A network of groups against drink driving on Monday called on the ruling Pheu Thai Party to accept all legislative bills to amend the law governing alcoholic beverages in the first reading, to ensure all are fully debated in the House of Representatives.
About 60 representatives of the network turned up at the Pheu Thai head office to make their plea, amid reports that proposed amendments to the Alcoholic Beverages Control Act would be vetted by the House on Wednesday.
Three proposed amendments, sponsored by civil groups and the main opposition Move Forward Party (MFP), have been submitted to the House. Two more bills, sponsored by the Pheu Thai Party and the Public Health Ministry, were also expected to be tabled.
The representatives called on Pheu Thai leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra to persuade Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin to strike a balance between the needs of the economy and protecting public health in the wake of the government's deciion to extend alcohol sales hours to stimulate tourism and spending.
Ratchthirat Soonsan, wife of a drunk-driving victim, said she directed her plea to the Pheu Thai leader because as a wife and mother herself Ms Paetongtarn could relate to her pain better than the prime minister could.
She said the government should learn a lesson from the cannabis liberalisation policy, blamed for recreational abuse of the drug and health problems. She urged the government not to make the same mistake again as it would be difficult to rectify.
Thirapat Khahawong, coordinator of one of the networks, said the current alcohol laws included provisions to curb the negative impact of alcohol, in line with the guidelines of the World Health Organsiation.
These measures included limiting access to alcohol and regulating advertisements, which were believed to have reduced the number of drinkers, he said. After the law came into effect, the number of people aged 15 years or more who drank alcohol dropped to around 16 million, or about 28% of the population in 2021, from 18 million, or 30%, in 2007.
There were several bills all proposing different amendments and the Pheu Thai Party should accept all of them in the first reading to ensure a thorough consideration of the issue, he said.
He also said the ruling party should make sure that the amendments do not compromise public health. The party should support strict penalties for offenders and set up a fund to assist people affected by any form of alcohol consumption.
Jetsada Yaemsabai, chairman of the Don't Drive Drunk Foundation, said the negative impact of alcoholic beverages was known to be far worse than substances such as tobacco and methamphetamine.
He said while the alcohol control law needs to be reviewed after 16 years of enforcement, care was needed.
"The amendments should not seek to relax controls without adequate preventive measures," he said.