"The prime minister told us to thoroughly consider this issue, to reach for an appropriate and acceptable solution. Whatever solution we come up with must be transparent and in line with the government's philosophies - cost-saving, transparent, fair and effective," Kosit said yesterday.

Ministers expected to attend the meeting include Public Health Minister Mongkol Na Songkhla, who is also pushing the Alcohol Control Act.

The 24-hour ad ban is sponsored by the Food and Drug Administration, and would take effect on December 2, despite complaints from alcohol producers, distributors and bars.

The Federation on Alcohol Control of Thailand (Fact), which is made up of about 40 groups that support alcohol ads, has threatened to ask the Supreme Administrative Court to call a halt to austere alcohol-control moves. It claims strong measures could lead to over 30,000 people losing their jobs. They also plan to file petitions to involved ministries.

Thawat Sunthracharn, director-general of the ministry's Disease Control Department, said that to control alcohol consumption, the most important measure would be banning advertising - not the minimum age that people are allowed to buy alcohol.

He noted that even with the ad ban, the alcohol industry was subject to less-austere measures than those imposed on the tobacco industry. Cigarette packages were now not allowed to be displayed, but alcoholic drinks were still put on full public view inside shops.

Once the ad ban is enforced, all shops that sell alcohol must shield their products from being seen from outside the shop. The move is aimed particularly at preventing teenagers from being enticed to buy alcohol. Advertising banners must also be moved inside shops.

Thawat supported a move to raise the tax on white liquor and locally-brewed alcohol. "The current tax level is low and these products are more dangerous than others, as the distilling process can be easily contaminated," he said.