Protest against alcohol restrictions: health at risk!

Protest against alcohol restrictions: health at risk!

The debate about how to deal with alcohol in Thailand is taking a new turn. Chuwit Chantaros, coordinator of the Campaign to Protect Against the Dangers of Alcohol Consumption, announced that around 100 demonstrators will raise their voices on October 24 in front of Gate 5 of the Government House. The aim is to deliver a petition to Prime Minister Anutin expressing doubts about a possible relaxation of alcohol controls. Chuwit, a former health minister, strongly criticizes the current developments and believes that such announcements only serve as a distraction. “There’s something there,” he says, pointing out the important health and safety issues that need to be considered in alcohol policy.

Chuwit also expressed skepticism over the government's claims of a potential 500 billion baht increase in tax revenue from easing alcohol laws. This statement is in direct contradiction to the values ​​of the entire Thai alcohol market. In addition, the government's claims conflict with the results of various studies, which show that increasing alcohol taxes and introducing minimum sales prices can demonstrably reduce consumption. A current overview of alcohol policy shows that doubling the alcohol tax leads to an average decrease in consumption of 10% and restrictions on time availability can even cause a decrease of 3.6% alcoholpolitics.de.

Rising concern and political discussions

The debate over alcohol legislation is further fueled by concerns about the increasing number of drinkers in Thailand, particularly among women. Experts are calling for a revision of the existing laws. In fact, there are already five different bills in the works that aim to tighten controls on alcohol. Chairman of the Special Committee on Alcohol Control, Wisarn Techathirawat, said the draft law is 80 percent complete. This is due to be presented to parliament in December 2024 der-farang.com.

The new bill proposes that responsibility for the control and marketing of alcohol will be decentralized. Provincial committees are to be given more authority over local regulations and zones, promising greater consideration of regional needs. These measures are part of a broader plan to curb excessive alcohol consumption and its negative impact on society, including health risks and road accidents. Health organizations including the Stop Drink Network Thailand are already calling for tightening controls on entertainment venues to promote responsible alcohol consumption nationthailand.com.

The government has already set the direction with the introduction of a new alcohol control law on November 8th, but it remains to be seen how effectively these measures can be implemented. It is clear that the public and policymakers continue to be challenged to promote healthy alcohol use in Thailand. It is more than just an economic issue; it concerns the health and well-being of the entire population.