Thai authorities have banned the teaching of winemaking in its primary and secondary schools amid fears that it could encourage drinking among students.

Thai school pupils were being taught traditional rice and fruit winemaking methods at school, as part of a government campaign to boost Thailand’s domestic economy by encouraging young people to go into winemaking. But the policy had caused concern.

“Students even proudly showed me their products,” the education minister, Pongpol Adireksarn, was quoted as saying. “It was a worry.” However, the minister said he was happy for higher education students older than 18 to learn to make wine.