BANGKOK — The Thai House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed a new Alcohol Control Bill with a vote of 365-0, with three members not casting votes. The bill, which contained 38 sections, was approved on March 19 after extensive debate.
A key highlight of the legislation is the amendment to Section 32, which previously prohibited all alcohol advertising and display of alcohol brand names or logos that could be seen as promoting consumption either directly or indirectly.
The House voted 371-1 against keeping this restrictive provision, with one abstention and three members not voting. This effectively removes the previous ban, opening the door for alcohol promotion.
Under the current law, violations of Section 32 carry a 50,000 baht fine. The amendment will now allow for advertising and promotion of alcoholic beverages within certain guidelines.
Supporting Small Producers
Chanin Roongthanakiat, a Pheu Thai Party list MP and First Vice Chairman of the special committee considering the bill, expressed gratitude to fellow representatives for supporting the amendment. On Facebook, he highlighted two major problems with the previous enforcement of Section 32: ordinary citizens being prosecuted simply for taking photos that included alcohol product logos, and small entrepreneurs lacking channels to communicate about their products, hindering business growth.
“This amendment will allow small entrepreneurs and community beer and liquor producers to promote their products by potentially displaying product images, logos, ingredients, production methods, origins, or product characteristics according to guidelines established by the committee,” Chanin stated. “This enables us to promote community beer and liquor products, making them recognized and accepted internationally, and truly enhancing our country’s soft power.”
The bill will now be forwarded to the Senate for approval.
Uneven Enforcement
The current Alcohol Control Act dates back to 2008 and was implemented to control advertising by large alcohol companies. However, it has been criticized that in practice, effective control has been impossible to achieve.
The large companies have been able to purchase beer advertisements in foreign countries that appear in globally broadcast events transmitted live to Thailand, such as English Premier League football, Formula One racing, and others.
Meanwhile, it failed to clearly specify what forms of advertising were permitted or prohibited, giving officials broad discretion in interpretation and creating opportunities for corruption.
Furthermore, the existing law does not accommodate small-scale liquor producers or community distilleries. On January 15, 2025, the Thai House of Representatives unanimously approved the Community Alcoholic Beverage Bill with 415 votes in favor, signaling a significant shift in Thailand’s beverage production landscape.
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