Abstract
This study explores how younger Thai generation perceived alcohol control policies under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act (2008), Excise Act (2017), and Land Traffic Act (1979), within the context of a developing country like Thailand. Using a qualitative approach, 15 participants aged 18 to 41 from the Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR), including both drinkers and non-drinkers, were interviewed through semi-structured, in-depth face-to-face sessions. Content analysis was applied to the verbal data. Findings indicated that the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act was perceived as effective in regulating producers, sales, advertising, and treatment services, though some measures were perceived as ineffective. The Excise Act was perceived as ineffective in changing drinking behaviors and controlling alcohol sales. The Land Traffic Act was viewed as effective in regulating drunk individuals’ behaviors. The study highlights the importance of clear communication and education on alcohol policies to enhance compliance among the younger generation. Future research should extend to other regions in Thailand and other developing countries.
Plain Language Summary
This study looks at how young people in Thailand thought about the country’s alcohol control laws, including the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act (2008), Excise Act (2017), and Land Traffic Act (1979). Fifteen people aged 18–41 from Bangkok region, both drinkers and non-drinkers, were interviewed in face-to-face sessions. The analysis showed that the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act was mostly effective in controlling producers, sales, advertising, and treatment programs, though some parts did not work well. The Excise Act was seen as ineffective at changing drinking habits or controlling alcohol sales. The Land Traffic Act was effective in managing drunk driving. The study suggests that clear information and education on these laws could help young people follow them. Future studies should look at other regions of Thailand and other developing countries.
Introduction
Alcohol consumption among young individuals poses severe health risks. Globally, drinking among young people may appear to have changed little over the last two decades. However, this pattern obscures shifts at national and regional levels. For example, alcohol use among the young appears to be declining in North America and Europe. However, the consumption is growing in developing countries. Nigeria, Brazil, India, and China have all reported either rising consumption or no noticeable drop (World Health Organization, 2023b). In Thailand, a survey of alcohol consumption behaviors in 2017 indicated that alcohol consumption in Thai society remained popular among those aged 15 years old and over, with approximately 15.9 million people, or 28.4% of the total Thai population being drinkers. When considering age groups, drinkers were predominantly in the young working population aged 25 to 41 years old at 36%, with regular drinkers accounting for 16.2%. Among adolescents aged 15 to 19 years old, the alcohol consumption rate accounted for 13.6%. Additionally, nearly 98.7% of young people under 20 years old can purchase alcohol themselves (Office of the Alcohol Control Committee, 2020). In line with the increasing trend in developing countries, there was an increase of 53.3% in new Thai drinkers among younger generation in 2021 (National Statistical Office, 2021). Recently, the consumption rate among people aged 15 to 19 years old increased from 9% in 2021 to 9.6% in 2024, while for those aged 20 to 24 years old, it rose from 31.6% to 37.8% over the same period (Centre for Alcohol Studies, 2025).
Marketing, advertising, social media, and pricing all influence alcohol use in young people (Chaaban et al., 2022; Finan et al., 2020; McCreanor et al., 2025; Moreno & Whitehill, 2014). Young people’s decisions on alcohol consumption are greatly influenced by the environment in which they live. The primary risk factors for youth alcohol use and associated damage are environmental variables. Higher alcohol outlet density, unrestricted alcohol promotion and advertising, cheap alcohol beverage costs, and items that make alcohol more affordable are all examples of environments that normalize alcohol usage (World Health Organization, 2023a). Correspondingly, in the Thai context, an environment in which the younger generation perceives an increase in alcohol consumption use as common is a crucial determinant in their decision to drink. Other encouraging factors include exposure to alcohol advertising, growing up in families with drinkers, and peer influence (Centre for Alcohol Studies, 2016). A significant factor contributing to the increase in drinking includes advertising through social media, especially the use of influencers as advertisers in various campaigns and channels such as discounts, giveaways, music events, and sports competitions (Hfocus, 2023; Thai Health Report, 2023).
