PUBLISHED: 25 Mar 2024 at 18: 42
A system of organizations opposed to drink driving on Monday demanded that the ruling Pheu Thai Party accept all legislation that would change the alcoholic beverage industry in the first reading to ensure that the House of Representatives had a full hearing on each bill.
In response to reports that the House had review proposed changes to the Alcoholic Beverages Control Act on Wednesday, about 60 community members showed up at the Pheu Thai head business to make their appeal.  ,
The House received three amendment suggestions, all supported by major opposition parties and the Move Forward Party ( MFP). Two more charges, sponsored by the Pheu Thai Party and the Public Health Ministry, were even expected to remain tabled.
In response to the government’s decision to expand liquor sales hours to encourage tourism and wasting, the representatives called on Pheu Thai head Paetongtarn Shinawatra to urge Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin to strike a balance between the needs of the market and protecting public health.
Ratchthirat Soonsan, the woman of a drunk-driving target, claimed she directed her appeal to the Pheu Thai leader because Ms. Paetongtarn, who is also a wife and mother herself, could understand her pain more than the prime minister.
She argued that the government should take lessons from the cannabis liberalization coverage, which is responsible for health issues and recreational drug abuse. She urged the government to avoid repeating the error because it would be challenging to fix.
Thirapat Khahawong, representative of one of the networks, said the present drinking laws included provisions to suppress the negative effects of drinking, in line with the guidelines of the World Health Organsiation.  ,
These methods included limiting access to alcohol and monitoring advertising, which were believed to possess reduced the number of drinking, 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.
The Pheu Thai Party should take all of the bills in the first reading to maintain a complete consideration of the issue, he said. There were several bills that each proposed various amendments.
He added that the ruling party should ensure that public health is never a concern with the modifications. The party may help rigid penalties for those who violate the law and establish a fund to assist those who are impacted by any type of alcohol consumption.
Jetsada Yaemsabai, chairman of the Do n’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 handle rules needs to be reviewed after 16 years of police, attention was needed.
He claimed that the amendments should not aim to relax controls without taking appropriate preventive measures.