Will new bill finally pop the cap on Thailand’s booze oligopoly?

[spidermike007]

Thai beer is only rivaled by Serbian beer, and the mass produced American beers, in terms of the very low quality. Poor grade of hops, barely, and the production process seems to be entirely lacking in pride. Typical of the big monopolies. Even a large production beer, like Beer Laos blows away any Thai beer, hands down. Thailand desperately needs a vital craft beer movement, and the youth are ready to mount it. If only the dinosaurs would stop protecting their "bankers" and move out of the way. In other words, allow some progress, you mindless simpletons! 

 

Boon Rawd Brewery, which makes Singha, and ThaiBev, which brews Chang, the country’s best-selling beer, are owned and run by two of the wealthiest families in Thailand. Through longevity and political influence, these two breweries have dominated Thai beer for nearly a century, forcing out or crushing any competition, foreign or domestic. And we all know how they easily accomplish this. 

 

Thaopipob Linjittkorn, or Thao as he is more popularly known, a lawyer and homebrewer, was very publicly arrested in 2017 for making beer. He used that publicity to win an election to Parliament in 2019, along with 80 other members of the Future Forward Party. This progressive, pro-democracy party included in its platform a detailed plan to deregulate the beer industry, as well as a proposal for the legalization of marijuana, citing both as ways of putting money into the pockets of small businesses and local farmers. 

 

The opposition that Future Forward was up against is a military-backed, hardline government that supports the duopoly with strict regulations that allow it to control over 99% of Thailand’s estimated 180 billion baht ($5.8 billion) beer industry. The duopoly was originally made untouchable with the first Thai Liquor Control Act in 1950, a law which has been amended several times since to push legality even further out of reach of any small brewer. Prayuth's administration has done much to reinforce the isolationist and nationalistic policies that Phibul established in the 1940s and ’50s, and has called again and again for citizens to display a certain level of “Thainess,” which the PM defines in part as unquestioning loyalty to the government. Do not be disobedient! 

 

For small breweries, it requires production of at least 100,000 liters (852 barrels) but no greater than 1,000,000 liters (8,520 BBLs), and stipulates that all beer must be sold on the premises. At the same time, the minimum amount for an industrial license was increased from one million liters to 10 million liters (85,200 BBLs) per year, as well as requiring that the brewer demonstrate available capital of at least 10 million baht ($320,000).

Just to make sure small brewers were thoroughly intimidated, the rewrite also increased inflated penalties. Fines were increased from their original, almost quaint 200 baht ($6) for possession of bootleg alcohol to 10,000 ($300). For actually brewing without a license, fines were increased from 5,000 baht ($150) to a range of 50,000–100,000 baht ($1,600–$3,200), plus jail time. Reporting in 2017, The Bangkok Post estimated that in order to meet the new regulations, a brewer would need to have a billion baht—around $30 million—in start-up capital. 

 

I heard this. Anyone know if this is true? Beer Lao was originally brewed by Czechs under Russian supervision in Laos with no additives and 30 day natural fermentation. Thai beer purportedly contains 30 per cent rice (mandated by government to increase Thai rice sales in country) and many additives to accelerate fermentation to 3 days. He cites Heineken in Malaysia as an example, as the taste and hangover is completely different (ie. better) than the Heineken of Thailand. Any brew-experts here who know the truth? 

 

Edited February 15, 2022 by spidermike007

[steven100]

Tiger beer is good,  also Federbrau is another I have every now and then. 

[Batty]

I hope so. I gave up drinking because I got sick of Thai beer. I honestly don't understand why so many people celebrate 'an ice cold Leo' when it tastes like actual horse-jizz. All of it - singha, Chang etc has this terrible plastic gassy taste and it gives me a far worse hangover than drinking the equivalent amount of let's say Fosters in a UK pub.

 

In the end and after 19 years living here, I gave up. Now I only drink when I visit the UK for a 3 week holiday and then I drink around 5 pints a day. 

 

The bill will not be passed by the way. I'm not being pecamistic but really, it won't. The big boys will never allow the small brewers to have a fair go and will continue to bully the market.

 

There are some really great small brewers in Thailand who have smashing recipes, but are forced to brew in Laos and then export to Thailand. There are several of them brewing in Vientiane, just 10 mins over the border and then exporting "back" to Thailand, their small but loyal customer base is then forced to pay double the price. Think about how utterly insane, unfair and corrupt that is. It's typical of this country in so many ways 

[Jiggo]

On 2/14/2022 at 12:19 PM, LiamB80 said:

On my early trip years ago I drank a lot of Carlsberg. It was one of the more popular beers found in the bars back in the day but got muscled out by Thai beer companies. Certain payouts to govt officials can get rid of any foreign competition. 

Beer Chiang wanted the brewery for them selves, so yes they muscled them out, remember buying the last 6 pack from Best Supermarket a long time ago. 

[elgenon]

On 2/13/2022 at 7:24 PM, MJCM said:

Yeah lovely beer. When my wife saw it poured in a glass the first time, she said that beer has gone off ???? She tasted it and she is now also "hooked" on it!!

How does it compare to BeerLao?

[ozzydon]

unfortunatly i cant see it changing while the present gov is in charge just like the monopoly on supermarkets the hi sos rule this place its a pity really