Online alcohol sales targeted

A sign is posted at a 7-Eleven outlet asking for cooperation not to sell alcoholic beverage near educational institutions. (Bangkok Post file photo)

The alcohol drinking control authority is considering amending the alcoholic beverage control law to "manage" alcohol sales including online sales and delivery to prevent underage drinking.

Saman Futrakul, director of the Disease Control Department's Office of the Alcohol Control Committee, said the government has instructed state agencies to review their laws to make their enforcement more efficient.

The 2008 Alcoholic Beverage Control Act should be updated to cover new forms of alcoholic beverage sales, particularly Article 30, Dr Saman said.

Under the existing law, some types of alcohol sale transactions are not covered, including online sales and delivery. Some traditional drinks such as the fermented alcohol and herbal mix, or ya dong, which is sold as shots, are also not covered.

Dr Saman said ya dong has three times the alcohol content of beer and it is popular among teenagers who can easily buy it to mix with soft drinks and few legal controls can stop them.

Unlike most other alcoholic drinks, no age limits apply to people buying traditional medicinal alcohol.