Brewers tackles beer shortage, but water is priority

KWANCHAI RUNGFAPAISARN

THE NATION

It is not only essential products such as drinking water that are disappearing from retail shelves, as major brewers have acknowledged a shortage of beer at many stores in Bangkok due to the flooding, which has completely disrupted their logistics systems.

Beverage-makers have been allocating more working resources to bottled drinking water, which is an essential product in great demand from flood-hit consumers.

However, the companies have committed to improving the beer shortage significantly within a month, when the flood water has receded and their logistics systems are back to normal.

Chatchai Wiratyosin, marketing director for Singha Corp, yesterday said one of the main problems was that the company cannot deliver its beverages to retailers' warehouses and distribution centres, which have been seriously affected by the floods.

"Many transport routes in Bangkok and the suburbs have been cut or blocked by flood waters," he said.

The problem of zero supplies at many retail outlets throughout Bangkok is also caused by the temporary shutdown of Singha's major brewery in Pathum Thani.

"It is also quite difficult to deliver beers from our Khon Kaen factory to Bangkok. Our priority has been to bring drinking water from the plant, which is essential and needed by those affected by the flooding," Chatchai said.

The shortage of Singha's beer is expected to last for about a month, he added, until the flood water |has declined and the logistics system has returned to normal.

THAIBEV'S LOGISTICS WOES

Thai Beverage's two beer and drinking-water factories, at Bang Ban and Wang Noi in Ayutthaya, have been blocked by the flood water, with transport to and from the facilities completely cut.

Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi, president and chief executive officer, yesterday said the beer shortage was caused by logistics problems, as the company could not deliver to retail stores.

He said the lead time for distributing beverage products from its plants in Ayutthaya to Bangkok had increased from two and a half hours on average to between six and eight hours because of the floods.

Distribution from its Kamphaeng Phet factory takes even longer, having increased from six and a half hours to 10. Thapana said ThaiBev had made the production of bottled drinking water its priority, as it is a vital need for people hit by the flooding.

"We are even looking at using glass beer bottles to contain water if the shortage of drinking water becomes more severe," he added.

He said that to ease the problem, the company had joined with modern-trade retailers, such as 7-Eleven, in distributing its products directly to their logistics hubs.

ThaiBev has moved its sales and logistics sites from Vibhavadi-Rangsit Road and Lak Si to Chon Buri to avoid any flood impact.

"We expect the shortage of our beer products at major retail outlets will last a month, until the beverage factories in Bang Ban and Wang Noi are back to normal operations," Thapana said.

-- The Nation 2011-11-15

Not Just Bangkok ! here in Khao sok Surat Takua pa all no singha beer ............wonderful if you are running a hotel!!

At the 7/11 shops here in Pattaya they have no more "Chang classic", instead they sell now "Chang Export"

Sato run out of stock as well...

Cloggie

We expect the shortage of our beer products at major retail outlets will last a month.

Funny to see the mention about some supposed effort with 7-Elevens in the article above.

At the 7-Elevens around my area in central BKK, they have NEITHER beer nor bottled water, and haven't had for weeks. No sign of improvement at all.

So I'm not quite sure what that supposed effort/progress is supposed to be.

BTW, maybe some of the bigger drinkers than me can comment on this:

When the wife and I do go out for some drinks lately in BKK, we've yet to run into a restaurant or pub where they didn't have the beer we wanted to drink. Maybe we're not going to enough different places to get a good sampling???

Yet most of the grocery stores have almost no shelved stocks of beer.

Why bothering about booze when water is still a scarce supply?

It's hit an miss. Some stores have some stock, some don't. And there are no potato chips to go with those suds!!! Why the run on chips? I don't get that.

Saw a truck with Singha water the other day, completely full.

In my 7/11 they have Chang or Cheers (red can). No water, plenty of juices and other crap.

We expect the shortage of our beer products at major retail outlets will last a month.

If the reliability of that prediction is anything like the reliability of their forecasts of when the flood waters will recede, then we'll still be short of beer at Songkran!

We expect the shortage of our beer products at major retail outlets will last a month.

If the reliability of that prediction is anything like the reliability of their forecasts of when the flood waters will recede, then we'll still be short of beer at Songkran!

probably won't need to fight for the water as it still might be around by then!!!!!

Why bothering about booze when water is still a scarce supply?

Bothering or not bothering - water is still scarce.

These floods are an awful and terrible time for everybody concerned (myself included). I would like to continue my life as normally as possible and not let the floods get me down. Normal for me is having a few beers at the weekend. Sorry if this offends anyone.

A beer at the end of the week is a welcome break for many of us.

But still plenty of alcohols and liquors...

