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PussyLover 69
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Report from Bangkok Post dated Tuesday 17 October 2006 :-
Prohibitionist measures always fail -The band members change, the worn-out tune remains the same. The new health minister seems to be jumping on the wrong bandwagon
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By DAVID SWARTZENTRUBER
Although a new military government has replaced the Thaksin administration, there are apparently some reactionary ideas left over from the Thaksin era that the new government finds appealing to implement.
In line with a right-wing military regime, these ideas are a repetition of failed policies from the past, or policies that never got off the ground.
Thus, a new public health minister, Mongkol na Songkhla, strides into the marketplace after a day or two in office, with the poorly thought-out idea that stopping the advertising and promotion of alcoholic beverages will stifle the consumption of spirits in Thailand. History has proven this to be wrong time and time again.
Based on my extensive knowledge of treating alcoholics as well as the study of public health policy toward the control of alcoholic beverages, there are three "pillars" of wisdom that most 21st century governments use to control alcohol beverages. They are: taxation, law enforcement and education.
Taxation: The problem in Thailand is unique. Thanks to an upside-down tax structure, spirits which contain the highest amount of alcohol are taxed the least, while beverages with moderate alcohol levels, beer and wine, are taxed the highest. Thus the World Health Organisation ranks Thailand in sixth place in the consumption of "ardent spirits", while its consumption of beer and wine remain low on a per capita basis.
Most countries tax alcohol on the basis of the percentage of alcohol in the beverage: the higher the alcohol, the higher the tax. In May 2005, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra suggested this approach but the Excise Department gave only lip service to his suggestion. The result is a convoluted taxation system that lacks accountability and transparency and is costing the government billions of baht due to the suppression of moderate-alcohol wine sales.
Wine is a beverage that, when consumed moderately, has verifiable health benefits.
There has also been no excise tax relief for the country's own wine industry that was started to ease the dependence on imported wine.
On a score of 0 to 10, Thailand's present method of taxing alcoholic beverages comes in at 0. The system is prone to corruption, is irrational and lacks transparency. Even countries less developed than Thailand have adopted the system of taxation by percentage of alcohol.
Law enforcement: The challenges to Thailand to enforce existing beverage control laws are profound and are in two areas: the curtailment of rampant wine smuggling and the production of large amounts of illegal liquor, locally known as lao khao.
Industry officials I have talked with estimate that one out of every three bottles of wine consumed in the country is smuggled.
A friend of mine, who I frequently meet at social events, an expat of 30 years duration in Thailand, says that no one he knows buys wine at a store. Other "insiders" say that the military and police are behind this trade in large amounts of smuggled, non-taxed wine.
This is perhaps something the current government should think about before imposing draconian laws on Thailand.
Quite clearly the excessive tax placed on wine is the basis for this smuggling. Lower the tax to a reasonable level and the problem should desist.
In the meantime, honest Thai people who are attempting to make a living from the sale of wine are being cheated and billions of baht in lost tax revenue have been and are being stolen from the Thai people at large.
About eight months ago when the Thaksin government began to float the same prohibitionist ideas that now have been sucked up by the military regime, an industry observer pointed out an unusual point.
He noted that an advertising ban would not have any impact on the production and distribution of Thai moonshine or lao khao, as it was not advertised at all. He also noted that lao khao was involved in a high number of highway deaths and accidents.
If Thailand is to control its alcohol beverage industry, the basic step of reducing the amount of illegal whiskey produced within its borders is a much-needed step.
In line with this, stricter penalties for drunken driving need to be adopted as well.
Once again, Thailand's score on law enforcement is probably 3, with some improvement noted during the last two years.
Education: Another pillar of wisdom that Thailand falls short on appears to be education about the dangers of whiskey consumption. I single out whiskey because that is the problem of alcohol consumption in Thailand. Beer and wine consumption are at a much lower level.
Education needs to be started at the public school level and continue on into university and the workplace. This education must be factually based and not emotionally-charged, nationalistic rhetoric that frequently passes as education in many schools.
Whether such a programme could be developed entirely within Thailand is questionable. The best alternative would be to study how alcohol education is undertaken in such countries as the United States.
In the US, the consumption of whiskey has declined by a least 85% since 1985, while the consumption of moderate-alcohol beer and wine has increased, leading to a more sober society and reduced highway accidents and fatalities.
