Thai alcohol sellers petition against online sales ban

[webfact]

Thai alcohol sellers petition against online sales ban

 

FILE PHOTO: A woman wearing a protective mask lines up outside a liquour shop after Bangkok and several other provinces announced a 10-day ban on alcohol sale starting April 10 during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Bangkok, Thailand, April 9, 2020. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thai alcoholic beverages sellers on Thursday submitted a petition to parliament against a ban on the online sale of alcohol, saying it hurt small businesses.

 

Thailand earlier this week announced a ban after seeing a spike in online orders amid lockdowns to contain the coronavirus, which the government said had led to underage drinking.

 

The country in April also banned the sale of alcohol at shops for three weeks as part of social distancing measures.

 

"Don't use the youth to ban online alcohol sales," said Supapong Pruenglampoo, a representative from a craft beer network.

 

"It does not protect the youth, but is a way to stop small sellers and benefits convenience stores, destroying online businesses."

 

The ban, which comes into effect in early December, will carry a maximum fine of 10,000 baht (245.45 pounds) and up to six months in prison.

 

Thailand, where the legal age to consume alcohol is 20, already has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the region, prohibiting sales in specific areas such as near schools and limits the hours stores can sell alcohol.

 

Several grocery retailers in Thailand offer alcoholic products online.

 

(Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat, Chayut Setboonsarng and Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Christopher Cushing)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-09-10

 

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[Orton Rd]

Six months in prison for selling a bottle of wine through the post instead of a shop, don't know whether to laugh or cry ????????

[johng]

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

"It does not protect the youth, but is a way to stop small sellers and benefits convenience stores, destroying online businesses."

Exactly...I hope for a sharp U-turn on this idiotic policy PDQ   its bad enough with the stupid hours of no alcohol sale...why ?????

[JonnyF]

Yep. All about handing the business over from the small businesses to the large retail outlets and the large beer manufacturers. That big army boot is stomping on the little guy again.

 

It's policies like these that helped Thailand rise from number 3 to number 1 in the world for wealth inequality since the coup.

 

The Junta are really bringing happiness to the people. Well, the top 0.1% anyway. 

[Tropicalevo]

I just phone up my local shop. Give them my order and pay COD.

No internet involved. Sorted.

[YetAnother]

10 minutes ago, webfact said:

which the government said had led to underage drinking.

Thailand has no policy clue on alcohol, those underage drinkers were getting their alcohol offline before and will, as we all do, during lockdown

[ThailandRyan]

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

"It does not protect the youth, but is a way to stop small sellers and benefits convenience stores, destroying online businesses."

He could not have said it any better and still hit a nerve with the Government.  This entire new law smells of cronyism, and is just another attempt in controlling the people by this Government of so called usurpers who just continue to feed at the trough.

[Cake Monster]

6 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

Thailand has no policy clue on alcohol, those underage drinkers were getting their alcohol offline before and will, as we all do, during lockdown

99.99% of the underage drinkers just nip around the corner and buy it from a Mini Mart.

[DrTuner]

Craft beer and imported wines are the mortal enemy of local swill producers. So ask the friendly usurpers to ban it all, sorted.

[2 is 1]

51 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thailand, where the legal age to consume alcohol is 20, already has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the region, prohibiting sales in specific areas such as near schools and limits the hours stores can sell alcohol.

I only want one law chance! Sell beer in gas stations! If you sell that 30 meters away station you can sell that 7/11 in station also!

[Snig27]

1 hour ago, DrTuner said:

Craft beer and imported wines are the mortal enemy of local swill producers. So ask the friendly usurpers to ban it all, sorted.

That's the general plan, all greased by a few large deliveries of cash to private accounts.

[Flying Saucage]

Funny to see how this inept government of corrupt clowns finds new ways to win new friends every day. Bring back happiness to the people. My ass! 

 

Some more people will greet them with the 3-finger salute on September 19 now. Well done.

 

[djayz]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

underage drinking

What about kids riding around on motorbikes, smoking or getting knocked up? You say you want to protect them from alcohol, well, what about protecting them from the other omnipresent dangers? 

 

Wouldn't surprise me one iota if these alcohol companies were "invited" ???? to contribute to some fund or other like the new submarine fund or buy another Rolex fund. 

 

There are other ways to prevent kids from buying alcohol online - assuming of course the local mom and pop shop "mai mee". 

[josephbloggs]

3 hours ago, DrTuner said:

Craft beer and imported wines are the mortal enemy of local swill producers. So ask the friendly usurpers to ban it all, sorted.

I agree the law is stupid but it is driven by stupidity alone.  Craft beer suppliers are no threat to the big boys.  The big boys have much more to lose by the ban than gain from it - how many pallets of beer do you think Tops, Tesco, Big C sell online each week?  A huge amount!  This ban hurts them too.

You think Wishbeer is a threat to Singha so Singha had this done?  Think about it for a moment instead of being hysterical.  Wishbeer can adapt to a different model and keep selling their expensive pretentious rubbish, they'll adapt.

