They attacked the council's ruling as an attempt to protect the interests of large business groups rather than the public interest.

Assist Prof Dr Banjerd Singkaneti of Thammasat University said he feared for the future of youngsters who could be lured into drinking alcohol because of the council's narrow-minded legal interpretation.

"This shows the power of large business groups. The council interpreted the law by the letter and not the intention,'' Banjerd said at a seminar organised by the Thai Journalists' Association

The ban, due to take effect on December 3, proposes banning most alcohol ads. However, the FDA and Health Ministry move has been aggressively opposed by alcoholic drink makers, which have sought every means to stop the ban.

Banjerd said the council should review its decision and if it refused to do so, the prime minister should make the final decision. "Another solution is for the National Legislative Assembly to pass the Alcohol Control Act as soon as possible. If the government does not act this way, the public will wonder if it values the alcohol business more than the public interest,'' he said.

Rossana Tositrakul, of the Anti-Corruption Network, demanded that the council review its decision or face public ousting. "The council members take taxpayers' money as their salaries. If our call falls on deaf ears, they can wait to get a wreath,'' she said.

About 500 anti-alcohol groups will stage a rally outside Central World Plaza today to protest against the council's decision.

Rossana said that in order to prevent further legal dispute, alcohol should not be classified as food but be subject to the Alcohol Control Act.

Komsan Phokong, a lecturer at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, said the council's interpretations were not always right and in this case it had interpreted the law without understanding consumer protection. He said the Consumer Protection Commission had the right to empower the FDA to ban alcohol ads.