New proposed alcohol rules restrict beer images, alarm craft brewers

Supapong Pruenglamphu, the president of the Craft Beer Business Association, has expressed concerns over proposed alcohol rules in Thailand that could significantly restrict how craft beer businesses communicate about their products. The draft regulations, which pertain to Section 32/1 of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, require health warnings to cover at least one-third of the media space and limit names and logos to just 5%.

Supapong stated that these proposals remain under consideration and have yet to be approved. He criticized the broad interpretation of "directly or indirectly" when it comes to encouraging consumption, as it could lead to substantial ambiguity during enforcement. The proposed rules would limit the alcohol-related content in images and require substantial health warnings, potentially making beer menus and online posts resemble cigarette packaging.

Supapong expressed worries that the restrictions could pose practical challenges for venues with extensive selections, such as bars with multiple draught beer taps. He also questioned the broad definition of "media" and how the rules might extend to signs, glasses, kegs, or staff clothing. Furthermore, Supapong raised concerns about exemptions for licensed venues and how the rules could impact beer festivals, where the distinction between government-organized and privately organized events may become ambiguous.

The Craft Beer Business Association has criticized the proposed controls as excessive and pledged to oppose them. Supapong emphasized that all these concerns are based on his interpretation of the consultation documents, as the final rules have not been determined following the September 9 consultation.