Academic expresses support for legalizing community-made alcoholic brews

[webfact]

    
BANGKOK (NNT) - The Move Forward Party’s (MFP) policy to promote alcoholic beverage production by local makers across Thailand has gained immense interest, with people in various localities expressing interest in becoming producers.

 

A lecturer at Rajamangala University of Technology Isan indicated that Thailand’s alcoholic beverages industry has an annual worth of about 400 billion baht and most of this value is clustered among major producers. He argued that amending the law to enable local producers to sell alcohol would disperse income to communities.

 

Bhuchiss Tanwanichkul, an expert in Western beverages production at Rajamangala University of Technology Isan Khonkaen Campus, indicated that MFP’s liquor policy would open opportunities for locals to become producers of alcoholic drinks.

 

He said the state sector will have to amend laws to enable small producers to be elevated into the industry. The new producers will also need to be provided with knowledge about raw materials and the correct and safe manufacturing processes.

 

Bhuchiss noted that consumer safety needed to be prioritized. He added that relevant agencies should promote the development of both hard liquor and beer and get involved in all steps from upstream to downstream.

 

Bhuchiss said legalizing community-made liquor or craft beer would foster economic expansion, adding that relevant agencies need to rapidly relay food science know-how about food processing via fermentation to the producer communities.

 

He said Thailand produces an abundance of fruit year-round and value can be added to said fruit. As an example, he cited the Ban Haet golden mangos in Khon Kaen that are about to receive geographical indicator registration.

 

He said the mangos that do not meet the quality requirements are sold at very low prices, but will be able to fetch 5-10 times more value if they are used in the production of community-made liquor.

 

Addressing concerns about whether the move to promote small liquor producers would result in greater numbers of drink-and-drive accidents, Bhuchiss noted the alcoholic beverage involved needs to be determined.

 

He added it remains unclear whether more people will drink alcohol if small producers are allowed to make and sell their brews. He said, however, that the move would provide drinkers with greater choices.

 

by Namo Vananupong

 

 

Source: https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG230614102351676

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2023-06-14

 

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[JoePai]

would result in greater numbers of drink-and-drive accidents,

 

Sorry I don't follow this - there is more than enough beer (well they call it beer) and rot gut white liquor easily available so why would a little extra cause more DUI's ?

[Tropicalevo]

42 minutes ago, webfact said:

Addressing concerns about whether the move to promote small liquor producers would result in greater numbers of drink-and-drive accidents,

Not true.

It will not create MORE drinkers.

People will just stop buying the mass produced Thai ones.

[Pouatchee]

should allow guys like me to do home brewing. should also allow people to open shops to sell the equipment needed to home brew both wine and beer

[Bruce Aussie Chiang Mai]

2 hours ago, Pouatchee said:

should allow guys like me to do home brewing. should also allow people to open shops to sell the equipment needed to home brew both wine and beer

There are 3 to 4 very good shops supplying everything to homebrew.  Legal to have equipment as long as you don't use it.????

[Bruce Aussie Chiang Mai]

2 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

Not true.

It will not create MORE drinkers.

People will just stop buying the mass produced Thai ones.

Quality craft beer will be more expensive than dishwater sold now, so lots people won't pay for it. 

[jacko45k]

2 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

Not true.

It will not create MORE drinkers.

People will just stop buying the mass produced Thai ones.

Let us say if it. takes off the way legalizing weed did, it  should lead to a lot of supply and variety. This is positive. Hopefully no rogues fortifying with the toxic alcohols.

[h90]

No the law should not be amended and things considered. The law should be complete canceled.

[rwill]

There already are some smaller crafters here.  The main problem I see is that they price their products the same as imports.

[h90]

12 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Let us say if it. takes off the way legalizing weed did, it  should lead to a lot of supply and variety. This is positive. Hopefully no rogues fortifying with the toxic alcohols.

When only fermenting there is little risk to produce something toxic. And if it should taste half decent than there is zero risk.

Distilled there is some risk, but really it is not difficult. Unless you take the throw away part and improve it with artificial aroma.

But making beer or "mango wine" is so safe that no one need to worry and it does not need any bureaucracy controlling it.

 

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, h90 said:

When only fermenting there is little risk to produce something toxic. And if it should taste half decent than there is zero risk.

Distilled there is some risk, but really it is not difficult. Unless you take the throw away part and improve it with artificial aroma.

But making beer or "mango wine" is so safe that no one need to worry and it does not need any bureaucracy controlling it.

 

Yes I have a little knowledge of this having lived in Saudi Arabia for a good while.....and particularly why I included the word 'fortifying'. Some craft brewers here would be very interesting. I do miss some of the beers I loved in the UK.

[Purdey]

I can foresee it now.

Village individuals starts brewing. ThaiBev come along and offers good money for the business and they sell up.

No passion in Thai business just make money. 

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

A lecturer at Rajamangala University of Technology Isan indicated that Thailand’s alcoholic beverages industry has an annual worth of about 400 billion baht and most of this value is clustered among major producers. He argued that amending the law to enable local producers to sell alcohol would disperse income to communities.

A breath of fresh air, and hopefully some decent tasting beer.

