Incredible price rise

[hellyes2oo2]

I love Singha Light Beer. The last time I was in Makro in Sisaket was when they where selling off all the old stocks of beer, before the price rise kicked in. Fortunately for me it seems i was the only one who wanted Singha Lite, they had 8 cases at the old price of 482Baht, so i bought them all. Yesterday on my monthly visit to Makro I went to buy some Singha Lite and could not believe the price rise, it had gone up to 605 baht a case. this is a rise(and i'm not good at maths) of around 27.5% a case.

So I didn't buy any.On my way home I called in Bigc in Sisaket and found that I could buy a large bottle of Singha Lite for 48baht a bottle, making the case price 576 baht. So I asked the assistant for 6 cases of Singha Lite, but was told I could buy Leo, Singha,Cheers, and Chang by the case but not Singha Lite or San Miguel Lite by the case. When I asked why The assistant did not know why. I could probably have embarrased her by asking to see the manager, but it really was not worth it. I even offered to buy 6 cases in single bottles of Singha Lite, as long as they gave me the empty boxes but was told no, sorry we can't do that.I would love someone to explain the logic in thai thinking.

P.S. the price of 482 baht per case of Singha LIte was not a sell off price, this had been the price for many months previously.

[wayned]

I buy LEO. The price at Tesco increased from 495 to 568 baht/case or 15% 1ncrease. If were you I would have just filled my basket with the single bottles that they had, piss on the box!

Edited October 11, 2013 by wayned

[MeMock]

An extra 29 baht per box of beer? Outrageous!

[Stradavarius37]

The fact that you could drink 8 cases of beer before it turned skunky....that sound I hear must be the screaming from your liver.

[SantiSuk]

I buy LEO. The price at Tesco increased from 495 to 568 baht/case or 15% 1ncrease. If were you I would have just filled my basket with the single bottles that they had, piss on the box!

Agreed - bought two cases of 24 small bottle at TL Ubon yesterday. The case of Leo had gone up 15% and the case of Singha only 7%. Odd games being played either by the manufacturers or Tesco. Manufacturer I reckon

Somebody should tell Wikipedia, which still says:

"Boon Rawd Brewery also makes Leo, a non-premium beer" *

Not any more! They are rapidly closing the gap on Singha - probably because Leo is making them good money and has pretty much killed off the once serious competition to Singha provided by Chang!

*[boon Rawd also make Singha in case you didn't know]

[schondie]

I like a beer and currently I'm still clearing out all the 7-11s in my town of Cheers X-tra at 72 baht (the pre tax increase price) for two 500ml cans. Nobody drinks the stuff but it makes a nice change from all the lager type beers.

The cheapest large Change has gone up to 45 baht a bottle so the Cheers will do until the prices rise once I've bought all the old stock.

[Totster]

Cheers X-tra

You obviously have no taste buds...

totster

[Banzai99]

Cheers X-tra

You obviously have no taste buds...

totster

I used to think that , but, when the shortage was on, I bought a few 500Mls Cans and was pleasantly surprised, 6.5 % it's very cheap and drinkable.

I tried Cheers beer a few years ago and didn't like it at all, ( Blue Can ) but the X-Tra is worth a try.

I'm in Tokyo now and am drinking a can of Asahi Clear 5%.

And yes, it is better than Cheers, or any other Thai beer in my opinion.

Edited October 11, 2013 by Banzai99

[jacko45k]

The fact that you could drink 8 cases of beer before it turned skunky....that sound I hear must be the screaming from your liver.

I think it keeps for about 6 months.

Don't you have friends?

[muratremix]

Move to cambodia. No tax on alcohol and cigarettes. 1 lt jack daniels sold for 19.9 usd and marlboro is 1.05 usd. Beer is also pretty cheap.

[8OA8]

Possibly selling as Loss Leaders and don't allow someone to buy in quantities that are Loss Loss

[khwaibah]

Move to cambodia. No tax on alcohol and cigarettes. 1 lt jack daniels sold for 19.9 usd and marlboro is 1.05 usd. Beer is also pretty cheap.

A flat of Angkhor Beer (24 cans) 150 baht.

