Exploring Normalisation of Alcohol Consumption in Thailand, and Investigating Influences of Alcohol Marketing, Advertising and Promotion on Young Thai People’s Drinking Attitudes and Perceptions

Alcohol-related harm is one of the challenging public health and social concerns in Thailand. Despite several efforts to reduce progression and prevent initiation of drinking, prevalence of alcohol consumption in the population aged 15 and older has been steady at 30-33 per cent for the past decade. Particular concerns emphasise alcohol use in young people, as youth drinking behaviours are significant predictors of hazardous drinking and alcohol dependence later in life and consequently contribute to negative health and social outcomes. As a result, research has increasingly focused on investigating the potential factors that may influence alcohol consumption in young people. These factors include, but not limited to, families’ and friends’ drinking attitudes and behaviours, cultural norms, easy access to alcohol and alcohol marketing and advertising. Current evidence suggests that a combination of these factors is associated with alcohol consumption and that normalisation of alcohol consumption is prominent in many parts of the world. However, gaps in the evidence base concerning the interrelationships and interactions of these factors remain to be explored, especially in non-Western settings including Thailand. Therefore, this study aims to explore the interrelationships of these factors that contribute to the normalisation process of alcohol consumption in young Thai people, investigate the potential effects of alcohol marketing and advertising on drinking perceptions and attitudes through social and cultural accommodation of alcohol use, and examine alcohol-related policy options to mitigate alcohol problems in Thailand in order to inform the current alcohol policy for future policy dialogue and development.