Beer garden operators play down row over alcohol ad laws
SEVERAL beer garden operators have declined to respond to the allegation that beer gardens violate the Alcohol Control Act - although they claim they sell more food than alcohol.
Beer gardens have been the target of a campaign to control alcohol advertising led by Dr Samarn Futrakul, director of the Alcohol Control Committee Office.
Samarn said the fourth quarter was the high season for the alcohol industry, as operators try to boost sales by opening beer gardens and using music marketing by sponsoring concerts and music festivals.
He claimed that these activities were in violation of Alcoholic Control Act.
The Nation asked beer garden operators in front of Central World in Bangkok to respond to the allegation but they would not, saying it was a sensitive issue. They did, however, say the law was unclear in regard to what they can and cannot do.
They also said that serving alcohol was secondary to serving food and patrons did not have to order alcohol.
Attractive waitresses who wear the uniforms of alcoholic drink companies are used at beer gardens, but merely to take orders and are not presenters of the companies, they said.
Dr Samarn will reportedly summon another 19 celebrities to state their case over the controversy stemming from stars posting images online of them with alcoholic beverages, allegedly in violation of the Alcoholic Control Act.
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