Police to summon 24 celebrities as outcry rages over beer photos
Play
Police will summon 24 entertainment celebrities about their posting pictures of themselves with beer products on social media, which looked to clearly violate article 26 of the Alcohol Beverage Control Act 2008, deputy police chief Pol General Pongsapat P
Their actions were inappropriate for people of public standing, he said. Police would ask the stars what their motivation was behind such posts, in order to enforce the law – not to bully or pick faults with them.
Pongsapat spoke following a meeting yesterday of the Police Consumer Protection Division, the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (CPB) and the Excise Department. He said it did not matter if people posting pictures of themselves drinking alcoholic drinks on social media – intentionally or otherwise – were actors or not, it would still be illegal because brand labels were clearly shown. If they also added a caption suggesting should drink, it could also be a violation of the article 32, he said.
He said celebrities’ posts on “personal spaces” to invite people to drink were within a frame of tie-in alcohol beverage ads. CPB secretary-general Ampol Wongsiri said people who violate article 26 could face up to a year in prison and/or a fine of up to Bt100,000, while violations of article 32 were punishable by up to a year in jail and/or a fine of up to Bt500,000.