And imported wines are the enemy of what, local Thai wines?  Don't be ridiculous.

So many people are so quick to see a conspiracy even when the conspiracy makes no sense.  This is simply a stupid decision made by stupid people, just like banning booze on trains, or banning booze between 2-5pm.

[Dumbastheycome]

So if I  telephone or fax an order that is in order? Perhaps surface mail an order ?

 

 

[DrTuner]

45 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

I agree the law is stupid but it is driven by stupidity alone.  Craft beer suppliers are no threat to the big boys.  The big boys have much more to lose by the ban than gain from it - how many pallets of beer do you think Tops, Tesco, Big C sell online each week?  A huge amount!  This ban hurts them too.

You think Wishbeer is a threat to Singha so Singha had this done?  Think about it for a moment instead of being hysterical.  Wishbeer can adapt to a different model and keep selling their expensive pretentious rubbish, they'll adapt.

And imported wines are the enemy of what, local Thai wines?  Don't be ridiculous.

So many people are so quick to see a conspiracy even when the conspiracy makes no sense.  This is simply a stupid decision made by stupid people, just like banning booze on trains, or banning booze between 2-5pm.

Online sales for Singha & co are miniscule compared to retail store sales. For craft beers and imported wines it was one of the main distribution channels. 

 

Yes, the "big boys" will go for the jugular every single time. That's why the import taxes on wine are so high, why there are restrictions on getting a brewery license, etc, etc, etc.

 

But it looks like you're a fan of local swill over 'expensive pretentious rubbish', so no worries, this won't affect you in any way, mom&pop will still sell laukhao.

[realfunster]

Yet another indication of a dysfunctional society and therefore, economy.

This time of crisis is the opportunity to change things up.

Proof, if it was needed, that the powers that be are only interested in maintaining the status quo, protecting vested interests and the status and power of oligarchs/monopolies.

Given the admitted need to revamp the economy and support SMEs, a truly pathetic move.

 

My goodness, I hope they get what’s coming to them.

 

[greeneking]

6 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

Six months in prison for selling a bottle of wine through the post instead of a shop, don't know whether to laugh or cry ????????

Taking my time to be reasonable and understanding their desire to curb underage and irresponsible drinking I would like to ask this question.

How seriously have they been prosecuting drunk drivers, underage drinkers or those shops that sold to them?

As a side issue, given the demand for a better quality product, why do Chang, Singha et al only market new brands which are similarly poor instead of blowing the competition out of the water with a truly good, though more expensive, beer.

[josephbloggs]

2 hours ago, DrTuner said:

Online sales for Singha & co are miniscule compared to retail store sales. For craft beers and imported wines it was one of the main distribution channels. 

 

Yes, the "big boys" will go for the jugular every single time. That's why the import taxes on wine are so high, why there are restrictions on getting a brewery license, etc, etc, etc.

 

But it looks like you're a fan of local swill over 'expensive pretentious rubbish', so no worries, this won't affect you in any way, mom&pop will still sell laukhao.

Nope, don't like the Thai beers at all.  Never drink Singha, Leo, Chang or any of the other local rubbish.  I drink a lot of beer but prefer paying for decent stuff.  Don't mind paying 280 baht for a pint of Hoegaarden, Stella or other Belgian beer, I just don't want to pay the same for 330ml of a flowery or fruity concoction.  Not for me and I find most people who are in to that are pretentious and snobby.  

So why don't you tell me what the online sales figures are for Singha & co as you seem to know so much.  The "big boys" own 94% of the market, the Craft market is around 1%, so who hurts most financially from an online ban?  The big boys lose the most revenue by far and won't take that easily.  Remember people saying the same about the alcohol ban during Covid?  It was orchestrated by the big boys to run the small guys out of business.  Nonsense.  It was the big boys campaigning to have that overturned and it will be just the same now.

If the big boys see a genuine threat they will generally just buy them.  Heineken own close to 100 craft beer brands and no one knows, they just quietly bought them up. They don't run to the government to ban something that will hurt them more.

Again, this ban is borne of stupidity, nothing more.  Stop looking for conspiracies.

 

[josephbloggs]

18 minutes ago, greeneking said:

 

As a side issue, given the demand for a better quality product, why do Chang, Singha et al only market new brands which are similarly poor instead of blowing the competition out of the water with a truly good, though more expensive, beer.

Well Singha have tried that with their Est 33 Craft Beer Brew Pubs.  Supposedly higher end (more expensive) craft beers which are brewed on site in their pubs.  Quite popular with trendy Thais but never going to be mass market given that 90% of the drinking market consists of rural Thais.

They also sell some of their "craft beers" in 7-Eleven now but not that popular - Thailand is not that market.  

[Orton Rd]

34 minutes ago, greeneking said:

Taking my time to be reasonable and understanding their desire to curb underage and irresponsible drinking I would like to ask this question.

