The poll was conducted from October 25 to November 1 and received a total of 1,382 votes from readers of The Nation Website. A total of 759 votes voiced agreement with the government's idea to raise the age limit of those who can buy alcohol to 20 while 561 votes were opposed. Some 60 voters (4.49 per cent) said they had no comment.

We received nearly 1,000 comments from our readers attached to the poll, but 90 per cent were not about the poll but other issues, mostly politics. We promise to open more forums for our readers on other issues.

The followings are pro and con comments sent in by our enthusiastic readers about the poll.

1. Dominique 355  01/11/06 10:00

OK, if no alcohol at 18, then no right to vote, no driver's license, no income tax to pay. Let's be consistent. Either a person is an adult and selfresponsible or he is not. But there is no way the government can ask him to military service, with the ultimate goal to go kill people, but he cannot have a beer.

2. Fair Thai  30/10/06 15:09

Better improve the quality of whiskeys or beers in Thailand than to worry about the age limit. Good health is more important. Just see for yourselves. Imported whiskeys and locally bottled of the same brands taste not similar. Besides, you always get hangover when whiskey is bottled in Thailand.

3. Tai  30/10/06 15:00

Keep the age at 20 but raise  taxes, the same for cigarettes. The taxes from this could then go into the free health care scheme

4. BKK1  30/10/06 14:54

...as if this would help solving youth intoxication....

Best is still education. How should this be enforced?

Ever heard of the prohibition in the US last century? It rather served as a breeding ground for the Mafia and other illegal organisations....

5. Chris  30/10/06 11:17

If they can be drafted in the army at 18 years old to defend the country, they are entitled to purchase alcohol.

Don't be like the double standards practised by the US government. They can fight at 18 but have to be 21 before they can purchase alcohol

6. Army Recruit  30/10/06 10:17

It's a tradition for Thai's to have booze and merry making. Instead of thinking how to make the economy tick the old retired generals are worrying about the age and prices of the booze. They should start thinking of how to bring in money from investors instead of sucking the citizen's money by overpricing the booze. Anyway the army has always enjoyed dutyfree booze in the officer's mess.