Thailand’s new liquor regulation: Small brewers’ delight or business as usual?

[webfact]

 

Although the government has issued a new regulation promising to liberalize Thailand’s alcohol sector, critics see little hope of small brewers breaking the market domination of a few giant producers.

 

“Nothing has really changed in practice,” Move Forward MP Taopiphop Limjittrakorn said. “Aspiring small-time brewers still face complicated processes and imminent dead ends.”

 

The new regulation

 

Enacted on November 2, the new ministerial regulation on liquor and beer production removes curbs on small manufacturers. Previously, small brewers were allowed to hire up to seven people and have a maximum production capacity of 5 horsepower.

 

However, under the new regulation, small breweries can use the machinery of 50 horsepower and employ up to 50 workers.

 

The regulation also removes the restrictions on brewpubs’ minimum registered capital and production capacity. Previously, brewpubs had to produce between 100,000 and 1 million liters per year.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailands-new-liquor-regulation-small-brewers-delight-or-business-as-usual/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-11-11

 

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[mikeymike100]

Its not about "breaking the market domination of a few giant producers."

 

Its about having more choice to drink something that has actual taste?

[Purdey]

Local beer has been allowed for a long time but not at large scale. The only way the government can make this work is (1) to forbid large companies from buying small companies even if the small companies are going to go bankrupt (2) forbid small companies selling out to large companies just because they got an offer larger than their value. 

Won't happen. Small breweries will sell if the price is right. 

[madmitch]

44 minutes ago, Purdey said:

Local beer has been allowed for a long time but not at large scale. The only way the government can make this work is (1) to forbid large companies from buying small companies even if the small companies are going to go bankrupt (2) forbid small companies selling out to large companies just because they got an offer larger than their value. 

Won't happen. Small breweries will sell if the price is right. 

I like your thinking, for as soon as big breweries take over small ones, the product quality usually diminishes. It's happened so many times in the UK, especially with "real ale", but now it's happening with "craft beer" as well. 

 

But when you look at the figures involved, then it's no surprise independents sell out. Beavertown, Camden and Meantime have all been taken over by the big boys and now their products are found all over the country and the entrepreneurs have seven or eight figure bank balances. However, there are plenty of small brewers that are small enough not to attract the attention of the corporates and long may that continue.

 

I hope Thailand wakes up to this soon, though it'll probably be under the next Government.

 

But it is difficult to stop

[bamnutsak]

It seems like this change was made by Ministerial order, much the same as Cannabis was removed from the Narcotics list.

 

This change/edict was issued just before the Liquor Bill was voted down by 2 votes.

 

This seems like good news as it will allow smaller brew-pubs to thrive, and find a customer base.

 

I haven't followed this grass-roots effort, but a quick scan indicates that activists/proponents generally find this a good thing. Some minor? issues with the permitting and licensing perhaps?

 

 

 

[lungbing]

"have a maximum production capacity of 5 horsepower."   

 

I did wonder where the flavour came from.

[hotchilli]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

“Nothing has really changed in practice,” Move Forward MP Taopiphop Limjittrakorn said. “Aspiring small-time brewers still face complicated processes and imminent dead ends.”

The usual promise of freedom with strings attached.

[SpaceKadet]

On 11/11/2022 at 9:37 AM, webfact said:

small breweries can use the machinery of 50 horsepower

Can someone please explain this one to me. What does horsepower has to do with brewing beer?

[Puccini]

On 11/11/2022 at 1:42 PM, lungbing said:

"have a maximum production capacity of 5 horsepower."   

 

I did wonder where the flavour came from.

To express production capacity in horsepower was wrong. In the subsequent paragraph, it is correctly the power of the machinery that is given in horsepower

[Puccini]

1 hour ago, SpaceKadet said:

Can someone please explain this one to me. What does horsepower has to do with brewing beer?

The machinery used in the brewery probably uses electricity and the limit of 50 horsepower (hp) seems intended to limit electricity consumption. 

1 hp = 746 Watt (W)

[jacko45k]

9 hours ago, SpaceKadet said:

Can someone please explain this one to me. What does horsepower has to do with brewing beer?

Dare you ask... have you tasted some of the stuff!

[SpaceKadet]

10 hours ago, Puccini said:

The machinery used in the brewery probably uses electricity and the limit of 50 horsepower (hp) seems intended to limit electricity consumption. 

1 hp = 746 Watt (W)

It is the first time I have seen used horsepower as a measure of power consumption.

 

In fact, Wikipedia states:

"Electrical horsepower:

Nameplates on electrical motors show their power output, not the power input (the power delivered at the shaft, not the power consumed to drive the motor). This power output is ordinarily stated in watts or kilowatts. In the United States, the power output is stated in horsepower, which for this purpose is defined as exactly 746 W."

 

And there I thought we were in Thailand, and there were no electric motors needed for beer production.

 

So the unit should be W or kW.... I just wonder how they would measure electrical power consumption in horsepower.

Bunch of doughnuts running this country.