A multifaceted strategy that addresses issues like marketing, pricing, accessibility, and drunk driving is key to effective alcohol control efforts (World Health Organization, 2018). Practically, alcohol control policies are laws, rules, and regulations designed to prevent and lessen the harm caused by alcohol (Ilhan & Yapar, 2020). Approved by the World Health Assembly in 2022, the Global Alcohol Action Plan has placed emphasis on using alcohol legislation and alcohol control efforts as an action-oriented approach to reverse rising alcohol harm (McCambridge & Lesch, 2024). The Thai government has implemented legislative measures to control alcohol consumption with the aim of preventing new drinkers, especially among younger generation, while reducing the volume of alcohol consumed by current alcohol drinkers (Witvorapong et al., 2016). The alcohol control policies in Thailand are primarily outlined in three main laws. Firstly, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act B.E. 2551 (2008) of the Ministry of Public Health includes measures to restrict physical access to alcohol, regulate alcohol advertising and marketing, and provide treatment or rehabilitation for individuals with alcohol-related problems. This law is the flagship of Thailand’s alcohol control policies and essential in persuading legislators to support its passage and enactment. Secondly, the Excise Act B.E. 2560 (2017) of the Ministry of Finance serves as the primary law for tax and pricing measures and liquor trading licensing. Finally, the Land Traffic Act B.E. 2522 (1979) of the Ministry of Interior serves as the main law for controlling driving under the influence of alcohol (Sornpaisarn & Rehm, 2020; Talek et al., 2024).
Alcohol drinkers can be categorized by the amount they consume, such as light, moderate, and heavy drinkers, or by the motivations behind their drinking, including social, coping, enhancement, and conformity (Jacob & Allarakha, 2020; Kuntsche, 2018). Other common classifications include binge drinkers who consume large quantities in a short time and those with alcohol use disorder, which can manifest as alcohol abuse or dependence (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (2025). The perceptions of alcohol control policies by young people tend to be diverse. The motives of alcohol consumption among the younger generation are primarily to socialize. They do not believe that marketing activities influence their alcohol consumption (North Inner City Drug and Alcohol Taskforce, 2014). The way young people view alcohol advertising does not always match the evaluations made by experts or the industry; products are occasionally promoted in a manner that strongly attracts them. This heightened appeal correlates with a greater likelihood of both consuming and buying these products (Aiken et al., 2018). The implementation of responsible service laws, rigorous oversight of late-night licensed establishments, and instruction in alcohol rejection are thought by young people to be the most successful strategies. Young people in the older age range, those who used less alcohol, and those who predicted greater negative consequences from alcohol intake tend to exhibit higher levels of belief in the effectiveness of alcohol management techniques (de Visser et al., 2014). Although young people support policies for treatment and recovery from alcohol consumption, they disagree on measures such as controlling alcohol distribution, price increases, reduced opening hours for entertainment venues, reduced number of establishments selling alcohol, and increasing the age limit for consumers (Lancaster et al., 2013). Similarly, young individuals tend to be quite knowledgeable on the legal aspects of alcohol and generally have favorable views on regulations. However, they tend to disapprove of stricter regulations on alcohol availability. The insufficient enforcement of existing laws and its impact on young people’s perceptions of the law have also been highlighted (Beccaria et al., 2019). Addressing the growing trend of alcohol consumption requires a clear understanding of how the younger generation perceives alcohol control policies, particularly those based on national primary laws.
Studies on the perception of alcohol control policies in Thailand nonetheless center on the general public rather than specific age groups. The NIDA Poll (2022) found that the issue most agreed upon was the requirement for warning messages about the dangers of drinking alcoholic beverages. Nevertheless, the issues most disagreed upon were the permission to sell alcoholic beverages in higher education institutions and the use of vending machines to sell alcoholic beverages (Kaewpramkusol et al., 2018). As Kittibovorndit et al. (2020) put it, the laws or other measures concerning alcoholic beverages, particularly those aimed at mitigating and avoiding social drinking, were agreed upon. In addition, the ban on selling alcohol to minors under the age of 20 and in specific locations such as temples, schools, and petrol stations was recognized (Petchploy, 2018). However, studies on the perception of the younger Thai generation toward alcohol are scarce. Only two research works have reported different perceptions of alcohol control policies from the younger generation. The younger generation agreed to the control of access to alcoholic beverages, advertising, and promotion through the alcohol awareness campaign (Vittayaprechakul, 2008). Leeviroj et al. (2016) explored the acceptance of alcohol control policies, the implementation of law enforcement, and community strategies aimed at reducing alcohol consumption in four provinces of Thailand. The study revealed that, despite primarily consuming alcohol for social purposes, the majority of the younger generation expressed support for alcohol control policies. The policy on advertising control received the highest acceptance, followed by the policy on controlling drinking or distribution. The least accepted policy was the one controlling buyers and sellers. Understanding the perception of the younger Thai generation is crucial because their alcohol consumption rate is rising, and are directly affected by these policies, but their specific views are not well represented in the current literature. To understand the recent perspectives of the younger Thai generation, the objective of this study is therefore to investigate how they perceive the alcohol control policies relating to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act B.E. 2551 (2008), the Excise Act B.E. 2560 (2017), and the Land Traffic Act B.E. 2522 (1979).
