Booze clues: Underage drinking promos soak Songkran spirit
Songkran’s splashy celebrations may have cooled the crowds but things are heating up for Thailand’s booze industry after a leading watchdog exposed widespread law-breaking underage alcohol drinking over the holiday.
Teera Watcharapranee, director of the StopDrink Network, claims major alcohol brands brazenly flouted the law with flashy promotions and events in more than 137 locations nationwide.
“Among these, 42 were water fight zones on streets or beaches, 60 were entertainment venues, and the rest were concert sites or department stores. All were in violation of alcohol control and excise tax laws.”
One shocking example cited was a beer promotion offering four cans for just 199 baht, sold freely to anyone, including minors and visibly drunk customers, even during the banned alcohol sale hours of 2pm to 5pm.
Teera also claimed that some branches of a well-known convenience store chain set up cheeky booze booths outside their shops to sidestep detection and dodge legal scrutiny inside.
StopDrink Network is now preparing to submit all findings to government officials.
Despite the boozy backlash, Teera insisted Songkran can still thrive without alcohol. He pointed to alcohol-free events in Nakhon Si Thammarat and Nakhon Ratchasima, which drew crowds rivalling those at brewery-backed bashes, reported Bangkok Post.
“People can still enjoy Songkran without drinking. Those events proved it.”
He added that alcohol brands rake in massive profits during the Thai New Year and would continue to exploit traditional wan lai festivities unless reined in.
Teera is now urging the government to crack down on sneaky marketing ploys and demand more responsible behaviour from booze brands.
“These companies need to respect society, not just chase sales.”
In other Songkran news, a pickup truck drove into a group of festivalgoers, injuring a dozen people, with six in serious condition, prompting a chaotic scene as bystanders pulled the driver from the vehicle. Police have since charged the driver, who was found to be over the legal alcohol limit, with related offences.
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