Beer was never my drink of choice until a recent vacation in Germany made me "see the light" as I was introduced to many delicious pilsner, wheat and craft beers.
So I should have been delighted by the recent news that certain branches of 7-Eleven in Bangkok are now offering draught beers on tap. What a marketing novelty, I thought! The timing of the scheme is also perfect considering that Buddhist Lent has just ended.
However, I admit to having some reservations.
- See also: Last 7-Eleven pint pulled
For years, 7-Eleven has served as a modern-day grocery store, a place where shoppers can not only buy food items but also pay their credit card bills and taxes, top up their phone credit and even pay for air fares. The idea of fitting in a cheeky glass of draught beer straight from the tap -- without the hassle of making a detour to a nearby bar or pub -- sounded almost too good to be true.
Anchalee Kongrut writes about the environment in the Life section, Bangkok Post.
Yet the plan appears to have been scuttled after anti-alcohol activists began campaigning against the sale of draught beer at convenience stores. They blame alcohol for the spread of non-communicable diseases and cite it as a major factor in road accidents.
If that were not enough, they have even created a campaign mocking 7-Eleven's summer slogan "Stop by 7-Eleven if you feel hungry". The parody replaces the words "feel hungry" with "get drunk".
While there is much to be said for observing the fifth Buddhist precept of abstaining from alcohol, everyone has the right to make their own mind up about this, and it is not the place of killjoys to dictate how people should live their lives.
They seem not to grasp that in the Land of Smiles, anyone of legal age is free to buy whiskey, cold beer or wine at 7-Eleven and other stores. So the question is, what difference does draught beer make?
According to Kamron Chudecha, coordinator of the Stop Drink Network, the difference is substantial. The point, he says, is that 7-Eleven has shifted its role. It is "not selling but serving draught beer".
"Those who purchase a can or a bottle of beer can decide later when to consume it. But draught beer requires consumers to drink it right away," he added, quite rightly.
As he suggests, this could encourage drunk driving and lead to other legal violations, such as underage drinking.
Mr Kamron added that the network has no intention of depriving consumers of their right to enjoy draught beer or get drunk.
Of course, he is aware people still can get drunk if they want by purchasing canned beer, whiskey, wine or spirits from convenience stores.
"In many countries, drinking in convenience stores is not allowed. If you want to drink and enjoy fresh beer, you have to go to appropriate places such as bars," he said.
In response, the authorities have ordered sales assistants at 7-Eleven branches to cover the names and logos of the draught beers with a cloth.
The Department of Disease Control, which at first did not see legal problem with selling draught beer on tap at such stores as long as customers were not allowed to serve themselves, later made a U-turn and said it will reexamine the law.
This represents something of a legal grey area as the stores have been granted a permit to sell, not serve, alcohol.
In the latest development, CP All, which operates 7-Eleven stores in Thailand, has decided to bow to the pressure by voluntarily withdrawing the taps until the matter is settled.
Excessive alcohol consumption is a big issue in Thailand. In recent years the government, under pressure from teetotal activists, has put in place a number of measures to try and curb this such as "zoning" -- to ensure there are no pubs or bars near schools and universities -- as well as banning advertisements for alcoholic beverages and limiting when alcohol can be sold.
However, this has done nothing to reduce the rate at which is alcohol is consumed.
I agree with the need to regulate alcohol. In my opinion, this means implementing the appropriate regulations that recognise the rights of grown-ups to pursue happiness yet still be able to follow public order, including driving safely.
I believe this will send the right message to the young generation that if they want to drink, they have to do so responsibly -- and avoid binge-drinking.
So should 7-Eleven be selling draught beer on tap? As much as my inner drinker would love to say yes -- the answer is probably no, not until we show we can drink more responsibly as a nation.