Alcohol firms 'breaking law with billboard ads'

Alcohol firms 'breaking law with billboard ads'

By Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation
Published on August 26, 2008

Alcohol companies have violated new consumption laws over the past six months by advertising their products on billboards. And this could cause them to be fined Bt 11.5 million, Kamron Choodej, the coordinator of a network that seeks to limit consumption, said yesterday.

Kamron said his network had conducted a survey to monitor alcohol products on billboards after the Alcohol Consumption Control Bill came in to effect in February.

The survey from July 7 to 13 found 23 alcohol products were advertised on billboards beside five main roads in Bangkok, such as Lat Phrao, RamIndra, Pattanakarn and Sukhumvit.

Kamron said all alcohol manufacturers who broke the law could be fined Bt 11.5 million for these offences.

Some companies advertised their products via table covers and light boxes, he noted.

But there had been no action by police to charge offenders despite the law having been in place for six months.