A group of Thai educators has voiced strong opposition to a recent partnership between a government agency and a beer company, warning that the agreement could erode public trust in the teaching profession and promote harmful behavior.
The one-year agreement, signed in May between Tawandang German Brewery and the Office of Welfare Promotion for Teachers and Educational Personnel, offers educators a 10 percent discount at three brewery-owned venues. Critics say the move contradicts the ethical standards expected of teachers and sends the wrong message to society.
The network Thai Teachers Against Vice-Promoting Welfare, led by coordinator Chayapa Khunpittikana, submitted a formal protest to Education Minister Permpoon Chidchob. In an open letter, the group argued that associating teachers’ benefits with alcohol consumption undermines professional dignity and could influence impressionable students.
“The image of teachers is already often viewed negatively,” Chayapa told the Bangkok Post. “For a state agency to endorse and incentivize access to vices through discounts on alcohol is unacceptable.”
The letter urged authorities to rescind the agreement and instead pursue partnerships that address more urgent needs, such as affordable healthcare. The group pointed to a 2024 survey revealing that nearly 40 percent of Thai teachers experience regular financial stress, with many forced to work while ill due to limited resources.
While the protest gained attention in the media, public reaction online was mixed. Some social media users questioned whether the discount posed any real risk, and others criticized what they saw as misplaced priorities among educators.
“Can’t see how a modest discount at a venue like Tawandang would lead to some sort of dangerous increase in booze consumption among any demographic,” read one comment below the Bangkok Post article.
Another user on Facebook commented, “How about the teachers start caring about educating the kids more than they care about trying to appear as authority figures and then it doesn’t matter if they drink a beer with dinner?”
Recent controversies involving teachers have also influenced public perception. In one widely criticized incident last year, a Thai teacher shaved bald patches into students’ heads as punishment for violating hair rules. In another case, a teacher made headlines for posing nude on school grounds while wearing only a Batman mask.
The teachers’ protest comes amid broader changes in Thailand’s alcohol policy. In March, the House of Representatives approved a revised alcohol control bill that relaxes advertising restrictions, a move intended to support local craft producers and promote the beverage industry as part of the government’s soft-power agenda. The bill is currently pending Senate approval.
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