Alcohol Industry Seeks Clearer Rules on Marketing Controls

The Thai Alcoholic Beverage Trade Association (TABBA), together with craft beer associations, local spirit groups, and content creator networks, held a forum titled "Section 32 Continued: Seeking Fair Alcohol Marketing Rules" at KRAM Bar in Bangkok to gather views from business operators, legal experts, content creators, and the public on secondary regulations under Section 32/1 of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act. The forum followed the Disease Control Department's consultation on draft criteria and conditions for ministerial announcement under Section 32/1 on September 9, 2025, which also proposed guidelines on Section 32/2 regarding influencers and media professionals.

The forum reached consensus in supporting the government's child and youth protection goals and prevention of new drinkers. However, industry groups recommended the government review the draft announcement for clarity, proportionality, and alignment with actual business practices, while balancing social protection with economic development and consumer rights.

TABBA president Anchalee Poomisrikaew expressed concern that current regulations lack clarity on product and packaging images, risking interpretation as "persuasive advertising" when they should be basic consumer information rights. She noted that showing packaging with factual data such as ingredients, geographical indication, alcohol content, taste, and price should be permitted, and that restrictions harm all business sizes, especially small producers and food content creators. She also proposed extending exemptions for product information displays at point-of-sale to all properly licensed alcohol retailers, including restaurants, bars, cafes, and community shops, not only those licensed under the Entertainment Venues Act of 1967.