OPINION

Alcohol an adult issue

Re: “Law well past sell-by date in beer scandal”, (Opinion, Oct 13). The recent publicity over celebrities posting “selfies” that included bottles of Chang beer underlines the ineptitude of the government in developing meaningful laws for the alcohol beverage industry.

First, alcoholic beverages are a legal product for sale in Thailand. It appears the Alcohol Control Act and actions taken by the Public Health Ministry attempt to cast an aura of illegality over these legal products by limiting the advertisement of alcohol beverages and prohibiting their sale in supermarkets from 2pm to 5pm. Should auto advertising be banned because it also causes death and mayhem? The net result of these actions is zero.

Alcohol consumption continues to rise in Thailand and is expected to reach 8.3 litres per capita by the end of 2015. The kinds of alcohol which Thais consume are also at variance with the trend in the rest of the world.

In Thailand, 72.6% of alcohol consumed is high proof (30-40%), 27% is beer. In the rest of the world, 194 countries consume 89% beer, 6% wine (7-14% alcohol) and 5% high-proof liquor. If this represents “Thai culture”, it surely needs to be changed in the 21st century to a healthier profile.

The missing component in the alcohol sector is the Excise Department. In just about every modern country alcohol beverages are taxed on the amount of alcohol they contain. Alcohol By Volume (ABV) is the international standard for taxation: the higher percentage of alcohol, the higher the tax.

This standard is imposed to move drinkers to consume beer and wine that contain much less alcohol and away from hard liquor. The taxes on domestically produced liquor in Thailand have risen but the taxes on beer and wine are proportionately higher.

Lao khao can be purchased for well under 100 baht per bottle, and is even cheaper in Isan than in Bangkok. The excise tax policies in Thailand should come under increased scrutiny as to why they do not meet the ABV standard.

Lastly, anti-alcohol groups should stop parading children or gullible students in front of cameras for “photo ops” to bring attention to their cause. This is flagrant exploitation of children and young people. Adults and adult minds are needed to deal with the alcohol issue.

David Swartzentruber

Jenny Moxham in her Oct 12 letter, “Hooked on a fallacy”, tells of the suffering of fish being as bad as the suffering of any animals or birds. Our oceans are acidifying and sea grasses are dying because of the thousands of refrigerated super trawlers, commercial and recreational fishers.

World famous oceanographer, Sylvia Earle, announced recently that 90% of the world’s large fish are gone. Deep diving whales cause plankton to be brought up to the photic zone. Whales fertilise this plankton which feeds the krill, so the depleted number of whales cause the food chain to be broken. Dying oceans mean a dying planet.

Today, pregnant women and children are advised not to eat fish as it is contaminated with heavy metals.

The taste of fish is a luxury we can no longer afford, for our health and the health of our fragile earth.

Diane Cornelius

If ex-PM Yingluck Shinawatra is indeed guilty, I have no problems with confiscating her assets as provided for by law — but it must be by court order, not an administrative one.

For reconciliation, all Thais must see that we have rule of law, impartially administered without fear or favour.

Coup leader Gen Prayut is certainly not neutral vis-a-vis his predecessor, and hence his administrative order against her could — perhaps rightly — be viewed as nothing more than victor’s justice.

It will also make reconciliation next to impossible.

Yes, without an administrative order, the court may not reach a verdict before the two-year statute of limitations expires. But Gen Prayut knew of the statute’s limits when he grabbed power 17 months ago — why didn’t he file charges then?

Yes, if Yingluck thinks the order is unfair, she can appeal to the Administrative Court. If that’s a good reason to issue orders instead of going through the courts, why not do away with the lower courts entirely, and just issue orders in all appealable cases?

Gen Prayut, justice must not only be done, but must be shown to be done.

Burin Kantabutra

CONTACT: BANGKOK POST BUILDING 136 Na Ranong Road Klong Toey, Bangkok 10110 Fax: +02 6164000 email:

All letter writers must provide full name and address.

All published correspondence is subject to editing at our discretion.