Call for liquor |industry to 'practise modesty'
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Drinkers are advised to not get carried away with heavy campaigning by liquor sellers in the run-up to Buddhist Lent, during which alcohol-restraint is practised among Thai Buddhists throughout the three-month period.
A Bangkok seminar on alcohol control yesterday called on liquor producers or sellers to reduce their sponsorship and to practise modesty.
Chulalongkorn University lecturer, Prof Parichart Satapitanon, placed the blame firmly on the corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities of liquor producers in areas of sports and entertainment, which, she said, sought to instil long-term brand loyalty among young people – although their CSR events had did not directly encourage youngsters to drink, she added.
Parichart called on the liquor industry to sponsor CSR activities that didn’t focus on brand recognition and invest more in assistance programmes aimed at helping victims of drink-driving and alcohol abuse. The lecturer emphasised the negative impact of the liquor industry’s sponsorship of entertainment and sporting events, which she said were a “magnet” for young people.
The director of StopDrink foundation, Songkran Pakchokdee, said liquor sellers feared the “Stop Drinking During Khao Phansa [Buddhist Lent]” campaign, which had been very effective in discouraging drinking among young Thai people.
