Police to summon 24 celebrities as outcry rages over beer photos

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. 

CPB secretary-general Ampol Wongsiri said celebrities’ posts on “personal spaces” to invite people to drink were within a frame of tie-in alcohol beverage ads. He 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.

 

‘Conspiracy with alcoholic drinks industry?’

Thai academics slammed the celebrities yesterday over their “socially irresponsible” posts, which they believed stemmed from a conspiracy with business people in the alcohol industry to advertise beverages.

Phra Nakhon Rajabhat University’s Communication Arts lecturer Nitha Runkasem said some companies’ marketing people had resorted to hiring “influencer” celebrities to create a trend via social media pages to boost brand awareness. 

“Marketing people might pretend to forget that it is a violation to the article 32, prohibiting anyone to advertise or show label/logo of alcohol drinks to convince others to drink directly or indirectly. There is also a blow to the brand’s creditability by this ‘irresponsible’ marketing approach,” she added.

Songkran Pakchokdee, director of the Stop Drink Network, said such posts with alcohol beverages, intentionally for financial gain or not, was a guiding gesture and would cause children and youths to copy such behaviour. Actors/singers or entertainment business celebrities were considered public figures, so they should be a good example for Thai people, especially the young, he said. These inappropriate actions could also cause such people to be jailed – so it was not worth the payment he or she earned. Businesspeople in the alcohol industry should also be responsible to society by abiding by the law and not trying to take advantage of legal loopholes and “victimising” youths for profit. 

Maha Sarakham University’s health promotion policy research centre director and lecturer Suraksak Chaisong said no matter what changes were made to a new label of alcohol beverage, what was inside was still harmful to health. So the product was not a |normal item that people should advertise for others |to drink.