Alcohol education must start at home through parents and continue on through the educational process. The process works but the prohibitionist measures currently proposed are doomed to failure. Thailand's score on education: 2.
If these approaches are adopted, various segments of the economy including tourism will be hit and chaos is bound to ensue and, believe me, every wine importer I have talked with already believes the industry is chaotic thanks to government mismanagement.
Adopting a tax by the percentage of alcohol, for example, would increase tourist revenues as tourists, especially the affluent ones, like to drink wine with their meals.
I would urge the new public health minister to do a little more study and homework before rushing to impose poorly devised prohibitionist schemes. They have not worked elsewhere and they will not work here.
Before moving to Thailand in 2000, David Swartzentruber was a psychologist in the United States specialising in the problems of substance abuse, including alcoholism, and has advised local and state governments on alcohol beverage control policy.
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 10:54 am on Oct. 17, 2006
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PussyLover 69
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Report from Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 18 October 2006 :-
Cabinet rejects alcohol control bill - But to be resubmitted after rules are clarified
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The cabinet yesterday rejected the alcohol control bill because of a lack of clear guidelines on its enforcement and the loose definition of alcohol-free zones. Public Health Minister Mongkol na Songkhla conceded that cabinet ministers had widely debated the bill and found it unacceptable in its present form.
Health officials were required to provide details on the bill's enactment to make it more effective if the legal minimum age of alcohol buyers were to be raised to 25 from 18, and about some areas designated to be 100% alcohol-free, he said.
Dr Mongkol said the cabinet agreed in principle with the bill and the ministry would next week resubmit the bill to the cabinet after making the necessary changes to it. Cabinet approval is required before the bill can be forwarded to the National Legislative Assembly for its scrutiny and approval.
The Public Health Ministry would seek a meeting with law enforcement agencies and the education, justice, social development and human security ministries for their views before making changes to the bill, said Dr Mongkol.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 12:54 am on Oct. 18, 2006
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PussyLover 69
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Report from Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 18 October 2006 :-
Age to buy alcohol should be 18 : Health Ministry
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The Public Health Ministry backed down Wednesday on its proposal to raise the minimum age to buy alcohol from 18 to 25 years old.
It is now highly likely the ministry will stick to the current age of 18 years old.
The movement came after the proposal in form of a new bill of alcohol consumption control was rejected by the Cabinet on Tuesday, saying the proposal would not work in practice.
"Personally, I didn't agree [to extend the legal age to buy alcohol to 25] in the first place," said Dr Thawat Suntrajarn, the director general of the Disease Control Department.
"Since people of age 18 are eligible to vote, they should be mature enough to think for themselves on anything else," said the doctor.
"We want it to be a practical directive, not just a piece of paper."
The ministry's panel setup to look into the matter was to meet with other organisations involved at Government House on Tuesday to finalise the proposal before resubmitting it to the Cabinet again within the next two weeks.
It was very likely to revert to the 18 year-old minimum age as in the current law, Thawat said
There were always two ideas throughout the drafting and public hearings on this bill, said Thawat. One wanted the minimum age to remain at 18, whereas the other went for 25.
The side supporting to extend the legal age to 25 reasoned that many accidents involving alcohol were found in people studying at undergraduate level, said Thawat.
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 10:00 am on Oct. 18, 2006
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Bangkoksexydotcom
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Well lets see they going to talk about it. I do not think it will be 25 years.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 10:45 am on Oct. 18, 2006
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Mel Gibson
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25 years for the answer ? or 25 years as the age limit?
As for an age limit for buying alcohol I agree, means that the younger ladies need to have an over 25 to buy their drinks
God bless Thailand, always changing the rules to help
Mel
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 4:56 pm on Oct. 18, 2006
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silentbob1234
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Quote: from PussyLover 69 on 7:18 am on Oct. 19, 2006
"Since people of age 18 are eligible to vote, they should be mature enough to think for themselves on anything else," said the doctor.
How true! I wish the clowns in Washington DC saw things like this. At 18 years of age, if you're old enough to serve your country and possibly die for it in war, then goddammit...you're old enough for a beer or a drink in my book!