[hellyes2oo2]

Firstly let me say no one has to worry about my liver. I have many friends who come to my home and are always welcome to a beer or several. What I am very surprised about is that after I posted yesterday I recieved a e-mail from someone who works at the brewerey. He tried to explain to me why the price had risen so much, and in his opinion it was obviously down to the goverment. Unfortunately english was not his first language, but judging by his name he was not thai either.I will post a copy of his e-mail if i get his permission to do so. I would not want to get him into trouble. He says that he is a brewmaster.

But to be honest his explanation does not show why singha light with an ABV of 3.5% which has always been cheaper to buy than it's big brother who has an ABV of 5% should suddenly have a price increase of 27%, and i might add that as long as i have lived in thailand(over10 years) singha light has always been cheaper than singha full strenghth. And another slight anomally a single bottle of Singha full strength is still more expensive than a bottle of singha lite.

[Taco]

In Koh Phangan the average price for all the small bottle beers has gone up 103 bt a box, so at 4.2 baht a bottle or so at my restaurant I raised all my prices 5 baht. In theory that really isnt even a price raise just a tax hike. Most everyone in the country should expect at least that when ever establishments reprint their menus.

My prior job in the states I worked for the company that owns Jack Daniels, Brown Forman. There was nothing more the company loved then a state wide tax increase on spirits. This was the one time that we could raise our prices and hide the price increase in the consumers assumption that the price raise was entirely tax. This explains why different brands are showing different price increases. Some companies are smart enough to employ this strategy right away while others take a while longer to exploit the opportunity for of course.....more corporate profits.

In my opinion beer and alcohol are not cheap in thailand on a wholesale level, in fact its quite expensive. Us drinkers only benifit from the fact that in Thailand most (obviously not ritzy hotels, clubs etc) on premise accounts (bar or restaurants) mark up alcohol only 100%. Lets just hope that the country continues to give anyone with a pulse and 1200 baht a liquor license. If those licenses become set in number or difficult to get you can kiss that small mark up goodbye and we are all going to be making the trip to Cambo to get drunk!

Although the temperature is far from ideal here for home brewing, I would love to see that take off like it has in the states. Someone get off your couch in Bangkok and open a home brew equipment store. I can already imagine killer asian style fusion beers like a kaffir leaf lemongrass Belgian style tipple! 8% yum!!!

[Justincase]

Well this is just the start of the thin edge of the web :

' The Nation

Thailand , in order to take its " rightful place in the new Asian economy " is planning on taking on a massive Bt2 Trillion loan from the World Bank , with the interest alone being Bt3 trillion. The Country will have to pay the International Bankers Bt 5 trillion over the next 50 years which can only be achieved by hiking the tax rates to Western European levels

This is the highest loan bill ever presented by the Thai Government and what is happening is that the Government is becoming addicted to the easy cash flow ( witness the proposal to buy 4 private aircraft for Government use only ) and are mortgaging the Countries future to the International Bankers

Thailand as a Sovereign Nation risks being conquered by money instead of arms '

[HerbalEd]

I wonder how many men would drink "light" beers if they were called what they actually are which is "diet beers."? I gotta feeling a lot wouldn't ... even though they'll drink Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi. No "real" man's going to drink diet beer.

Gotta give due credit to the marketing wizard who came up with the name light (or lite) beer.

Edited October 12, 2013 by HerbalEd

[JulesMad]

If the price of a beer is higher than the price of your meal, does that mean beer is expensive or does it mean that food is cheap?!?!?

[thaidel48]

I'm suprised that anyone would drink that crap anyway .After 25 years here the one thing I still miss in a good pint of English ale none o this lager slops . Was a time you could get Draught Guinness in a can . No more alas! I wonder why ?

[rgs2001uk]

I wonder how many men would drink "light" beers if they were called what they actually are which is "diet beers."? I gotta feeling a lot wouldn't ... even though they'll drink Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi. No "real" man's going to drink diet beer.

Gotta give due credit to the marketing wizard who came up with the name light (or lite) beer.

Think you are getting confused there, this aint Kansas.