Previous Thai studies on alcohol control policies have primarily examined public opinion and levels of policy acceptance, with limited focus on the younger generation as a distinct group. Existing research on young people has largely relied on survey-based approaches and has emphasized policy support rather than how alcohol control laws are understood and experienced. This study extends the Thai literature by qualitatively examining how the younger generation perceives alcohol control policies embedded in Thailand’s three primary alcohol-related laws.
Methodology
This study adopted the qualitative approach to gather deep insights from the perspectives of the younger generation living in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR) on alcohol control policies. This qualitative research is a semi-structured approach involving the collection of qualitative data through tools such as semi-structured in-depth interviews with individuals utilizing open-ended question guidelines with pre-drafted questions. Face-to-face interviews offer numerous major advantages, including flexibility and spontaneous personal interaction (Heath et al., 2018). Nonetheless, face-to-face interviews could pose scheduling difficulties. To mitigate potential scheduling conflicts, flexible interview options were provided to accommodate participants’ availability regarding time and location. Each interview was scheduled in advance through direct communication with the participant to ensure convenience and encourage participation. The study used open-ended questions for face-to-face in-depth interviews to obtain personal information on the participants, such as age, education, occupation, and frequency of alcohol consumption. The main questions covered their perceptions of Thailand’s alcohol control policies relating to the Alcohol Control Act B.E. 2551 (2008), the Excise Act B.E. 2560 (2017), and the Land Traffic Act B.E. 2522 (1979). The research questions of this study are: What are the perceptions of the younger generation in the BMR toward the Alcohol Control Act B.E. 2551 (2008)? (RQ1); What are the perceptions of the younger generation in the BMR toward the Excise Act B.E. 2560 (2017) (RQ2); and What are the perceptions of the younger generation in the BMR toward the Land Traffic Act B.E. 2522 (1979)? (RQ3).
The study area was the BMR, comprising of the capital city of Bangkok and five surrounding provinces: Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Prakan, and Samut Sakhon. As the region of Thailand’s capital city, the BMR was suitable for the study because of its status as the nation’s economic center, high concentration of young population and greater alcohol exposure. The population comprised young male and female individuals aged between 18 and 41 years old, categorized as the younger generation in the context of Thailand. According to the Institute for Population and Social Research (2022), the younger generation of Thailand incorporates both Generation Z (aged from 18 to 26 years old) and Generation Y (aged from 27 to 41 years old). Purposive sampling was used to select specific individuals according to predefined inclusion criteria: members of the target population who were both drinkers and non-drinkers, aged between 18 and 41 years, and residing in the BMR for more than 1 year. Participants were recruited through direct in-person invitation and snowball sampling. Before the actual interviews, they were screened through brief chats that included questions about their views on alcohol control policies to assess their suitability.
Fifteen participants were finally selected for the semi-structured face-to-face in-depth interviews. They were specifically selected to align with the study’s objective of exploring in-depth perceptions of alcohol control policies among the younger Thai generation, aiming to achieve a deeper understanding of the issue. The interviews were conducted using open-ended question guidelines, with pre-drafted questions exploring the participants’ perceptions about alcohol control-related laws. Each participant was given a summary of the laws to read and review 30 min before the 1-hr, semi-structured interview. These laws included the Alcohol Control Act B.E. 2551 (2008) of the Ministry of Public Health, which addresses the control of producers or importers, sales, consumption, advertising, and the treatment or rehabilitation of alcohol drinkers; the Excise Act B.E. 2560 (2017) of the Ministry of Finance, which focuses on pricing measures; and the Land Traffic Act B.E. 2522 (1979) of the Ministry of Interior, which concerns alcohol-related traffic safety. The in-depth interviews were guided by questions derived from the contents of the three laws. Following the semi-structured interviews, the audio recordings were transcribed verbatim by the researchers. After each round of interviews, the interview transcripts were reviewed and coded, and data saturation was declared after the 15th interview, when no new themes emerged.
Qualitative content analysis was used to evaluate the data obtained from the transcripts of the in-depth semi-structured interviews. Interpretative induction was employed to synthesize the findings into themes aligning with the research focus, namely the younger generation’s perceptions of alcohol control policies. In the absence of qualitative data analysis tools, the coding process was conducted by two researchers by reading and comprehending the transcripts of the in-depth interviews and coming up with themes and sub-themes. A rigorous inter-coder agreement process was followed to ensure the reliability and replicability of the analysis. Initial coding was conducted inductively, without any predefined categories or frameworks. Firstly, the transcripts were read line by line independently by two researchers to identify and label every distinct idea as it appeared in the text. The codes were data-driven, utilizing the participants’ own words to ensure the analysis was deeply grounded in the perceptions of alcohol control policies being studied. The two researchers then met to compare their respective code lists and the application of those codes to the same segments of data. All discrepancies in labeling or segmentation were discussed collaboratively until a consensus was reached on the interpretive definitions of each code. This collaborative process resulted in the development of a preliminary working codebook, which was then applied to the remainder of the data. Finally, the researchers jointly reviewed the saturated code list, grouping related codes into sub-themes, which were then organized into broader themes to collectively formalize the finalized set of themes and sub-themes.
