The agency said some exceptions were essential to give the alcohol industry more room to manoeuvre.

Apart from the initial exemption for foreign live telecasts and imported newspapers and magazines, the new rules include any form of advertising, both on TV and local print media, that does not carry the brand name or logo of alcoholic products.

The name of an alcohol company is allowed to appear as a sponsor of a TV programme without time restriction, for example, as long as it is not the same name as the alcohol product, said Manit Arunaku, the acting secretary-general of the FDA.

If an alcohol company makes other products, such as drinking water, and uses the same logo, advertising for the non-alcohol product is allowed only if the

logo is in a different colour, he said.

As for the controversial use of attractive girls for sales promotions at bars and restaurants, Manit said that will still be allowed as long as their dresses do not bear the brand or logo of the product they represent.

The use of colour to represent a product in any form of media, including bar decorations, TV commercials or "sexy girl" uniforms is also allowed.

As for alcohol displays at convenience stores, department stores and bars, the law will not be as strict as the ban on cigarette advertising, Manit said.

Only displays of alcohol products blatantly promoted by advertising will be regarded as a violation of the alcohol ban.

While broadening the exemptions to the restrictions on

alcohol advertising, the FDA

said it would not alter the punishment.

From November 3 on, any violation of the ban will be prosecuted without warning, Manit said. The penalty includes a maximum three-month jail term and a maximum fine of Bt30,000.

Dr Tairjing Siriphanich, the secretary-general of the Don't Drive Drunk Foundation, accepted the FDA's more flexible approach.

"I don't support alcohol advertising myself, but I do support the FDA's flexibility in this case," Tairjing said. If the new ban was too extreme it would have an adverse affect and drive alcohol companies underground, he said.

"If they are left with no choices, who knows? What if they turn to spending their advertising budget on a price war instead? That would lead to even higher consumption of alcohol," he said.

A source from a beverage company said his firm was confused by the FDA's decision to permit corporate image ads as this wasn't what alcohol companies had requested from the state agency. He said the industry had only wanted the FDA to enforce its ban on alcohol advertisements impartially and not create "double standards".

 Witawat Jayapani, president of the Advertising Association of Thailand, said he was surprised with the FDA about why it toned down the ad ban order. He added every progress of the order including this wasn't opened for alcohol players to give opinions.

Arthit Khwankhom

The Nation