State Power and Alcoholic Beverages: Laws, Policies and Measures

Abstract

In this academic paper, the author presents the subject of state power and alcoholic beverages by linking through laws, policies and measures. The study was divided into 4 areas: 1. The concept of liquors, alcoholic beverages and laws of the Thai state 2. The Thai state: Laws and alcoholic beverages 3. Law enforcement and sustaining state power through the issue of alcoholic beverages 4. Reviewing the situation of solving problems arising from effects of alcoholic beverages distribution under the Alcohol Control Act B.E. 2551. The issue presented were raised from the synthesis from the authors' research projects which link the state power to alcoholic beverages in order to further the knowledge that leads to an explanation of social phenomena relating alcoholic beverages beyond the issue of drinking behaviors, disadvantages and effects of drinking.The significances that the author highlighted in this article that may benefit readers include: 1. The data synthesis of literature review to point out that, apart from recent researches conducted regarding alcoholic beverages as well as campaigning of reduce, refrain and stop drinking, there are researches that represent various issues by focusing on the introduction of related laws. 2. The author did not deny the harms and the problems arising from drinking alcoholic beverages at all. On the contrary, the author would like to build the awareness and recognition of the existence of alcoholic beverages that causes effects and problems in Thai society. 3. The conceptual framework of laws and government measures concerning alcoholic beverages should be encouraged in all sectors of the society. Moreover, the centralization of sustaining the state power in the subject of alcoholic beverages should be transformed into a public matter and raised as public awareness of the society in order to build awareness and recognition of advantages and the effects by public themselves, rather than the exercise of state power in the control solely.