Ethical Considerations
The researchers requested permission to collect data from all informants directly and ascertained whether or not they were willing to participate in the study. Consent was obtained prior to their participation. If consent was given, the researchers verbally confirmed that the participants willingly agreed to participate in the study or asked them to sign the Informed Consent form. Verbal consent was allowed when participants were uncomfortable with signing the Informed Consent form. The verbal consent was documented in a log by noting the participant’s code, the date and time, confirmation that the consent script had been read aloud by researchers, the participant’s verbal agreement, and the researcher’s name. Giving consent depended on the willingness and comfort of the participants. Protection of the rights of the participants was considered and strictly adhered to. Privacy of the participants was prioritized by allowing them to choose interview timing and location, obtaining permission for recordings, and providing notes for those who declined recording. Confidentiality of informants was protected by using codes, restricting access to data, and not sharing any information externally. Participants were protected from psychological, social, or emotional harm during in-depth interviews, with informed consent, confidentiality, and the right to withdraw being strictly upheld throughout the research process. This study received ethical approval for research involving human subjects from a university.
Findings
This study included 15 participants residing in the BMR: five males and 10 females. The educational backgrounds of the participants included undergraduate (6), master’s (8), and doctorate (1) degrees. The participants held various occupations such as state employees (2), hospital staff (1), university staff (2), private company employees (4), doctor (1), temporary state employee (1), students (2), nurse (1), and civil servant (1). Three participants were regular drinkers, eight (8) were occasional drinkers, and four (4) did not drink at all. The ages of the sample group ranged from 21 to 38 years old. Each of the 15 participants was assigned a participant’s code beginning with the letter “P” followed by a number, ranging from P1 to P15.
Overview of the Perceptions of the Younger Generation Toward Alcohol Control Policies
An overview of the younger generation’s perceptions in the BMR of alcohol control policies offers contextual background for the study. It consists of two main themes “The three most familiar alcohol control policies” and “The sources of awareness of alcohol control policies.”
The Three Most Familiar Alcohol Control Policies
Sales Control Under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act B.E. 2551 (2008)
All 15 participants reported that they were familiar with the sales control measures under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act B.E. 2551 (2008). The measures mentioned included sales hours and the prohibition of sales on important holidays. One participant stated: “I know specific times exist when sales are not allowed according to the law. On major Buddhist holidays, alcoholic beverages can’t be sold” (P1). Besides, controlling the age of buyers who could purchase alcoholic beverages was another point raised by the participants. Some mentioned: “The law is about setting the age limit for people who can buy alcohol” (P14).
Land Traffic Act B.E. 2522 (1979)
Out of the 15 participants, 11 recalled the Land Traffic Act B.E. 2522 (1979) involving road safety in relation to drinking alcoholic beverages. One participant expressed: “The most familiar thing is drunk driving…I know that they need to blow into a tube (alcohol tester) according to the law” (P3).
Producer and Advertising Control Under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act B.E. 2551 (2008)
Two policies relating to alcoholic beverage control were mentioned equally by the participants. The same two policies were mentioned by 7 of the 15 participants, namely producer control and advertising control under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act B.E. 2551 (2008). The main issue with producer control was the illegal production of local liquor by the community. One participant commented: “In Thailand, it’s illegal to make community liquor. It can’t be produced legally according to the Alcohol Control Law” (P8). The main issue with advertising control relates to alcoholic beverages. One participant added: “I understand that advertising is prohibited by law. It’s illegal to advertise alcoholic beverages as this looks like inviting people to consume” (P5).
Sources of Awareness Regarding Alcohol Control Policies
From the in-depth interviews, it was discovered that the sources of awareness regarding alcohol control policies could be divided into two sources: media and direct experiences.
Media
The types of media reported by the participants as sources of awareness regarding alcohol control policies included news on television, drunk driving campaigns on television, and drunk driving campaigns in online media. A news report on television was mentioned in which celebrities had been caught posting pictures of alcoholic beverages on their personal social media. One informant expressed: “We learn a lot from the media, like when celebrities got caught and had to do community service as a penalty, things like that” (P3). In addition, campaigns against drunk driving both on television and online media were also reported as sources of awareness. One participant offered: “I’ve been seeing campaigns against drunk driving on television since I was a kid. I think this helps us to respect the law” (P2). “Campaigns about not drinking and driving are seen frequently and are available online through the government’s websites” (P7).
