Chanin cites the case of 'Lisa drinking beer' to urge the government to expedite secondary legislation that promotes Thai alcohol advertising and creates business opportunities, in line with the parliament's intent.
On 19 Sep 2026, Mr. Chanin Rungthanakiat, Deputy Secretary-General of the Pheu Thai Party, posted on his personal social media commenting on the case of 'Lisa' drinking beer. He noted that the online debate about Lisa drinking a Thai beer brand on a foreign talk show, which was widely shared, raised questions about whether this violated Thai law. He believes the core issue is legal clarity. The previous House of Representatives amended the Alcohol Control Act, which was promulgated on 8 Nov last year, but the required secondary legislation under this law has yet to be completed.
Mr. Chanin said that as Deputy Chair of the Special Committee reviewing this amendment, the parliament revised Section 32/1 to state, 'No person shall advertise alcoholic beverages except for providing information, knowledge, or publicity in accordance with criteria and methods prescribed by the Minister upon the advice of the committee.' This means that communication or presentation of alcoholic products is now more permissible but must comply with the secondary legislation's framework.
The intent behind this amendment reflects parliament's consensus that alcoholic products are among goods capable of generating economic value from tourism and agricultural product processing. Allowing producers more opportunity to communicate about their products will enable all Thai brands, especially small businesses, to become key drivers of the grassroots economy and expand into wider markets.
According to the law, the secondary legislation must be completed within one year, by 8 Nov 2026. However, the sooner it is enacted, the sooner clarity can be provided. Therefore, Mr. Chanin urges relevant agencies to accelerate this process to reduce public confusion and promptly open more business opportunities for Thai producers.