Which are -nowadays- more easy for me to carry in the boat... rather than boxes of beers .

Saw a truck with Singha water the other day, completely full.

In my 7/11 they have Chang or Cheers (red can). No water, plenty of juices and other crap.

Last week in Pattaya I could not find a case of small Leo anywhere. Ended up buying large Leo in Big C (ex Carrefour) which was the only beer they had in cases.

I heard several rumours about bar owners starting to run short so if it takes a while to get stocks back there could be problems with supposed high season starting...

Why bothering about booze when water is still a scarce supply?

Well when you have beer you still quench your thirst and after a few all the worries of the floods simply disapear. With water you quench your thirst but still have the worries of the floods on your mind. So logically it is best to keep the beer supplies coming.

Funny to see the mention about some supposed effort with 7-Elevens in the article above.

At the 7-Elevens around my area in central BKK, they have NEITHER beer nor bottled water, and haven't had for weeks. No sign of improvement at all.

So I'm not quite sure what that supposed effort/progress is supposed to be.

BTW, maybe some of the bigger drinkers than me can comment on this:

When the wife and I do go out for some drinks lately in BKK, we've yet to run into a restaurant or pub where they didn't have the beer we wanted to drink. Maybe we're not going to enough different places to get a good sampling???

Yet most of the grocery stores have almost no shelved stocks of beer.

No beer at 7/11s? What will the Russians do?

Go north my son, loads of it up here

Saw a truck with Singha water the other day, completely full.

In my 7/11 they have Chang or Cheers (red can). No water, plenty of juices and other crap.

Last week in Pattaya I could not find a case of small Leo anywhere. Ended up buying large Leo in Big C (ex Carrefour) which was the only beer they had in cases.

I heard several rumours about bar owners starting to run short so if it takes a while to get stocks back there could be problems with supposed high season starting...

Bad news for some of the bargirls. Those that normally get the drunk punters are going to be missing out as these punters will see more attractive girls with clear eyes.

Edited November 15, 201114 yr by softgeorge

Not Just Bangkok ! here in Khao sok Surat Takua pa all no singha beer ............wonderful if you are running a hotel!!

i haven't seen a bottle of Singha in a 7/11 for weeks here in phuket but Leo is full in every fridge which is odd because Leo and Sing are made in the same place

Go north my son, loads of it up here

Shoooooosh, He is lying people no beer up here. Nothing to see stay where you are.

I was actually able to get Heineken (big and small cans, and small bottles were available) and Singh water at my Big C last night. The first time in more than a month.

yesterdays news. however there was loads of chang delivered to 7-11 recently as there was loads in the fridge at the store on makkasan, rajaprarop rd. food supplies were much improved too.

Saw a truck with Singha water the other day, completely full.

In my 7/11 they have Chang or Cheers (red can). No water, plenty of juices and other crap.

Last week in Pattaya I could not find a case of small Leo anywhere. Ended up buying large Leo in Big C (ex Carrefour) which was the only beer they had in cases.

I heard several rumours about bar owners starting to run short so if it takes a while to get stocks back there could be problems with supposed high season starting...

Theysure have, and they are not shy about sticking the prices up too!!

What about Heineken and Tiger beer? Are they available at most stores?

I live in Chiang Mai and I don't drink, so a beer shortage has zero effect on me. I have a water filtration system at home, so drinking water is no problem. But finding Oshi Black Tea is starting to become a SERIOUS one for me!!!!

Plenty of Beer Lao up here in Vientiane - Damned good stuff at around 30 baht for a big 'un

I was actually able to get Heineken

I thought we are talking about beer here.

The horror.. no beer.. god how can we survive

I saw more beer then ever in our 711 all leo. As i usually don't drink beer i did not buy anything. If you want beer come here with a boat. We are talking a few 4 m3 of beer in the middle of the store.

Strange that the get that in a flooded shop.

When Beer & Lao Khao runs out, Thai people turn to water.

Hence drinking water runs out at your 7-11 / Tesco / BigC / Makro, etc.

However, Villa still have heaps of Evian, Pierre, and other Italian / French Alps water.

San Miguel THB 970 (usually THB 840); Singha THB 990 (usually THB 690), Chang not available anymore. Beer Lao Lager THB 790 (same as before), Beer Lao Dark THB 1'250 (same as before), Weihenstephaner not available anymore, Paulaner THB 1800 (same as before). Do you see, what I see? Except Weihenstephaner being imported by very incompetent German krauts, the rest is in Thai hands........ while the other imported booze, well, is not only available but at the same prices. A message somewhere?

No beer in the 7/11 around chit lom for 4 weeks. Checked others in area, no luck.