Direct Experiences
The participants had various perceptions of alcohol control policies through their own direct experiences, mostly related to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act B.E. 2551 (2008) in terms of sales control, especially the sales hours. One participant stated: “I went to buy alcoholic beverages at a convenient store, but they didn’t sell them because it wasn’t their selling hours” (P4). Other experiences included being caught by the police for drinking in prohibited areas and the ban on alcoholic beverages around the university campus. One participant mentioned: “I got caught in a public park drinking alcohol. It wasn’t clear whether that area was public. I bought beer from a convenient store, but then the police came, and I got caught” (P8). “There used to be liquor stores all around the university. Once control policies were implemented in that area, the liquor stores disappeared completely. I had to go further to get alcoholic beverages” (P10).
Perceptions of Alcohol Control Policies From the Younger Generation
The perceptions of alcohol control policies from the younger generation residing in the BMR can be categorized according to the three laws under the alcohol control policies: the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act B.E. 2551 (2008), the Excise Act B.E. 2560 (2017), and the Land Traffic Act B.E. 2522 (1979).
The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act B.E. 2551 (2008)
The perceptions of the younger generation toward the Alcoholic Control Act B.E. 2551 (2008) can be divided into two main themes: the effectiveness of the alcohol beverage control law and the non-effectiveness of the alcohol beverage control law. There are also a number of sub-themes under the two main themes.
Main Theme 1: The Effectiveness of the Alcohol Beverage Control Law
The main theme, addressing the effectiveness of the alcohol beverage control law, reflects the younger Thai generation’s perceptions of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act B.E. 2551 (2008) as successful in realizing its intended objectives, notably in reducing alcohol consumption and alleviating its negative societal effects. This main theme emerged from data where participants perceived the policy’s effectiveness by recognizing its positive impact on alcohol control. Perceptions of the alcohol beverage control law’s effectiveness were reflected in specific measures, such as producer control, sales and advertising regulations, and the treatment and rehabilitation for individuals with alcohol addiction, represented by sub-themes summarized in Table 1.
Sub-Themes Emerging From Main Theme 1 “The Effectiveness of the Alcohol Beverage Control Law”.
The following quotations support the sub-themes under Main Theme 1 “The effectiveness of the alcohol beverage control law.”
Sub-theme 1.1: Ability to reduce risks
“This policy is okay. It’s good to reduce the dangers from drinking, both to the drinkers themselves and others.” (P12)
Sub-theme 1.2: Impact on producers
“For me personally, the alcohol restriction policy affects alcohol producers more because they are under greater control.” (P4)
Sub-theme 1.3: Law enforcement in many locations
“In terms of sales control, it’s working well in many different locations like gas stations.” (P2)
Sub-theme 1.4: Buyer’s age control
“I think controlling the age of buyers, and not selling to those under 20 years old, was effective, especially in convenience stores.” (P13)
Sub-theme 1.5: Advertising to educate younger generation
“Using advertising to educate young customers will help them understand the risks of harmful drinking.” (P14)
Sub-theme 1.6: Recognition of drinkers as patients
“All alcohol consumers are patients. They should undergo treatment rather than punishment, and the number of drinkers could be reduced.” (P5)
Sub-theme 1.7: Expansive treatment and rehabilitation responsibilities
“This isn’t solely the responsibility of public hospitals. Other sectors, like the private sector, also involve. They can use taxes from alcohol to help.” (P4)
Main Theme 2: The Non-effectiveness of the Alcohol Beverage Control Law
The main theme, concerning the non-effectiveness of the alcohol beverage control law, captures the aspects of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act B.E. 2551 (2008) that the younger Thai generation perceived as failing to fulfill the law’s objectives, often due to inadequate implementation, circumvention, or limited practical impact. This main theme emerged from data highlighting participants’ perceptions of the policy as ineffective when its measures were circumvented, inconsistently applied, or failed to change consumer behavior. Despite its effectiveness in the ability to reduce risks, the alcohol beverage control law was perceived as being undermined due to deprioritization, indicating that the enforcement was inconsistent or low-priority. This lack of credible and consistent enforcement allowed non-compliance to become normalized, as smaller retailers somehow always managed to sell alcohol. Perceptions of the alcohol beverage control law’s non-effectiveness were reflected in specific measures, such as sales and advertising regulations, represented by sub-themes summarized in Table 2.
Sub-Themes Emerging From Main Theme 2 “The Non-Effectiveness of the Alcohol Beverage Control Law”.
