Manit Arunakul, deputy secretary-general of the Food and Drug Administration, who oversees the proposal, said yesterday that after a hearing with alcoholic beverage producers next Monday, the ministry would meet to approve the decree ordering the ban.

The regulation should be issued by the end of next week, he said.

The measure would totally ban alcohol advertising in all media except sports events broadcast live on TV from foreign countries.

Noted social activists welcomed the move.

Popular monk Phra Payom Kalayano, of Suan Kaew Temple in Nonthaburi, said he wholeheartedly supported the ban because drinking was a worse sin than playing the lottery, which led people astray only once every 15 days. But alcohol ads tempted people and youths every time they were exposed to the media, especially TV.

"The ban will bring about morality. I want to ask people as a favour to not protest against the ban," he said.

The interim government should use its power to do such good deeds and get rid of vices.

"I want to give moral support to the government in creating good things for the country," he said.

Wallop Tangkhananurak, a member of the National Legislative Assembly, said he was not surprised that many groups whose interests would be jeopardised by the ban came out to oppose it, especially sports organisations.

"But Thai sports can be developed without the financial support of alcohol products. The aim of sports is to make people healthy, but alcohol does just the opposite," he said.

The government should consider more ways to control alcohol consumption such as by hiking the booze tax, he said.

Cultural offices of several provinces, including tourism spots such as Chiang Mai and Songkhla, applauded the ban.

Charoon Narakhon, head of the Songkhla cultural office, said advertising had swollen the ranks of young drinkers. The government should next take action against food places that sell alcohol near schools, he said.

Entertainment venue operators said the ban would not hurt their business much because patrons would still come to their establishments. The ones who would suffer were the producers, who would face difficulties making drinkers aware of their new products.