The damage has already been done, regardless if the proposed law is now on the back burner. Pete
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BANGKOK (Reuters) - The venue for next year's Johnnie Walker Classic has been switched from Thailand to South Korea after the Kingdom's new military-backed government banned alcohol advertising, Thai media said on Saturday.
The co-sanctioned Asian and European Tour event was due to be held at the Blue Canyon resort on the island of Phuket from March 1-4, but organizers have decided to move the $4.3 million tournament to an undisclosed location in South Korea, the Bangkok Post reported.
Thailand will ban alcohol advertising in all forms of media from December 5 in a bid to curb underage drinking.
Domestic alcohol consumption has tripled in the last 14 years, with some 19 million Thais -- nearly 30 percent of the population -- drinking regularly, according to official statistics.
The new interim government, in place following a military coup on Sept 19, has considered raising the minimum age for buying alcohol from 18 to 25.
The newspaper said Thai organizers had spent US$800,000 renovating the Phuket golf course ahead of next year's tournament.
Shoot thyself in the foot!
It's a shame that these muppets have absolutely no idea of how the rest of the world works.
Stuck away in their ivory towers, they'll be the death of this country.
(Mind you, TRT was no better). It exasperates me sometimes that they can be so bliase (sic) about their country.
C'mon people, you're part of the rest of the world, aren't you. Or maybe you just don't want to join in and play?
As you say, Pete, it's too late for the golf tournament now, with what kind of repercussions for Phuket?
Good forward planning, eh?
Stuck away in their ivory towers, they'll be the death of this country.
(Mind you, TRT was no better). It exasperates me sometimes that they can be so bliase (sic) about their country.
C'mon people, you're part of the rest of the world, aren't you. Or maybe you just don't want to join in and play?
As you say, Pete, it's too late for the golf tournament now, with what kind of repercussions for Phuket?
Good forward planning, eh?
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Wanderlust
- Legend
- Posts: 2862
- Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2004 12:27 pm
- Location: Hua Hin
Much as I would like to agree with you in terms of some of the things that occur over here, this is not one of them lomu. Alcohol advertising is extremely limited in Europe and many parts of the world in terms of when and where, although not totally banned, while the measures in Thailand were altered (and still not law yet) to cater for sporting events specifically - for example they realised that Everton are sponsored by Chang beer and that it wasn't practical, popular nor feasible to black out the advertising when Premier League football is being played. I think this golf tournament pull out says more about the sponsors than the Thai regime, and I hope that the golf course and organisers here have some sort of contract with which to beat them over the head with. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if this decision gets reversed, nor if the government measures get watered down - too many affected parties methinks.lomuamart wrote:It's a shame that these muppets have absolutely no idea of how the rest of the world works.
Stuck away in their ivory towers, they'll be the death of this country.
(Mind you, TRT was no better). It exasperates me sometimes that they can be so bliase (sic) about their country.
C'mon people, you're part of the rest of the world, aren't you. Or maybe you just don't want to join in and play?
As you say, Pete, it's too late for the golf tournament now, with what kind of repercussions for Phuket?
Good forward planning, eh?
I'd agree with that, Wanderlust, but the controls in the UK were "self-imposed".
I worked on Fleet Street for a few years and was there when the big distillers finally broke their gentleman's aggreement and started advertising. The reason they didn't before was because they thought it was too expensive, so all agreed not to do it. (Think it was Teachers who broke the agreement).
Another aspect, of course, is the vast amounts of money they all pour into other forms of advertising - such as golf, football, motor racing etc. That from of sponsorship is far more sublimal and non-responsive - in terms of actually guaging money earnt through sales.
So, these sponsors, such as Johnnie Walker are extremely powerful. Their pulling out of the golf is a definite statement to the authorities here that they can and will go elsewhere with their money.
Wonder whether they'll take that advertisement off the skyscraper in Bangkok?
I'm not disagreeing with you. The proposed law is being watered down - I wonder why? Money talks and walks.
I worked on Fleet Street for a few years and was there when the big distillers finally broke their gentleman's aggreement and started advertising. The reason they didn't before was because they thought it was too expensive, so all agreed not to do it. (Think it was Teachers who broke the agreement).
Another aspect, of course, is the vast amounts of money they all pour into other forms of advertising - such as golf, football, motor racing etc. That from of sponsorship is far more sublimal and non-responsive - in terms of actually guaging money earnt through sales.
So, these sponsors, such as Johnnie Walker are extremely powerful. Their pulling out of the golf is a definite statement to the authorities here that they can and will go elsewhere with their money.