How seriously have they been prosecuting drunk drivers, underage drinkers or those shops that sold to them?

As a side issue, given the demand for a better quality product, why do Chang, Singha et al only market new brands which are similarly poor instead of blowing the competition out of the water with a truly good, though more expensive, beer.

No incentive, Thais are not really bothered about beer, if they drink Leo, one of the worst beers in the world IMO, why bother trying to change them? Tried giving Thais some of the best beers, they just prefer bland pee water.

[greeneking]

48 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Well Singha have tried that with their Est 33 Craft Beer Brew Pubs.  Supposedly higher end (more expensive) craft beers which are brewed on site in their pubs.  Quite popular with trendy Thais but never going to be mass market given that 90% of the drinking market consists of rural Thais.

They also sell some of their "craft beers" in 7-Eleven now but not that popular - Thailand is not that market.  

160 baht for a small bottle.  Far more in a bar...they do not have to be so expensive if they are the big players.

100 baht for a big bottle and they can do something quality surely?

[DrTuner]

1 hour ago, josephbloggs said:

So why don't you tell me what the online sales figures are for Singha & co as you seem to know so much.  The "big boys" own 94% of the market, the Craft market is around 1%, so who hurts most financially from an online ban?  The big boys lose the most revenue by far and won't take that easily.  Remember people saying the same about the alcohol ban during Covid?  It was orchestrated by the big boys to run the small guys out of business.  Nonsense.  It was the big boys campaigning to have that overturned and it will be just the same now.

If the big boys see a genuine threat they will generally just buy them.  Heineken own close to 100 craft beer brands and no one knows, they just quietly bought them up. They don't run to the government to ban something that will hurt them more.

Again, this ban is borne of stupidity, nothing more.  Stop looking for conspiracies.

 

Sure, https://www.flandersinvestmentandtrade.com/export/sites/trade/files/market_studies/Studie Beer Market in Thailand.pdf

 

Quote

 At present, the online market for premium beers represents only 2-3%

 

That's including the craft beers, which are likely the bulk of it. 

 

There's a clear, long established and defined pattern whenever a new competitor enters the market. Hit them with a hammer and make them go away. The big ones won't lose anything, somchai will just go to 7-11. F.ex. Pattaya Beer, of which I happened to be the first retail customer of. Vanished into thin air after they grew a bit too big. I was also at the 'launch party' at Cape Dara, with the mayor & other suits. Obviously started to make too much noise and got eliminated.

 

If Samarn was still hanging around I'd buy the "bad decision" theory, but no, this is just a move to block competitors.

[Crusader]

We do have to laugh when al these alcohol bans come in.  In all my years here in Bangkok, even on the no alcohol days, there was always somewhere to go for a beer...and there is always someone ready to sell you a beer.  So, I don't see the need for ordering online...unless you want it delivered to your door - if you don;t have a vehicle to go and collect it.

[heina]

Clear sign of corruption.

[Chassa]

7 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

Thais are not really bothered about beer

Hmmm!

[jesimps]

"It does not protect the youth, but is a way to stop small sellers and benefits convenience stores, destroying online businesses."

 

It just comes down to who came up with the fattest brown envelope.

[LukKrueng]

15 hours ago, JonnyF said:

Yep. All about handing the business over from the small businesses to the large retail outlets and the large beer manufacturers. That big army boot is stomping on the little guy again.

 

It's policies like these that helped Thailand rise from number 3 to number 1 in the world for wealth inequality since the coup.

 

The Junta are really bringing happiness to the people. Well, the top 0.1% anyway. 

What does it have to do with the army? Like it or not - it's government policies. 

In 2001 the Taksin administration has decided to strongly enforce the official closing time of night entertainment venues (bars, clubs, pubs etc' which has always been midnight - 2am depending on the type of license, but never been enforced before). During that time he himself purchased land parcels at Ratchadapisek area, and the plan was to designate "special entertainment zones" with different closing times. Care to guess where was supposed to be the zone for all night openings? 

[thedemon]

12 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

I agree the law is stupid but it is driven by stupidity alone.  Craft beer suppliers are no threat to the big boys.  The big boys have much more to lose by the ban than gain from it - how many pallets of beer do you think Tops, Tesco, Big C sell online each week?  A huge amount!  This ban hurts them too.

You think Wishbeer is a threat to Singha so Singha had this done?  Think about it for a moment instead of being hysterical.  Wishbeer can adapt to a different model and keep selling their expensive pretentious rubbish, they'll adapt.

And imported wines are the enemy of what, local Thai wines?  Don't be ridiculous.

So many people are so quick to see a conspiracy even when the conspiracy makes no sense.  This is simply a stupid decision made by stupid people, just like banning booze on trains, or banning booze between 2-5pm.

 

If you have 1% of the market and they have 99% that doesn't stop them from wanting your 1%.

 

It's not a conspiracy. 

[PEE TEE]

Its legal class A drug anyone who sells it should be treated as a drug dealer 5555555