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 11:15 am on Oct. 19, 2006
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Mr Alan
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Quote: from silentbob1234 on 11:33 am on Oct. 19, 2006
How true! I wish the clowns in Washington DC saw things like this. At 18 years of age, if you're old enough to serve your country and possibly die for it in war, then goddammit...you're old enough for a beer or a drink in my book!
Technically, drinking age laws are controlled by the states, not the federal government. However, the federal government will reduce federal transportation funds to states where the minimum drinking age is not 21 or higher.
Here is some additional info:
"Prior to 1970 nearly all states restricting youth access to alcohol designated 21 as the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA). Between 1970 and 1975, however, 29 states lowered the MLDA to 18, 19, or 20. These changes occurred when the minimum age for other activities, such as voting, also were being lowered (Wechsler & Sands, 1980). Scientists began studying the effects of the lowered MLDA, focusing particularly on the incidence of motor vehicle crashes, the leading cause of death among teenagers. Several studies in the 1970s found that motor vehicle crashes increased significantly among teens when the MLDA was lowered (Cucchiaro et al, 1974; Douglas et al, 1974; Wagenaar, 1983, 1993; Whitehead, 1977; Whitehead et al, 1975; Williams et al, 1974). "
"With evidence that a lower drinking age resulted in more traffic injuries and fatalities among youth, citizen advocacy groups pressured states to restore the MLDA to 21. Because of such advocacy campaigns, 16 states increased their MLDAs between September 1976 and January 1983. Resistance from other states, and concern that minors would travel across state lines to purchase and consume alcohol, prompted the federal government in 1984 to enact the Uniform Drinking Age Act, which mandated reduced federal transportation funds to those states that did not raise the MLDA to 21."
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 12:01 pm on Oct. 19, 2006
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Mel Gibson
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18 to vote, 18 to legally drink in a bar,, Don't tell me Australia got something right???
Nah must be a mistake.
I just hope they don't get the 25 year old rule thru before January,, my son ( first trip to Thailand) will be very thirsty
Mel
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Thai Girls : Meet Active Thai Girls
Posted on: 2:36 pm on Oct. 19, 2006
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IBFarang
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Quote: from Mel Gibson on 3:54 am on Oct. 20, 2006
The Queen lets you guys vote?
How nice of her.
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 8:27 pm on Oct. 19, 2006
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PussyLover 69
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Report from The Nation dated Saturday 21 October 2006 :-
Alcohol displays visible to passers-by to be banned
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Shops nationwide cannot have displays of alcoholic drinks that can be seen from outside from December 5 onwards, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday.
However, they can still display alcoholic drinks inside.
Thawat Sunthracharn, director-general of the Public Health Ministry's Disease Control Department, noted that the alcohol industry was subject to less strict restrictions than those imposed on tobacco companies.
Cigarette packs cannot be displayed at all, but the display of alcoholic drinks in shops, convenience stores and groceries will continue to be legal as long as passers-by cannot see it from outside.
"The measure is not aimed at preventing regular drinkers from drinking, but to block the increase of new drinkers - especially teenagers," Thawat said.
Thawat said the ministry would finalise details of the restrictions on alcohol advertising and announce these nationwide by December 3.
"Manufacturers, retailers and state officials who enforce the law might be confused about what's allowed and disallowed, so we will clarify everything before the ban takes effect," said Thawat.
FDA deputy secretary-general Manit Arunakul said alcohol advertisements on banners and billboards placed in public view will be prohibited. Advertising banners placed in front of shops must also be moved inside.
Manit said "sexy" drink promoters would be allowed to work as long as there is no logo of alcoholic products on their clothing.
Public Health Minister Mongkol na Songkhla yesterday insisted the proposed Alcohol Control Act sent back by the Cabinet for reassessment would be enforced before the New Year as it was aimed at reducing the death toll from road accidents during the long weekend.
Deputy Prime Minister and Industry Minister Kosit Panpiemras will chair a meeting of the working group set up by the Cabinet to discuss the Act next Tuesday. The main issue to be reconsidered will be the minimum legal age to buy alcohol, initially specified at 25.
"The minimum age will be lowered to under 25, but the exact age will be decided by the working group," said Mongkol.
"It could be 21, 20 or 18 years," said Thawat. "Thai people graduate at about 22 and have the right to vote at 18. It might be too much if those people have no right to buy a drink."
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 10:47 pm on Oct. 20, 2006
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