Wonder whether they'll take that advertisement off the skyscraper in Bangkok?
I'm not disagreeing with you. The proposed law is being watered down - I wonder why? Money talks and walks.
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Guess
- Deceased
- Posts: 3470
- Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2005 3:01 pm
- Location: BangSaphan. Laurasia. Sub thumb
On a general note, which has been mentioned before on this site, the banning, reduction of abailability and reduced publicity has not been proven as a deterrent as far as anything is concerend.
Education, unfortunately historically from religious organisations but not always, has proven more successful.
There are exceptions. When gun laws were tightened in Britain and New York robberies and murders decreased.
In most cases, especially with intoxicating substances, age laws and time restrictions on alchohol sales had a distinct tendancy to increase the problem.
Relaxation has had the opposite effect.
I still stand by the statement I made the other day on another topic is that
Thailand should be talking to experts in the West who have had the problems many years ago when they were going through a similar economic transition. I suppose that may be considered loosing face. It should not be though when people's live and futures are at stake. The Japanese government had no problem to call in sociologists from the US and Germany when they had youth problems in the late seventies.
The whole topic takes a great deal of research. Knee jerk reactions and blanket rulings are not the way as has been proven in many countruies many times.
One recent example was in Iran where the death penalty was introdeuced for anybody who was found in possesion of Heroin or had eveidence against them that they were dealing in it. It had little effect on the epedemic in Iran and many people were hung while they were utilising this law. It may still carry on today. One effect the laws have had is to move the supply from the small man to the large organised international criminal gangs who can buy protection from the law and will fund Terrorist groups in exchange for protection. The Mujahadeen, the Northern Alliance
and even Al Q'eda have been beneficiaries.
I am offering no prizes for you to guess who would be the beneficiraries of the law changes for alcohol here in Thailand. Thoe who remember the Ya Ba clamp sown of four years ago will get an inkling as to what I mean.
Education, unfortunately historically from religious organisations but not always, has proven more successful.
There are exceptions. When gun laws were tightened in Britain and New York robberies and murders decreased.
In most cases, especially with intoxicating substances, age laws and time restrictions on alchohol sales had a distinct tendancy to increase the problem.
Relaxation has had the opposite effect.
I still stand by the statement I made the other day on another topic is that
Thailand should be talking to experts in the West who have had the problems many years ago when they were going through a similar economic transition. I suppose that may be considered loosing face. It should not be though when people's live and futures are at stake. The Japanese government had no problem to call in sociologists from the US and Germany when they had youth problems in the late seventies.
The whole topic takes a great deal of research. Knee jerk reactions and blanket rulings are not the way as has been proven in many countruies many times.
One recent example was in Iran where the death penalty was introdeuced for anybody who was found in possesion of Heroin or had eveidence against them that they were dealing in it. It had little effect on the epedemic in Iran and many people were hung while they were utilising this law. It may still carry on today. One effect the laws have had is to move the supply from the small man to the large organised international criminal gangs who can buy protection from the law and will fund Terrorist groups in exchange for protection. The Mujahadeen, the Northern Alliance
and even Al Q'eda have been beneficiaries.
I am offering no prizes for you to guess who would be the beneficiraries of the law changes for alcohol here in Thailand. Thoe who remember the Ya Ba clamp sown of four years ago will get an inkling as to what I mean.
[color=blue][size=134]Care in the community success story.[/size][/color]
Re: Shoot thyself in the foot!
prcscct wrote:The damage has already been done, regardless if the proposed law is now on the back burner. Pete
___________________________
BANGKOK (Reuters) - The venue for next year's Johnnie Walker Classic has been switched from Thailand to South Korea after the Kingdom's new military-backed government banned alcohol advertising, Thai media said on Saturday.
The co-sanctioned Asian and European Tour event was due to be held at the Blue Canyon resort on the island of Phuket from March 1-4, but organizers have decided to move the $4.3 million tournament to an undisclosed location in South Korea, the Bangkok Post reported.
Thailand will ban alcohol advertising in all forms of media from December 5 in a bid to curb underage drinking.
Domestic alcohol consumption has tripled in the last 14 years, with some 19 million Thais -- nearly 30 percent of the population -- drinking regularly, according to official statistics.
The new interim government, in place following a military coup on Sept 19, has considered raising the minimum age for buying alcohol from 18 to 25.
The newspaper said Thai organizers had spent US$800,000 renovating the Phuket golf course ahead of next year's tournament.
I agree the damage is done...They have missed the train...30% of the population....mg.....
