Action against celebrities involved in Chang Beer's alleged social media campaign will be swift, says Kittisak Klabdee, secretary to the Public Health Minister.
Young anti-alcohol advocates hold placards showing blurred images of celebrities posing with bottles of beer, as they gathered on Friday at the Public Health Ministry to call for a probe into suspected tacit ads spread on social media by Chang Beer. (Photo by Tawatchai Kemgumnerd)
Dr Kittisak said on Friday the ministry was collecting evidence and is investigating the Chang Beer company's website and Instagram accounts as well as the celebrities.
The evidence will then be forwarded to police who would summon the celebrities and beer company for questioning to see if they violated Section 32 of the Alcohol Control Act, he added.
The move comes after the Network of Alcohol Marketing Strategy and the Youth Network yesterday tried to discourage people from becoming new drinkers, as they gathered at the Health Ministry to submit a complaint letter and urged the ministry to take legal action against the beer company and celebrities.
Public Health Minister Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn received the letter and has promised to look into the case.
Dr Kittisak said the celebrities were likely to face punishment even though the actors or celebrities denied being paid for the Instagram posts.
The photos posted online clearly featured bottles of Chang beer and the logo with a message encouraging people to drink, he said.
But if there is evidence proving these celebrities were paid for the act, the company that hired them will also face punishment, the secretary added.
Members of the public may also face the same punishment if they post photos of alcoholic drinks with a logo clearly showing as the law that bans advertising also covers marketing communications, Dr Kittisak said.
Section 32 of the Alcohol Control Act bans anyone from advertising alcoholic drinks and from showing the names and logos of alcoholic drinks to promote them.
Violators may face a jail term of up to one year and/or a fine of up to 500,000 baht, or a daily fine of 50,000 baht throughout the period of violation.
Kamron Chudecha, coordinator of the Network of Alcohol Marketing Strategy, said the celebrities who posted photos of themselves with a beer bottle and its logo showing prominently on Instagram during the same period were likely promoting the product.
“We believe the pictures were meant to influence the audience to consume alcohol and to set a trend on social media,” said Mr Kamron, adding the actions were likely to violate the Alcohol Control Act.
It was the clear intention of the brewer to use the seven celebrities posting the photos at the same time on Instagram as a promotion, he said.
Mr Kamron also urged the government to revise the law to close all the legal loopholes and called on the actors and celebrities to behave more responsibly.