When tourists are looking at where to spend their hard earned cash, a lot do internet research and it doesn't take a computer geek to discover that alcohol prices in Thailand are way higher than their neighbours and getting toward Western European prices. (check out numbeo.com) Now I know the moralisers will say that it shouldn't take booze to make a good holiday, but after a hot day of temple hopping and other cultural pursuits the majority of tourists look forward to a refreshing drop of the amber nectar of an evening and are capable of working out that Thai prices are now some of the highest around.

As far as I, concerned, on my current meagre budget, It'll mean less beers and a shot or two of Hong Tong to top it off! I'll still drink the same amount because no government is going to tell me what to do, but Ill drink cheaper grog - more spirits- which are worse for me than beer and so, more worryingly for the government will many Thais.

The Americans learned many years ago that trying to ban booze - whether outright or by tax stealth- doesn't work. The Thais will too. This change in peoples drinking habits may mean that the government does not get the increase in revenue it is hoping for. Lets hope so!

I would imagine that a miniscule number of tourists will be lost because of this price increase. Assuming that they drink 3 or 4 pints a day on average, would an extra 50baht or so a day be enough to cancel their holiday in Thailand and go elsewhere instead ? Not really. I don't think the increase was particularly aimed at discouraging people from drinking, as it would take a much higher hike than that to have an effect on consumption, particularly of an addictive product. It is more likely aimed at increasing government revenue, and allowing for the small short-term drop in sales, I'm sure they will achieve their aims. Comparing this small increase in prices to prohibition in the USA is labouring the point a bit.

You evidently haven't been in Chiang Mai very long. This is the latest in a long line of tax hikes by this government, the previous administration and the Thaksin regime before that. And it IS a feeble attempt to try to address Thailand's alcohol problem- they are, anecdotally, the 4th largest consumers of alcohol on the planet. Sure K. Kittirat will be rubbing his hands in glee at the extra revenue, but this started during K. Purachai's tenure at the home office and has been developed since. It doesn't work because Thais are party animals and will find booze somewhere. In Chiang Mai (more so than Bangkok), illicit spirits will gain market share.

The point I was trying to make - in relation to the USA was that REPEATED tax rises are having an effect, but as I say, you obviously haven't bee here that long.

When tourists are looking at where to spend their hard earned cash, a lot do internet research and it doesn't take a computer geek to discover that alcohol prices in Thailand are way higher than their neighbours and getting toward Western European prices. (check out numbeo.com) Now I know the moralisers will say that it shouldn't take booze to make a good holiday, but after a hot day of temple hopping and other cultural pursuits the majority of tourists look forward to a refreshing drop of the amber nectar of an evening and are capable of working out that Thai prices are now some of the highest around.

As far as I, concerned, on my current meagre budget, It'll mean less beers and a shot or two of Hong Tong to top it off! I'll still drink the same amount because no government is going to tell me what to do, but Ill drink cheaper grog - more spirits- which are worse for me than beer and so, more worryingly for the government will many Thais.

The Americans learned many years ago that trying to ban booze - whether outright or by tax stealth- doesn't work. The Thais will too. This change in peoples drinking habits may mean that the government does not get the increase in revenue it is hoping for. Lets hope so!

I would imagine that a miniscule number of tourists will be lost because of this price increase. Assuming that they drink 3 or 4 pints a day on average, would an extra 50baht or so a day be enough to cancel their holiday in Thailand and go elsewhere instead ? Not really. I don't think the increase was particularly aimed at discouraging people from drinking, as it would take a much higher hike than that to have an effect on consumption, particularly of an addictive product. It is more likely aimed at increasing government revenue, and allowing for the small short-term drop in sales, I'm sure they will achieve their aims. Comparing this small increase in prices to prohibition in the USA is labouring the point a bit.

You evidently haven't been in Chiang Mai very long. This is the latest in a long line of tax hikes by this government, the previous administration and the Thaksin regime before that. And it IS a feeble attempt to try to address Thailand's alcohol problem- they are, anecdotally, the 4th largest consumers of alcohol on the planet. Sure K. Kittirat will be rubbing his hands in glee at the extra revenue, but this started during K. Purachai's tenure at the home office and has been developed since. It doesn't work because Thais are party animals and will find booze somewhere. In Chiang Mai (more so than Bangkok), illicit spirits will gain market share.

The point I was trying to make - in relation to the USA was that REPEATED tax rises are having an effect, but as I say, you obviously haven't bee here that long.

More than 20 years.

You can have the wine. I don't pay much attention to alcohol prices. If ya have to ask how much it cost ya can't afford it.

