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In Thailand


Thai authorities to ban fake braces
January 27, 2006


Health authorities are clamping down on the Thai teenage fashion fad of wearing fake orthodontic braces by targeting those who sell and make the pseudo-dental gear with steep fines and prison time.

Girls flashing multicoloured metallic grins are regularly featured in teen magazines as braces have become more common in Thailand, transforming the dental gear detested by Western youths into a fashion statement.

Rather than getting fitted for the real - and expensive - option, teenagers have been buying do-it-yourself kits in stores and select red, pink, yellow, blue or multicoloured rubber bands to match their outfits or moods. Clear or neutral bands are rarely seen in Thai mouths.

But the government's Consumer Protection Board says the trend is unsafe.

"Some people put the fashion (braces) on by themselves, which is dangerous because they could come loose and slip into the throat," said Rasamee Vistaveth, secretary-general of the Consumer Protection Board, which is under the prime minister's office.

The fake braces, which are glued onto the teeth, can also cause sores on the gums and inside the mouth and some of the wires have been found to contain lead, she said.

Rasamee said the board will sign an order later today punishing sellers, importers and producers of fake braces, which will take effect immediately.

Under the new order, selling fake braces will be punishable by six months in prison or a 50,000 baht ($A1,700) fine.

Importers and producers could face up to one year behind bars and a 100,000 baht ($A3,500) fine.

The consumer board has been tracking the trend and authorities have made several seizures of fake braces during raids, Rasamee said.

- AP

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