Thai MP proposes revision of strict alcohol control bill

Move Forward Party (MFP) MP Thaophiphob Limchitrakorn proposed a revision of a stringent Alcohol Control bill concerning alcohol product advertising during a parliamentary meeting on Wednesday, January 10. Three versions of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act were under scrutiny, including two public sector drafts and Thaophiphob’s draft.

The first draft, supported by numerous anti-alcohol groups and labelled as Article 32 on advertising, aimed to intensify current regulations. It proposed an amendment to prohibit the use of logos similar to alcoholic beverage logos on non-alcoholic beverages like soft drinks and water.

Bangkok MFP MP Thaophiphob explained that this would mean that advertising for brands of non-alcoholic beverages with logos resembling alcoholic beverages would be considered a breach of the law. For example, brands like Chang or Singha could not use the same logo for alcohol products on non-alcoholic products to advertise or sponsor events if this bill were to be enacted.

Thaophiphob offered an alternative in his second draft that would permit advertising, albeit within reason. His goal was to address the worries of ordinary individuals, who should be able to post or advertise beer on social media without risking a fine of 50,000 baht or imprisonment. He commented that the current fine for ordinary individuals advertising alcoholic products is higher than the penalty for drink driving.

Thaophiphob also raised concerns about the future of the craft beer market, questioning how new small startups could legally inform adult customers about their products if they were prohibited from even posting a single social media post about it.

The second draft also suggested lifting the prohibition on selling alcohol during certain periods in Thailand. Thaophiphob argued that in some countries, restricting selling hours does not help control alcohol consumption, but instead leads to increased consumption and drunkenness. For instance, this would abolish the hugely unpopular ban on selling alcohol from 2pm to 5pm.

Alcoholic control

However, there was no mention during the parliamentary meeting of any potential to lift the ban on selling alcohol on religious holidays.

Following a session where members of Parliament expressed their views, the majority agreed to relax the strictness of alcoholic beverage control. The vote resulted in 257 in favour, 156 against, and seven abstentions, leading to the decision to send the draft Alcohol Control Act back to the Cabinet for further consideration within 60 days before presenting it for another parliamentary vote.

Although the draft is still in the proposal stage, it signifies a positive development for those hoping for a relaxation in advertising rules for alcohol and a lifting of certain alcohol sales bans.