Here in New Zealand the Govt lowered the drinking age to 18 from 20,all this to build up the coffers.The repercussion's have started of doing this..Now they are propossing to make N.Z smoke free,which is good,,I'm a smoker myself but the taxes we pay for this habit is costly..so in saying this i can only assume our in-come tax will only increase more,which i think is up there already with the heaviest.......
Peace Out.........Every day is a good day 6ft above the ground
Heres one from todays Nation, it appears they're trying to make up for it by increasing the tax ...
Tax on alcohol to be raised by 2 per cent
Excise tax collected on alcohol sales would be raised about 2 per cent to raise an extra Bt2 billion a year to help subsidise local sports, which stand to lose significant sponsorship from the ban on alcohol advertising.
The tax rise was proposed by a government committee set up by the Cabinet to reassess the Alcohol Control Act, which met yesterday.
The meeting approved raising the age limit at which people can buy alcohol from 18 to 20 years old.
The committee, made up of officials from the Culture, Tourism and Sports, Education, Commerce, Justice, and Public Health ministries, is chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Industry Minister Kosit Panpiemras.
Public Health Minister Mongkol na Songkhla said the tax-rise proposal stemmed from concern about the loss of Bt200 million worth of sponsorship a year from beverage companies that subsidised the sports sector - after the ban on alcohol ads, due to start in December.
The tax rise would bring in more than Bt2 billion in excise income. The additional tax would be added to a 2-per-cent tax collected by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation and could go to sports sponsorship.
Officials at the meeting resolved to increase the minimum age at which people can purchase alcoholic drinks. The new proposed age limit - 20 years - replaces the original proposal to raise the minimum drinking age to 25 in the Alcohol Control Act. Cabinet said last week the issue should be reconsidered.
Health Minister Mongkol said: "At the age of 20, people reach their maturity and can legally enter nightclubs. It would be convenient for officers and sellers to follow the law [for this age]."
The revised bill will be put to the Cabinet next month.
Prasarn Maruekkapitak, from the Social Venture Network, called on drink companies yesterday to support a 24-hour ban on alcohol ads, saying that alcohol producers made as much as Bt100 billion a year - while the health costs caused by alcohol were five times that amount.
"From 1996 to 2003, the number of new drinkers aged from 11 to 19 increased by six times, or 1.6 million people. This means 32 per cent of people of that age became drinkers. The figures are shocking," he said.
Meanwhile, Cabinet yesterday discussed road-safety measures for the New Year festival.
Source: The Nation
Tax on alcohol to be raised by 2 per cent
Excise tax collected on alcohol sales would be raised about 2 per cent to raise an extra Bt2 billion a year to help subsidise local sports, which stand to lose significant sponsorship from the ban on alcohol advertising.
The tax rise was proposed by a government committee set up by the Cabinet to reassess the Alcohol Control Act, which met yesterday.
The meeting approved raising the age limit at which people can buy alcohol from 18 to 20 years old.
The committee, made up of officials from the Culture, Tourism and Sports, Education, Commerce, Justice, and Public Health ministries, is chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Industry Minister Kosit Panpiemras.
Public Health Minister Mongkol na Songkhla said the tax-rise proposal stemmed from concern about the loss of Bt200 million worth of sponsorship a year from beverage companies that subsidised the sports sector - after the ban on alcohol ads, due to start in December.
The tax rise would bring in more than Bt2 billion in excise income. The additional tax would be added to a 2-per-cent tax collected by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation and could go to sports sponsorship.
Officials at the meeting resolved to increase the minimum age at which people can purchase alcoholic drinks. The new proposed age limit - 20 years - replaces the original proposal to raise the minimum drinking age to 25 in the Alcohol Control Act. Cabinet said last week the issue should be reconsidered.
Health Minister Mongkol said: "At the age of 20, people reach their maturity and can legally enter nightclubs. It would be convenient for officers and sellers to follow the law [for this age]."
The revised bill will be put to the Cabinet next month.
Prasarn Maruekkapitak, from the Social Venture Network, called on drink companies yesterday to support a 24-hour ban on alcohol ads, saying that alcohol producers made as much as Bt100 billion a year - while the health costs caused by alcohol were five times that amount.
"From 1996 to 2003, the number of new drinkers aged from 11 to 19 increased by six times, or 1.6 million people. This means 32 per cent of people of that age became drinkers. The figures are shocking," he said.
Meanwhile, Cabinet yesterday discussed road-safety measures for the New Year festival.
Source: The Nation
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson