If you have been to Central World recently and have checked their Christmas display, you might have seen a glimpse of large beer gardens around the vicinity, however, a top alcohol regulator is planning to sue these temporary installations for violating advertising laws, Monday, December 18, 2017
Alcohol Control Board Director Nipon Chinanonwait threatened to follow suit on other similar events as it entices public drinking or basically, to drink. “Beer gardens themselves are against the law. We have to take action…. This is because the form of beer gardens is event marketing. Because, let me ask you, who would open beer gardens without a purpose?”, asked Nipon.
This statement came after he took officials and police to inspect the beer gardens on Thursday evening. Companies who have set up there are major beer companies like Chang, Leo and Singha to mention a few.
Nipon, followed by the raid Thursday evening, pressed charges against organizers for violating Section 32 of a 2008 law banning attempts to “encourage” drinking, said in a report by Khaosod English.
However, Thanakorn Kuptajit, president of the Thai Alcohol Beverage Business Association said that these beer gardens do not fall under Section 32 because they sell drinks, not advertise.
Back in 2015, Samarn Futrakul, Nipon’s predecessor, also targeted the same beer conglomerates. Same legal action was done against the said breweries however backed down after interim leader Prayuth Chan-ocha joined in the backlash, publicly chiding him for going after these multi-billion baht industry.
Source: Khaosod English