The following quotations support the sub-themes under Main Theme 2 “The non-effectiveness of the alcohol beverage control law.”
Sub-theme 2.1: Deprioritization of the alcoholic beverage control law
“Frankly, I don’t think the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act helps at all. I say this because I feel that Thai people aren’t concerned about the law. Actually, some small stores always find a way to sell alcohol.” (P1)
Sub-theme 2.2: Control of sales hours
“The control of sales hours isn’t effective because the restricted times are only imposed when people don’t drink or when they’re working.” (P4)
Sub-theme 2.3: Sellers avoiding direct advertising
“Sellers have veered toward indirect advertising like promoting through other formats such as using a brand name without mentioning it being alcohol.” (P9)
Sub-theme 2.4: Indirect advertising leading to increased consumption
“It doesn’t have to be direct advertising, right? There are many ways to advertise. Whenever those who drink see something related to alcohol, they’ll crave a drink.” (P7)
Sub-theme 2.5: Prior experience with alcohol consumption
“I think people still continue to drink alcohol as they’ve drunken it before. I feel that forbidding alcohol advertising has no significant impact.” (P8)
Sub-theme 2.6: Greater curiosity due to blurred images
“Censoring images in movies and television shows makes people think more about drinking. People tend to think, ‘Oh, it must be alcohol’.” (P4)
Sub-theme 2.7: Indirect advertising in the media
“Alcoholic beverages are still advertised on sports channels. Even though they only showcase their logos as major sponsors in competitions, people still continue drinking.” (P13)
The Excise Act B.E. 2560 (2017)
The perceptions of the younger generation toward the Excise Act B.E. 2560 (2017) can be divided into two main theme: the effectiveness of the excise law and the non-effectiveness of the excise law, each with a number of sub-themes.
Main Theme 3: The Effectiveness of the Excise Law
The main theme, focusing on the effectiveness of the excise law, encapsulates the perceptions of the younger Thai generation that the Excise Act B.E. 2560 (2017) serves a legitimate and appropriate function in achieving its objectives of fiscal utility. The main theme emerged from participants’ direct acknowledgment that alcohol taxation served as a means of funding the state’s alcohol control operations. Perceptions of the excise law’s effectiveness are represented by a sub-theme summarized in Table 3.
Sub-Theme Emerging From Main Theme 3 “The Effectiveness of the Excise Law.”
The following quotation supports the sub-theme under Main Theme 3 “The effectiveness of the excise law.”
Sub-theme 3.1: Taxation as a means of generating state revenue for alcohol control
“If the price of alcohol is high, it becomes more expensive to drink. Taxing restaurants selling alcohol are okay. The government would have more revenue for alcohol control that could lead to a decrease in sales.” (P4)
Main Theme 4: The Non-Effectiveness of the Excise Law
The main theme, addressing the non-effectiveness of the excise law, represents the younger Thai generation’s perceptions that the Excise Act B.E. 2560 (2017) failed in its goal in reducing overall alcohol consumption. Tax increases only caused a temporary complaint but were ultimately absorbed, as people continued to drink despite higher prices. This suggests that alcohol functioned as a relatively inelastic good for established consumers, as price increases did not significantly deter their consumption. This also emphasizes that economic measures alone may be insufficient to transform long-standing cultural practices. Moreover, the perception that producers benefited from selling greater quantities revealed a regulatory weakness where the tax structure was manipulated to maximize sales volume, undermining the goal of reducing overall consumption. Perceptions of the excise law’s non-effectiveness are represented by sub-themes summarized in Table 4.
Sub-Themes Emerging From Main Theme 4 “The Non-Effectiveness of the Excise Law.”
The following quotations support the sub-themes under Main Theme 4 “The non-effectiveness of the excise law.”
Sub-theme 4.1: Persistence of alcohol consumption despite tax increases
“Tax collection doesn’t really have much impact. People may complain when the price initially goes up, but after a while, everyone will go back to drink.” (P12)
Sub-theme 4.2: Heavy alcohol consumption despite tax increases
“Taxing beverages with lower alcohol content has little impact on price increases, but this may make people drink more because they feel it’s cheap. So this doesn’t help reduce drinking.” (P2)
Sub-theme 4.3: Producers’ gains from increased sales volumes
“I don’t agree with tax increases at all because regardless of the percentage of alcohol, one can still get drunk. The producers can still sell more with low alcohol content.” (P9)
The Land Traffic Act B.E. 2522 (1979)
The perceptions of younger generation participants toward the control of producers under the Land Traffic Act B.E. 2522 (1979) can be categorized into one main theme: the effectiveness of the land traffic law, with a number of sub-themes.
