Information Minister Khieu Kanharith instructed officials in all departments to investigate alcohol billboards in public places to check if the signs had reached their display expiration date.
The order was given at a meeting on Monday.
Kanharith said some alcohol companies in the past had violated the permit policy by advertising rewards for important festivals like Khmer New Year, Water Festival and Chinese New Year, but then did not remove them afterwards.
“Departments in provinces and cities have to check if companies had not removed display billboards for alcohol and rewards. The billboards have to be removed and the companies have to pay for the service,” he said.
Cambodia Movement for Health (CMH) head Mom Kong said alcohol advertising in Cambodia was excessive.
“I think there must be a law on alcohol management for Cambodia to make it easy to ban such advertising. The ministry has advised companies many times about advertising alcohol, but it hasn’t been effective,” he said.
He urged the government to pass a law on alcohol management in Cambodia because it is the only country in Asia that openly advertises alcohol.
“It is a concern. It can push children and women to drink in greater amounts,” he said.
Ministry of Information spokesman Phos Sovann said on Tuesday that advertising alcohol through television and radio follows the policy to the letter. However, billboards in public places must be removed within a limited time.
