BANGKOK - Three women in Thailand have been charged for promoting alcohol consumption on Facebook under a new campaign launched by police and alcohol regulators.

The beer promoters in their 20s, who were arrested overnight on July 31, were promoting for a bar in Saraburi's Muang district, The Nation reported. Dressed in revealing cosplay costumes, they appeared in a live 4.39-minute post on Facebook on July 23.

Khaosod English news portal said although most of the clip shows the women chattering and teasing viewers, one of them mentioned a "buy one Leo, get one free" promotion.

"You can come and get us drunk. We want to get drunk!" she said. "Hurry up and get here!"

The three women were charged with violating the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act 2008, which prohibits people from publicly encouraging alcohol consumption

Under Thailand's Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, police can punish first-time offenders with a 50,000-baht (S$2,039) fine and repeat offenders with a 200,000-baht fine, The Nation reported.

The police and alcohol regulators launched the new operation last month to punish celebrities or "net idols" who pose messages and pictures on social media inviting people to drink alcohol.

Those providing information leading to an arrest would get one-fourth of the fine money as a reward, according to national police chief adviser Pol General Weerachai Songmetta.

The Khaosod English report said a number of actors and singers were also charged for posing with alcohol beverage for alleged advertising purposes. It did not give more details.

The latest crackdown resembles a previous attempt by the alcohol regulators in 2015.