Main Theme 5: The Effectiveness of the Land Traffic Law
The main theme, concerning the effectiveness of the land traffic law, reflects the perceptions of the younger Thai generation that the Land Traffic Act B.E. 2522 (1979) achieved its goal of controlling drunk driving. This theme emerged from the convergence of participants’ statements, which highlighted the law’s effectiveness in regulating drunk individuals’ behaviors. This effectiveness was rooted in the law’s ability to create a high perceived enforcement and the fear of severe punishment. Awareness was consistently reinforced through media campaigns that highlighted clear punitive outcomes, helping to establish the law’s cultural legitimacy as a non-negotiable public safety measure. It changed behavior by compelling drinkers to adopt safer alternatives, such as using a designated driver. Perceptions of the land traffic law’s effectiveness are represented by sub-themes summarized in Table 5.
Sub-Themes Emerging From Main Theme 5 “The Effectiveness of the Land Traffic Law.”
The following quotations support the sub-themes under Main Theme 5 “The effectiveness of the land traffic law.”
Sub-theme 5.1: Control of drunk driving
“I don’t have any problems or disagreements with this law. It works well in controlling drunk driving. In fact, I strongly agree with it.” (P7)
Sub-theme 5.2: Greater awareness of drunk driving
“Yes, I agree with having measures to control drunk driving. Crucially, the law helps to make people in the country become more aware that they must not drive when drunk.” (P13)
Sub-theme 5.3: Consciousness about driving safely
“The Traffic Act makes us more responsible about driving safely. For instance, whenever we go out drinking, we always assign a designated driver within our group who doesn’t drink.” (P8)
Sub-theme 5.4: Fear of legal penalties
“This is probably the only law that people are actually afraid of. But if you were to ask whether it really reduces drinking, it may not, but it can reduce the impact because people are in fear of punishment.” (P3)
Discussion
The perceptions of the younger Thai generation regarding alcohol control policies associated with the three laws reveal multifaceted issues for discussion. In terms of the Alcoholic Beverage Control law, the perceived effectiveness of regulating sales locations corresponds with the acknowledgment of restrictions on alcohol sales in designated locations such as temples, schools, and petrol stations (Petchploy, 2018). Thai policy regards sales hour limits as the least crucial and most adaptable regulation to accommodate the needs of the tourism industry (Babor, 2024). However, limiting the hours that alcoholic drinks can be sold may help prevent excessive alcohol use and associated problems (Hahn et al., 2010). Advertising control is deemed to be helpful in educating young people, which is advantageous for youth alcohol awareness. Although advertising control policies are the most widely accepted (Leeviroj et al., 2016), they are perceived as ineffective when alcoholic beverage dealers continue to use indirect promotional methods, such as utilizing brand names without mentioning alcohol. It has been proposed that the most efficient way of preventing adolescents from marketing influences is to implement laws that limit the content and amount of marketing efforts (World Health Organization, 2024). This approach is unlikely to meet the Thai law’s primary goals, namely to reduce overall alcohol use in the population and prevent the increase in new alcohol consumers. Thailand’s efforts to promote awareness of younger generation about alcohol through advertising restrictions are weakened by ongoing indirect promotions, such as surrogate marketing (Vichitkunakorn et al., 2022). Agreement on the need for warning messages on alcoholic beverages, as reported in the NIDA Poll (2022), suggests that such measures could play a central role in effective alcohol control among the younger Thai generation.
Alcohol advertising featuring sports or party situations may however elicit more favorable emotions and is assessed to have a greater behavioral influence than neutral commercials (Gallopel-Morvan et al., 2022). Although Thailand’s advertising regulations ban the direct display of alcoholic drink logos or messages encouraging their consumption, the alcohol industry has traditionally taken advantage of legal loopholes to maintain brand visibility, effectively using subtle cues to hint at alcohol (Kaewpramkusol et al., 2019). The restriction of alcohol advertising content does not seem to be effective since the regulations are written in ambiguous ways that allow for different interpretations (Beccaria, 2007). This regulatory weakness contributes to the normalization of alcohol consumption among the younger Thai generation, which is further reinforced by continued exposure to alcohol advertising (Centre for Alcohol Studies, 2016). In terms of therapy and rehabilitation for individuals addicted to alcohol, its effectiveness is considered to be dependent on the recognition of patient status in alcohol-affected people, which allows them to receive treatment, resulting in a reduction in the number of drinkers (Bischof et al., 2021).
