Most people ‘disagree with graphic booze labels’

Government survey notes concerns and says proposals and designs will be considered further

The vast majority of Thais do not agree with the plan to require makers of alcoholic beverages to put a graphic label on each container to warn people of the dangers of excessive drinking, a government survey shows.

The Department of Disease Control said that 87% of 1,040 respondents it surveyed said they disagreed with the plan. The respondents came from a variety of backgrounds, including scholars, entrepreneurs and business owners, it said.

The results of the survey will be presented to the subcommittee responsible for the labels, which will then adapt the draft rules before presenting them to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee for further consideration.

Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn, the DDC director-general, tried to allay public concern about the plan, saying the draft was simply an initial reaction to academic opinions calling for graphic warnings similar to those found on cigarette packs.

The rule would require the warnings to take up at least 50% of the space on the largest side of a rectangular container and 30% on a cylindrical container.

The warnings would have four colours and nine variations. They must be clearly visible and accompanied by text warnings, such as “Alcoholic beverages can cause cancer”, “Drinking alcohol can cause heart disease”, “Drinking alcohol can cause sexual dysfunction”, or “Drinking alcohol can cause violence”.

If approved, the new rule would come into effect 180 days after it is published in the Royal Gazette.

The issue grabbed headlines after Taopiphop Limjittrakorn, a Move Forward Party MP and proponent of liberalised liquor-production rules, posted a picture of mock-up bottles and cans featuring warnings created by the Craft Beer Association on his Facebook page on Monday.