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Published on October 20, 2007

Public Health Minister Mongkol na Songkhla said yesterday.

The bill has been passed by an NLA committee in its first reading and would be put through the remaining steps because the government wants it to take effect before the New Year holiday break, to help cut the usually high road toll.

Mongkol cited a ministry study, saying Thais spent Bt147 billion on alcohol last year, 12 per cent up from 2005. And of the 15.8 million people aged over 15 recognised as regular drinkers, 2.5 per cent were women, which was also a rise on earlier records.

Of all 15.8 million drinkers, 2.6 million men and 203,000 women drank every day.