By light/lite they mean alcohol content, Singha Light = 3.5%, norman Singha = 5%.

You want to see a real anomaly, check out the price of NON alcohlic German beer.

[wayned]

If the price of a beer is higher than the price of your meal, does that mean beer is expensive or does it mean that food is cheap?!?!?

Or. it might mean that you drink too much! Eggs for breakfast are fairly cheap, but the 4 large bottles of beer to wash them down can become expensive. I gave up the eggs!

[muratremix]

Thailand is far from cheap anymore. It is amazing how one man (and his party) can cause this much trouble for the rest of the country. Add Greed on top of that and that explains price hikes.

[BlackJack]

The beer bars in jomtien used to charge 50 baht for most beers

Now 60 baht

Thats 20% rise

Go figure

[BudRight]

I'm suprised that anyone would drink that crap anyway .After 25 years here the one thing I still miss in a good pint of English ale none o this lager slops . Was a time you could get Draught Guinness in a can . No more alas! I wonder why ?

I was in Manchester last summer and found ale for two pounds. With the exchange rate still poor, a man has to wonder why bother with the crap Thai beer.

That was in a pub. (Edit)

Edited October 12, 2013 by BudRight

[nongsangcity]

I was in Manchester recently as well.....went to the Etihad stadium.......Singha beer.....£ 4.50 a pint.............225 bht......I nearly chocked on my Bovril....

Edited October 12, 2013 by nongsangcity

[Ron19]

I buy LEO. The price at Tesco increased from 495 to 568 baht/case or 15% 1ncrease. If were you I would have just filled my basket with the single bottles that they had, piss on the box!

A local store in my area stocked up big time on Leo before the price increase and I have to assume at the old price and then charged the new price when it kicked in.

[Brew]

Beer Tax went up some weeks ago.

Taxed now at 48% of the last wholesale price + 8% for some kind of social tax - that means beer is taxed up to around 55baht/liter, depending on the wholesale price.

[hellodolly]

An extra 29 baht per box of beer? Outrageous!

Time to have an armed peaceful protest.

Outrageous is putting it mildly.

[FiestyFarang]

In Koh Phangan the average price for all the small bottle beers has gone up 103 bt a box, so at 4.2 baht a bottle or so at my restaurant I raised all my prices 5 baht. In theory that really isnt even a price raise just a tax hike. Most everyone in the country should expect at least that when ever establishments reprint their menus.

My prior job in the states I worked for the company that owns Jack Daniels, Brown Forman. There was nothing more the company loved then a state wide tax increase on spirits. This was the one time that we could raise our prices and hide the price increase in the consumers assumption that the price raise was entirely tax. This explains why different brands are showing different price increases. Some companies are smart enough to employ this strategy right away while others take a while longer to exploit the opportunity for of course.....more corporate profits.

In my opinion beer and alcohol are not cheap in thailand on a wholesale level, in fact its quite expensive. Us drinkers only benifit from the fact that in Thailand most (obviously not ritzy hotels, clubs etc) on premise accounts (bar or restaurants) mark up alcohol only 100%. Lets just hope that the country continues to give anyone with a pulse and 1200 baht a liquor license. If those licenses become set in number or difficult to get you can kiss that small mark up goodbye and we are all going to be making the trip to Cambo to get drunk!

Although the temperature is far from ideal here for home brewing, I would love to see that take off like it has in the states. Someone get off your couch in Bangkok and open a home brew equipment store. I can already imagine killer asian style fusion beers like a kaffir leaf lemongrass Belgian style tipple! 8% yum!!!

I know a microbrewery but he has to pay tax, he is Thai.

[RichCor]

An extra 29 baht per box of beer? Outrageous!

Time to have an armed peaceful protest.

Outrageous is putting it mildly.

Yes, armed with cue sticks and darts, but what color shirts would everyone wear?

[Ron19]

An extra 29 baht per box of beer? Outrageous!

Time to have an armed peaceful protest.

Outrageous is putting it mildly.

Yes, armed with cue sticks and darts, but what color shirts would everyone wear?

Have to be amber.

Edited October 12, 2013 by Ron19