A drink stall is facing prosecution for selling beer popsicles at a city night market following an inspection by authorities that found more than a dozen businesses breaking alcohol laws.
The Office of the Alcohol Control Committee said it was seeking criminal charges against a stall owner at the Neon Fest Bkk night market in Lumpini Square for selling the beer popsicles to customers.
The law prohibits the sale of the popsicles as authorities could not be certain whether the beer used to make them was legally produced or obtained, according to Samarn Futrakul, the office director.
An inspection of the night market on Friday also found that the stall selling the beer popsicles had failed to display a licence to sell alcohol, an offence carrying a maximum jail term of one year and a fine of up to 500,000 baht.
Dr Samarn added the stall also breached the law by advertising the beer popsicles online.
He said 15 other drink stalls at the night market sold alcohol to customers under the age of 20, which breaches the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act. Violators are liable for a jail term of up to six years and a maximum fine of 10,000 baht.
Dr Samarn said the office has formally asked the police to press charges against the stalls.
The popsicle stall owner and the 15 other stalls also did not secure licences to sell alcohol directly from the Excise Department but through a third party. That company agreed to obtain the licences for the stalls on the condition that they sell only one brand of beer. The third-party firm is affiliated with the supplier of the beer.
Dr Samarn said the committee’s litigation officers were also checking to see whether they could seek legal charges against the third party for colluding with the stalls in breaking the law.
Kamron Choodecha, manager of the Friends of the Youths for Development Foundation, said the sale of beer in the form of popsicles apparently targeted youths and was difficult to regulate.
He said youngsters are easily drawn to the popsicles and they are naturally curious and eager to try new things.
He suggested the law should be amended to clearly define how far a seller could go in marketing, advertising and selling alcoholic drinks in a transformed state.
He also noted alcohol was being made widely available due to the issuance of temporary licences to sell alcohol.