Another rich man in Chiang Mai. I wonder what keeps him here.

, good question.

Car dealers dream eh. ..........

When tourists are looking at where to spend their hard earned cash, a lot do internet research and it doesn't take a computer geek to discover that alcohol prices in Thailand are way higher than their neighbours and getting toward Western European prices. (check out numbeo.com) Now I know the moralisers will say that it shouldn't take booze to make a good holiday, but after a hot day of temple hopping and other cultural pursuits the majority of tourists look forward to a refreshing drop of the amber nectar of an evening and are capable of working out that Thai prices are now some of the highest around.

As far as I, concerned, on my current meagre budget, It'll mean less beers and a shot or two of Hong Tong to top it off! I'll still drink the same amount because no government is going to tell me what to do, but Ill drink cheaper grog - more spirits- which are worse for me than beer and so, more worryingly for the government will many Thais.

The Americans learned many years ago that trying to ban booze - whether outright or by tax stealth- doesn't work. The Thais will too. This change in peoples drinking habits may mean that the government does not get the increase in revenue it is hoping for. Lets hope so!

I know the Thais in my village out in the sticks of Lampang province start out their drinking sessions with maybe 3 large bottles of beer from the closest mom and pop which they share between 4 to 6 buddies and then the lao kaao comes out for the bulk of the session. With the price increase I recon they'll just skip the beers and go straight to the lao kaao from the local moonshiner from which the government won't see a satang.

My 40 bht beer today was 45 bht.

Good news trans I just found 40 baht in a shirt pocket in my closet. That will take care of the price increase for my reward beers at the pub when I come in to Chiang mai to do my 90 day next week.

A shopping trip to Mae Sai is in order .

You can have the wine. I don't pay much attention to alcohol prices. If ya have to ask how much it cost ya can't afford it.

Oh really? Does anyone actually believe this cliche anymore? It was all cute in the movies but doesn't reflect reality for intelligent people, paupers and millionaires alike.

The tax is immediate for the suppliers, wholesalers. I'm not sure if Makro and Rimping fit this classification but the wholesalers have to pay the tax on anything that they have in stock that has not already been invoiced. Anything that is already invoiced by the end user should not show an increase until their present stock runs out. A lot of shops do not carry a large stock and so this will affect them almost immediately. It won't take long for everyone to feel the increase.

This inflation is insane!!! It is time to lock in some Thai Baht/(your home currency) forward contracts while shorting out-of-the-money puts on the price of both glass and aluminum (container material of beverage). Then, simultaneously, sell Thai bonds while buying Chinese rare earth metal funds (A shares only!!!). IF, and i mean IF, this is done perfectly, you should easily capture the inflationary melt up Thailand is experiencing.

*note: commissions on the aforementioned trade is assumed at 4.523%. give or take.

Great, just when i rediscovered Singha.

Taste different than 10 years ago, much smoother. Heineken taste funky nowadays.

You should try Carlsberg (brewed in Laos) or Chang Export. Both malt beers.... nice ( well the Carlsberg is) gotta try the Chang .I'm not usually a fan. But had Chang draught which was OK.

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE Q6

Chang export use to be my weapon of choice, but had a bad experience over Sonkran with chang draught and durian - so i'll never touch chang again, doesnt matter what kind of elephant it is

Singha is super smooth now and rolls off the tongue

Heineken smells and taste like armpit, dont know whats happening to them these days.

Found a place that sells small bottles of dark beer lao at 55 baht, but it dont get me drunk

The US dollar and sterling is up so this should cover the extra costs on alcohol or stop drinking for 1 month in every year and this will balance things out ?

Chiengmaijoe: Read Habfan's post very carefully! A practical example of what I was saying.

no-one, probably rightly, gives a shit about foreigners, but the effect of this tax policy is to price beer - one of the more benign alcoholic beverages- out of the range of most of the ordinary Thais (Peua Thai's supporters). They won't stop drinking though, as the government would like, they'll drink spirits, legal or illegal (especially in places like Lampang)instead, where you get more ooommphh for your baht. Any government of any country who thinks they will end up with a healthier workforce as a result of tax increases is sadly deluding itself. As I type this I have had my quota of Chang Export and am now savouring a glass of Hong Tong. A much underrated beverage IMHO. Not sure how much tax revenue the government gets from a 350ml bottle of Hong Tong, but I'd guess a lot less than from 5 or 6 large Chang Exports (that's between me and the wife of course).

I remember going to Iceland in the 80's when Beer was banned. You'd get people drinking pints of spirits and mixers.

All a bit pointless and just another way of raising tax revenue from the lower percentile for politicians to squander on tax breaks for the people that back them.

