Really? Why is the beer in Thailand so expensive?

[robblok]

8 hours ago, Leaver said:

Somchai who distils the lao khao has no idea of its true alcohol content. 

 

Indeed, maybe he was intoxicated when making a batch, which can lead to blindness, and other side effects, if drinking it.  

I am talking about stuff produced with some level of standard. For that stuff it only matters how much you drink. Sure home made alcohol is dangerous i read about it killing people often enough. I was not talking about that kind of stuff.

 

Otherwise its all about the amount of alcohol. 

[tonray]

On 10/25/2020 at 6:15 AM, Don Chance said:

You could always quit drink, that would save a lot of money. It takes about 4-5 years to reset, after that you won't think about beer anymore and lose all taste for it.

Beer in Thailand has preventatives in so it can last in hot climate for months without refrigeration. You really don't want to drink that stuff everyday.

Well I bought some Beer Lao at Tops Daily the other day....flat as a gangplank...it's a ashamed because I like that beer too....I guess either no preservatives or sat in a hot wharehouse for months...

[mrfill]

8 hours ago, n00dle said:

There are purity issues, certain types of alcohol are also deadly.

All types of alcohol are deadly. Eventually

[robblok]

9 hours ago, n00dle said:

There are purity issues, certain types of alcohol are also deadly.

Yes i acknowledge that home made stuff is dangerous. But store bought stuff (produced with safety ). Then the drug alcohol its damage only depends on amount (just like with any other drug)

[robblok]

31 minutes ago, mrfill said:

All types of alcohol are deadly. Eventually

Depends on quantity supposedly a glass of wine a day is healthy. Beer a bottle a day should not be a major problem either.

[n00dle]

6 hours ago, tgw said:

the local ersatz for wine (Mont Clair) is actually surprisingly tolerable. Not really good, but far less bad than expected.

No. It is not.

[impulse]

On 10/24/2020 at 6:15 PM, Don Chance said:

You could always quit drink, that would save a lot of money. It takes about 4-5 years to reset, after that you won't think about beer anymore and lose all taste for it.

Beer in Thailand has preventatives in so it can last in hot climate for months without refrigeration. You really don't want to drink that stuff everyday.

 

I don't know where you keep coming up with that 4-5 year reset.  In 31 years of attending thousands of AA meetings in 15 states and 4 countries, and hearing from thousands of recovering alcoholics, most lose the craving within 90 days.  Many within 30 days.  For a small percentage, it may take longer, but I've never heard of anyone taking 4-5 years to "reset" and quit thinking about beer. 

 

First, we never quit thinking about beer or wine or liquor.  Just like we'll never forget alligators if one has ever bitten us in the butt.  We just don't want any, and it's absolutely no sacrifice to do without it.

 

It's pretty irresponsible to try to convince people they'll be fighting a demon for 4-5 years if they choose to quit drinking.  The reality is that most folks are happier about their lives within a few months of giving it up- some even quicker.  You can see the growth if you watch them come in and keep coming back to the (free) meetings.

 

As I've said, if you don't have a problem with alcohol, enjoy.  And I mean that sincerely.  If you do have a problem, there are solutions, and none of the good ones take anywhere near 4-5 years.

 

Edited October 26, 2020 by impulse

[elgenon]

On 10/24/2020 at 4:42 PM, Orton Rd said:

I switched to whisky, Dewars White label is about half the price of what it sells for in the UK, most are more expensive here.

I wonder if someone has done a spread sheet on the cost for a certain amount of buzz from beer vs other.

Of course different people are affected differently by one or the other. But a personal spread sheet would be interesting.

 

Maybe add pot too. : )

 

Yes, of course it wouldn't take into account personal preferences or fitting in with a social group, etc . Many reasons to drink. Many not to.

[robblok]

9 minutes ago, elgenon said:

I wonder if someone has done a spread sheet on the cost for a certain amount of buzz from beer vs other.

Of course different people are affected differently by one or the other. But a personal spread sheet would be interesting.

 

Maybe add pot too. : )

 

Yes, of course it wouldn't take into account personal preferences or fitting in with a social group, etc . Many reasons to drink. Many not to.

Everyone should be free to drink or do as much pot as they like. As long as they are responsible themselves for the results and dont harm / bother others or drive a car / motorbike.

[holy cow cm]

Yeah it is ridiculous. A night on the town can cost you more than a renta companion for the night. Now that is saying something there. Probably is expensive because everyone in government wants their fair share of scratcha the palm.

[rott]

On 10/25/2020 at 8:27 AM, Elkski said:

for some reason there was no edit option to change the title.  I saw that mistake instantly. 

I think the high prices are due to only 2 local companies who probably collude.  and high taxes on imports... 

By the looks of your OP you only ever drink at home. Not a standard practice for some of us, beer means going to a pub, bar or similar. 

[elgenon]

2 minutes ago, robblok said:

Everyone should be free to drink or do as much pot as they like. As long as they are responsible themselves for the results and dont harm / bother others or drive a car / motorbike.

Well, that's true about any behavior. As long as you don't poorly impinge on others (unless they are jerks-haha), go for it!

[elgenon]

1 minute ago, holy cow cm said:

Yeah it is ridiculous. A night on the town can cost you more than a renta companion for the night. Now that is saying something there. Probably is expensive because everyone in government wants their fair share of scratcha the palm.

