Members of the Stop Drinking Network, Youth Network, Religious Network and Network of Tuk Tuk Drivers marched to Victory Monument to support the Alcohol Control Bill.

The bill was last week approved in principle by the Cabinet but was recommended to have amendments made before being forwarded to the Council of State and the National Legislative Assembly for deliberation.

Songkran Takchokedee, who led the march, said networks also demanded a round-the-clock ban on alcohol advertising.

The ban on alcohol advertising that was initiated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was initially scheduled to take effect yesterday. However, it was postponed for 30 days pending a review by the Council of State into its ruling that the ban was invalid.

"We want to urge the Council of State committee to review the ban urgently and if there is no progress within a month, we will gather people's signatures to support the ban," said Songkran.

Kasemsant Chompoodeang, from the Network of Tuk Tuk Drivers, said alcohol advertising had encouraged drinking among taxi drivers and youths, causing social problems.

He said the network would demonstrate at Government House and the Public Health Ministry if its demands were not met within a month.

Suchart Panprasert, leader of Bangkoknoi Community Network, said primary-school students in the community had discovered drinking and the problem needed an urgent solution.