In regard to the Excise law, since price rises may cause alcohol consumption to decrease, appropriate taxation and pricing policies should be implemented in order to curb alcohol consumption (Sharma et al., 2017). The most significant effect occurs when prices first go up, potentially influencing how much consumers spend. While some drinkers, such as light, social and binge drinkers, might cut back on their alcohol intake, most do not stop drinking altogether. The deeply rooted cultural significance and habitual nature of alcohol consumption may contribute to less sensitive to price changes among Thai drinkers, enabling them to absorb tax-related price increases without significantly changing their drinking behavior (Moolasart & Chirawatkul, 2012). Despite the implementation of higher taxes on low alcohol beverages, an increase in the consumption of such drinks is anticipated. An increase in excise tax is associated with more intense daily spirits consumption among men, young and middle-aged individuals, rural residents, and those with secondary or lower education. This shift contributed to a rise in average annual alcohol consumption, with young people exhibiting the most significant increase (Moskalewicz & Sierosławski, 2023). Increased taxes on alcoholic beverages may lead to the exacerbation of inequality (Acharya et al., 2023). Since consumers will continue to drink, merely bearing a greater financial burden, the policy to increase taxes is viewed as being structurally unfair to consumers while benefiting producers.
The Land Traffic law is deemed to be effective in regulating the driving of those who are less capable of driving or under the influence of alcohol. Nevertheless, due to a lack of understanding of alcohol driving regulations and behavior, individuals still often use heuristics and rules of thumb to govern their driving habits (Keatley et al., 2020). The younger Thai generation tends to be aware of the importance of driving safety, as evidenced by their ways of finding alternatives for drinking outside.
Conclusion
The Thai government has established legal measures to limit alcohol use, with the goal of preventing new drinkers, particularly among young people and lowering the amount of alcohol drunk by current drinkers. Three major laws serve as the core outline of Thailand’s alcohol control policy, namely the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act B.E. 2551 (2008), the Excise Act B.E. 2560 (2017), and the Land Traffic Act B.E. 2522 (1979). The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act B.E. 2551 (2008), in general, was perceived to be effective because of its ability to reduce risks from alcohol consumption. The effective side of the measure was the impact on producers by producer control while the law enforcement in many locations and the control of buyer’s age were effective in the control of alcohol sales. The advertising control measure was effective in terms of its contribution to educating young people. The recognition of patient status and the extension of responsibilities to other sectors beyond the public health sector demonstrated the effectiveness of the measure on the treatment and rehabilitation of individuals addicted to alcohol. However, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law was still seen to be ineffective because it had been deprioritized. The control of sales hours, direct and indirect advertising, and behavior modification of drinkers, despite advertising control, were also perceived to be ineffective. Taxing to produce state income for curbing alcohol usage contributed to the effectiveness of the Excise Act B.E. 2560 (2017). The law was nevertheless perceived to be ineffective because people could keep drinking despite tax increases resulting in higher prices. In addition, producers might compensate by selling alcohol in large quantities to mitigate the impact of higher taxes. The Land Traffic Act B.E. 2522 (1979) was perceived to be effective since it could control and build greater awareness of drunk driving. It could also generate consciousness about safe driving and provoke the fear of being penalized for drunk driving. Based on diverse perceptions, the government should comprehensively promote awareness among the younger generation about the detailed aspects of alcohol control policies to facilitate compliance with laws and regulations. Instead of relying on blurring or censoring alcohol content in media, education should empower them to evaluate advertising, recognize manipulative tactics, such as associating alcohol with social status, and uncover the hidden health and legal risks. Additionally, these policies should be communicated in a language that the younger generation can easily understand in order to reduce violations of the law due to ignorance or misunderstanding of the legal objectives. Information from the three laws should be consolidated into a single mobile or web application, using easily digestible formats, such as infographics and short videos, to effectively communicate with them.
Limitations
This study has limitations, as it is not statistically generalizable to all young people in the BMR, and a small sample may not capture all relevant themes. Because participants reviewed the summary of relevant laws shortly before the interviews, their responses may reflect short-term recall rather than their everyday awareness or understanding of these regulations. As the participants were relatively highly educated, the findings may overrepresent perspectives of individuals with greater policy awareness or confidence in discussing alcohol control policies. Using a qualitative approach, this study has however gained insightful information on the perceptions of the younger generation participants toward alcohol control policies. Since the geographical scope of the study focused only on the BMR, the younger generation living in other parts of the country and other developing countries should be studied in future research.
Footnotes
Ethical Considerations
This study received ethical approval from the Committee for Research Ethics (Social Sciences) of Mahidol University numbered MUSSIRB No. 2023/005 (82).
Consent to Participate
Informed written consent was obtained from each participant before the interview.
Funding
The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The work was supported by the Centre for Alcohol Studies (CAS), Thailand (No. 65-10068-03) and Mahidol University.
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Data Availability Statement
Data can be accessed by contacting the first author and the corresponding author.*