The Public Health Ministry has insisted the celebrities who posted photographs of themselves holding Chang beer bottles on social media have clearly violated the alcohol control law.
Twenty-four celebrities came under fire after they posted photos on Instagram. All the posts carried similar messages about the beer and the incident has raised suspicions of tacit advertising aimed at social media users.
Saman Futrakul, director of the Office of the Alcohol Control Committee under the Disease Control Department, said yesterday the celebrities violated Section 32 of the 2008 Alcohol Control Act.
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The alleged violation could be split into two cases, he said. The first pertains to an act to advertise, display, inform or post messages about alcohol drinks for commercial purposes, Dr Saman said. Whether or nor the celebrities were paid for the Instagram postings, they have committed the offence, he said. Secondly, despite claims the celebrities had no intention to commercially promote the booze, they could make others want to consume alcoholic beverages, he said.
Seven of the celebrities must be questioned first as they were engaged in a campaign involving the alcohol business, the officer said, referring to Chang's website promotion of the beer's new bottle colour.
Two of the celebrities -- Virithipa "VJ Woonsen" Pakdeeprasong and Nonthaporn "Ying Yae" Theerawattanasook -- on Sunday turned up at the Office of the Consumer Protection Board to testify. The pair denied being paid by Thai Beverage Plc, the firm behind Chang, claiming they only wanted to help a close friend promote the product.
Dr Saman insisted the celebrities are liable for a one-year jail term and/or a fine of up to 500,000 baht, while ThaiBev could be fined a maximum of 500,000 baht. Meanwhile, deputy police chief Pol Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen said a panel will be set up to probe the alleged tacit alcohol advertising by the celebrities.