopdrink.com and numerous health clinics. Teenage anti-booze campaigner Kan-anek Thanapornditsanand invited the premier to pledge his support.

"I'm very glad that he accepted. It shows that he gives importance to the issue and wants to keep alcohol away from young people," Kan-anek said. Campaign coordinator Khamron Chudecha said the caravans were expected to collect more than 8 million signatures before they arrive at Sanam Luang this Sunday, where they will be joined by Bangkok joggers and more than 50,000 supporters. The signatures will be presented to the prime minister and NLA Speaker Meechai Ruchuphan. The movement aimed to protect the young and the vulnerable from problems caused by excessive alcohol consumption, Khamron said.

--The Nation 2007-03-13

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Producers say their views were ignored - Bangkok Post

WORANUJ MANEERUNGSEE & CHATRUDEE THEPARAT

Alcoholic-beverage producers, entertainment operators and media companies remain frustrated by the government's refusal to accept arguments that a 24-hour blanket ban on ads is not the way to curb the problems of alcohol abuse and drunk-driving in Thailand. The Public Health Ministry yesterday won cabinet endorsement of its draft on liquor-consumption control. It would likely set the minimum age for new drinkers at 20 and impose an around-the-clock ban on ads, except for commercials that come with foreign sports programmes. Public Health Minister Mongkol na Songkhla said a committee would be set up to consider zoning for pubs and restaurants that sell alcoholic beverages so that they won't be found near schools, universities, hospitals and temples. The draft will go to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) for final approval.

Late last year, the ministry failed to have the Food and Drug Administration issue a similar promotional ban after the Council of State ruled that the agency had no mandate to control alcohol advertisements in the media. The advertising industry earlier said the ad ban would cost the industry two billion baht annually. Beer sales are expected to shrink by 5% to 10% next year while the 400-million-baht Thai wine industry would be hurt as well.

Brewers have maintained that the draft is unfair and would favour low-priced white spirits. Beer producers also argue that the excise tax structure further benefits low-cost spirits, resulting in greater alcohol consumption, particularly in the provinces and among low-income groups. In their view, white liquor should share most of the blame for alcohol-related accidents nationwide. Prin Malakul, corporate affairs director for Thai Asia Pacific Brewery Co (TAPB), the producer of Heineken, said the private sector had tried hard to explain to the government that legal measures were not the answer as long as the government did not address the problem at its root. ''Authorities would be better off strengthening the enforcement of existing regulations on the sales and consumption of alcohol. Also, authorities need to do more to educate the public about the dangers of excessive drinking,'' said Mr Prin. He said the government had ignored the private sector's attempts to offer a broader perspective on the impact to the industry and various proposed solutions. Mr Prin agreed with Chatchai Wiratyosin, Singha's marketing manager, who insisted that the blanket ad ban would trigger a price war among alcohol makers for lack of any other means to compete. Under such a circumstance, product quality will be compromised and consumers will be the ultimate losers. ''Singha will not be the first to jump into the price war. But [the producers of] white spirits will and they will drag in small and medium-sized operators,'' said Mr Chatchai. Regarding the unfair tax structure of alcoholic beverages, Mr Chatchai said no state officials had dared touch the problem. Those who tried would find themselves transferred to other jobs, he noted.

Visooth Lohitnavy, president of the Thai Wine Association, also was disappointed. ''I'm so fed up with this. I won't join the conference [to be held today] on the new alcohol-consumption law because the ministry won't listen to us,'' said Mr Visooth, who also is the CEO of Gramonte Co, a local wine producer. He said earlier that the strict measures would hurt not only the 400-million-baht Thai wine industry, but also the emerging agricultural-tourism industry, which focuses on vineyards. Twelve hundred farmers would also be hurt, he claimed.

Chaipranin Visudhipol, a former president of the Advertising Association of Thailand, hopes the NLA will understand that the problem has more to do with poor law enforcement than anything else. ''A total ad ban cannot reduce consumption. White liquor accounts for 80% to total alcohol sales although it has never been advertised,'' he said."

How sad for Dame Sanitree Napkin and Pearl, straight as planks and no where to go.