A funny thing happened on the way to the market tonight.At the local Mum and Pop shop they were complaining about the price rises.Deep north Red Shirt persuasion,it was Abhisit's fault.They don't even know what powers they gave to the Gov.A couple of years back they were taking great offense at being called the uninformed masses.

Heineken smells and taste like armpit, dont know whats happening to them these days.

Just for an experiment, try Heineken in cans instead of bottles and pour it into a pint glass. I'm not claiming that it's great out of a can either, but it seems to lack that armpit (actually skunk) taste when in a can. And lacking the skunkiness Heineken is much more competitive.

The Revenue Department is under great pressure to recover the money the government has lost due to it's populist policies such as rice mortgaging. Many Thai businesses are being audited and told this is their new tax bill. It just happened to us. There's a lot on Thai TV at the moment about the aggression of the Revenue Department.

Our 2011's accounts was submitted and accepted by the Revenue Department in 2012. They have just told us there will be a major readjustment to these exact same accounts which has led to a very big new tax bill. There's nothing we can do except pay. Our staff with degrees will also be receiving a hefty pay rise soon. Not because their productivity has increased or it's part of a profit sharing scheme but just because the government has said we must pay more.

i believe the tax increases on alcohol have absolutely nothing to do with stopping Thais drinking too much. It's a knee-jerk reaction by the government due to the fact that they have given away too much money imo.

 

The Revenue Department is under great pressure to recover the money the government has lost due to it's populist policies such as rice mortgaging. Many Thai businesses are being audited and told this is their new tax bill. It just happened to us. There's a lot on Thai TV at the moment about the aggression of the Revenue Department.

Our 2011's accounts was submitted and accepted by the Revenue Department in 2012. They have just told us there will be a major readjustment to these exact same accounts which has led to a very big new tax bill. There's nothing we can do except pay. Our staff with degrees will also be receiving a hefty pay rise soon. Not because their productivity has increased or it's part of a profit sharing scheme but just because the government has said we must pay more.

i believe the tax increases on alcohol have absolutely nothing to do with stopping Thais drinking too much. It's a knee-jerk reaction by the government due to the fact that they have given away too much money imo.

 

We also got a call and the tax department wanted us to pay a minimum amount. I have to agree about the tax. Just trying to get some more to either steal or give away to the voting base.

Chiengmaijoe: Read Habfan's post very carefully! A practical example of what I was saying.

no-one, probably rightly, gives a shit about foreigners, but the effect of this tax policy is to price beer - one of the more benign alcoholic beverages- out of the range of most of the ordinary Thais (Peua Thai's supporters). They won't stop drinking though, as the government would like, they'll drink spirits, legal or illegal (especially in places like Lampang)instead, where you get more ooommphh for your baht. Any government of any country who thinks they will end up with a healthier workforce as a result of tax increases is sadly deluding itself. As I type this I have had my quota of Chang Export and am now savouring a glass of Hong Tong. A much underrated beverage IMHO. Not sure how much tax revenue the government gets from a 350ml bottle of Hong Tong, but I'd guess a lot less than from 5 or 6 large Chang Exports (that's between me and the wife of course).

I read it very carefully 2 or 3 times. Habfan said he found 40 baht in his shirt pocket so problem solved!, I reckon your 5 or 6 large beers are going to cost you an extra 40 baht. Is that really a problem?

See the posts by Loaded and Dukes. It's about revenue and nothing to do with stopping people drinking beer. Beer consumption will increase again this year as it has for the last 15 years or so. Your man Purichai had his 5 minutes of fame and was mostly ignored. You're stuck In a groove. This increase is minimal. If you want to switch to Hong Thong, do so, but don't think that these price increases will have any significant effect in changing drinking habits, just as annual tax adjustments in alcohol tax rates don't affect consumption in the UK. What was it every year, a penny on a pint and a penny on a packet of fags? People may have a moan about it, but when it comes to going out and enjoying themselves, they continue to do as they always did. The only exception being the really poor.

For our sins we have occasionally been enjoying a Moscato Spumante, bought from Rimping up until last month for THB333.

There have been none available this month.

Just saw exactly the same wine in Macro at THB689!

It is no longer on our favorites list!

The new prices at my Mum and Pop shop have driven the prices through the roof,Hong Thong-22baht a nip,a Can of Chang-23baht I don't know how I can live with it.ha ha

Storms and tea cups,mountains and mole hills,let it go,for <deleted> sake.

As i'm not a big drinker these days and went out on Sunday to a few of the bar's in CM did not notices much of a price difference with the recent tax hike..