Everyone has their priorities. (see above)

[rott]

25 minutes ago, n00dle said:

No. It is not.

Yes it is. 

[n00dle]

1 minute ago, rott said:

Yes it is. 

Enjoy, we will not be competing for the last box on the shelf.

 

Fruit wine is not really my thing. 

 

Forgive me if ignore any other opinions you may have based on the quality of this one 

[NoshowJones]

On 10/25/2020 at 5:01 AM, vogie said:

When there's very little competition the breweries can charge what they like.

If there is one thing I hate it is capitalism, I do not mind any business making a fair profit, but some just go way over the top. Although I am not a drinker, going by what I read, some, only some, bars, restaurants etc, are very guilty of this.

[Blot]

14 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

Well as for taxing sin towards drinking beer being mentioned,   lao khao is more life threatening than beer in my book.

True, but you can also start your car with Lao Khao   ????

[rott]

3 minutes ago, n00dle said:

Enjoy, we will not be competing for the last box on the shelf.

 

Fruit wine is not really my thing. 

 

Forgive me if ignore any other opinions you may have based on the quality of this one 

Up yours too. 

[n00dle]

4 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

If there is one thing I hate it is capitalism, I do not mind any business making a fair profit, but some just go way over the top. Although I am not a drinker, going by what I read, some, only some, bars, restaurants etc, are very guilty of this.

 

Oh ok. 

[KC 71]

14 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

Well as for taxing sin towards drinking beer being mentioned,   lao khao is more life threatening than beer in my book.

Obesity can be too.Way too much sugar !

[heina]

1. Taxes.

2. Manufacturing license cost. Requirements to to produce beer are ridiculous. Have to produce giant amount of beer to  obtain the license.

     It lets craft beermakers  stay out from idea to do business in Thailand and let several families empty folk pockets.

[actonion]

We were in  a street bar in Sukhumvit Soi  2 Bangkok last week, i ordered  1 small Chang,  and one small Singha light beer, having  checked the drinks menu and saw 95b, ok its Bangkok, received the bin and saw  280b, after asking why, i was told to  read the (very) small print  that says happy hour stops at 5pm, that is more expensive  than i have paid  Central London

[Surelynot]

It's not just beer though.....the whole nation is being ripped off by five or so Chinese families......lack of competition, cartels, price fixing......with the industry and natural resources Thais have, they should have a much, much higher standard of living.....but any disposable income they have goes on necessities the price of which are controlled by the billionaires.

 

It really is criminal.

 

[Tech Doctor]

Hops and Barley is imported to make the known beers here, yes even the local ones, this could be a reason. I met the person importing a few weeks ago.

 

TD

[Proboscis]

there is a sort of cartel/monopoly in the beer manufacturing trade in Thailand. Although it is just about possible to have a micro-brewery (where the brew is consumed on site), it is virtually impossible to be an independent craft brewer in Thailand. That is the reason they do their brewing in Cambodia.

[fak119]

On 10/25/2020 at 5:24 AM, RichardColeman said:

Unless the Thai relatives are visiting, I cannot say the price of beer really effects me. 

 

I don't really drink alot. A couple of 50-60 baht large chang/singha light or whatever for watching the football on a Saturday or Sunday night and i'm done. Unless the wife wont wake up for her daily dues, in which case i'll go back have another ????

Poor, henpecked guy!

[Henryford]

Don't even mention wine !!

[fak119]

And where are the Guinness cans in the Supermarkets?

[Henryford]

39 minutes ago, actonion said:

We were in  a street bar in Sukhumvit Soi  2 Bangkok last week, i ordered  1 small Chang,  and one small Singha light beer, having  checked the drinks menu and saw 95b, ok its Bangkok, received the bin and saw  280b, after asking why, i was told to  read the (very) small print  that says happy hour stops at 5pm, that is more expensive  than i have paid  Central London

I would expect naked dancing girls for that price.

[ratcatcher]

7 hours ago, tgw said:

I too wish Thailand would significantly lower taxes on beverages with low alcohol content (i.e. up to 14%), so that wine becomes more affordable and also, especially beer.

Maybe cut the tax by 50% from 5 to 14% of alcohol content and do away with it completely for under 5.5% alcohol content, so light beers can be a cheap relaxing pleasure again.

 

Furthermore, I'm unsure what the time restrictions for purchasing alcohol are supposed to achieve. Someone suggested it was to prevent youth's access to alcohol, but this would defy basic logic: 12:00-14:00 - alcohol allowed for sale, children are on lunchbreak. then, allowed again after 17:00, when children have come out of school already...

This whole subject of limited hours for the purchase of alcohol is absurd. Supermarkets and 7-11s are well controlled with CCTV, cash registers, receipts etc.  Yet, I can send our 12 year old nephew down to the little old lady that lives down the lane, any day of the week, and he will return with whatever number of bottles of cold beer. No questions asked. BTW he hates beer. 

The best answer to this problem is to plan your alcohol purchases to times that are convenient or available.  The booze barons are members of the elite who run this country, and they can all afford to drink the finest wines and alcohol in the world. They aren't interested in the ability of the plebs to buy booze.