[Pouatchee]

1 hour ago, Bruce Aussie Chiang Mai said:

There are 3 to 4 very good shops supplying everything to homebrew.  Legal to have equipment as long as you don't use it.????

any near pattaya?

[Moonlover]

1 hour ago, Bruce Aussie Chiang Mai said:

2 hours ago, Pouatchee said:

should allow guys like me to do home brewing. should also allow people to open shops to sell the equipment needed to home brew both wine and beer

 

1 hour ago, Bruce Aussie Chiang Mai said:

There are 3 to 4 very good shops supplying everything to homebrew.  Legal to have equipment as long as you don't use it.????

It would appear that it is legal to make your own beer, but only for home consumption, not for sale.

 

From ChatGPT:

 

'Yes, it is legal to make your own beer in Thailand for personal consumption. However, it is illegal to sell or distribute homemade beer without obtaining the appropriate license. It is also important to note that the legal drinking age in Thailand is 20 years old'.

 

So what are you waiting for?

[h90]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Yes I have a little knowledge of this having lived in Saudi Arabia for a good while.....and particularly why I included the word 'fortifying'. Some craft brewers here would be very interesting. I do miss some of the beers I loved in the UK.

Saudi Arabia: My country exported huge amounts of grape juice (maybe also apple) in these old style beer bottle packing with the ceramic plug with silicone seal.

You can open it, put in some yeast (for making bread), close it again and it will be alcohol (might get overpressure, or maybe the seal let out a bit of the overpressure). Very easy.

You can buy apple juice and yeast (for bread) put say 5 liter apple juice put it in a 6 water bottle squeeze out the air and close the lid only light (so it doesn't seal perfect) and you get an OKish apple wine. With added sugar you can get easily somewhere 12-15% alcohol. If room temperature is too high and you go too high on the alcohol fermentation will be a bit dirty, but nothing more than a slight headache after drinking too much.

Incredible easy to do if OKish quality is good enough. And works the same with everything that is sweet. No danger at all. If it is fouling it taste bad. You can than do fractional freezing in the deep freeze to make hardcore booze.

[bamnutsak]

5 hours ago, Pouatchee said:

should allow guys like me to do home brewing. should also allow people to open shops to sell the equipment needed to home brew both wine and beer

 

Home brewing was legalized Nov. 2, 2022.

 

Not sure if foreigners can home brew though.

 

Over 20 YO, can brew up to 200 liters per year.

 

Smaller craft brewers have also been legalized. Previously they had to produce 10 million liters per year.

 

The craft brew market has exploded here since this legalization. Much more so than the cannabis market.

 

Small distillers have existed for a long time, made legal ~ 2001 via OTOP. They had been prohibited from advertising, but that ban has been somewhat lifted. Many of these white spirits (rice or cane sugar) are extremely popular and sold out. MFP PM-candidate Pita mentioned a few of his favorites last week, creating a rush.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 14, 2023 by bamnutsak

[cncltd1973]

21 hours ago, h90 said:

No the law should not be amended and things considered. The law should be complete canceled.

??? why ???

I'm a beer drinker, but not in Thailand, the commercial beer is the poorest quality I've experienced anywhere. do you like the status quo? why would you be against it?

[h90]

5 minutes ago, cncltd1973 said:

??? why ???

I'm a beer drinker, but not in Thailand, the commercial beer is the poorest quality I've experienced anywhere. do you like the status quo? why would you be against it?

You understand me wrong.....I mean the law should not be changed to something slightly better. The complete alcohol regulation should be removed and people should be freely produce or import as they want, no law hindering them. Also no law that is a bit better. If I want a German beer I should be able to order it from Germany, pay 7% VAT and get it delivered. If I want to brew it and sell it I should be able to do it the same way people selling fresh pressed Orange juice....

No law instead of a new difficult regulation...

The beer here is not the poorest quality I have experienced anywhere. Worse were in Yugoslavia and former Eastern Block...kind of a proof as more regulations as worse it gets.

[zzaa09]

This academic fellow must not get out much or lesser observant, as local/community distilled spirits [wide variety] have been "secretly" produced throughout the provinces for ages - be it legal or not. 

 

Besides all this, not the governments place to suggest [and repressively regulate or make unlawful] what the communities do for themselves. 

 

Butt out.

Edited June 15, 2023 by zzaa09

[cncltd1973]

42 minutes ago, h90 said:

You understand me wrong.....I mean the law should not be changed to something slightly better. The complete alcohol regulation should be removed and people should be freely produce or import as they want, no law hindering them. Also no law that is a bit better. If I want a German beer I should be able to order it from Germany, pay 7% VAT and get it delivered. If I want to brew it and sell it I should be able to do it the same way people selling fresh pressed Orange juice....

No law instead of a new difficult regulation...

The beer here is not the poorest quality I have experienced anywhere. Worse were in Yugoslavia and former Eastern Block...kind of a proof as more regulations as worse it gets.

my misunderstanding then, good to know????

[h90]

2 hours ago, cncltd1973 said:

my misunderstanding then, good to know????

as less government and laws we have as better we can all life.....and as better the beer taste (same with wine and imports...real good wine without taxes costs almost nothing)