Tariff-free Alcohol?

[HeijoshinCool]

I seem to recall not too long ago learning there was an agreement between SE Asian countries that allowed for tariff-free importing of alcoholic products.

Is my memory faulty?

If not, imagine my (snort) surprise upon arriving in Si Sa Ket, staying just miles from the border amongst locals of Lao and Cambodian descent, and not finding a single drop of Beer Lao, Angkor, Anchor, or any other decent beer.

Add to that the local merchants sneers of derision when I asked for it, and a response, typically, of "only Thai beer here."

Geez.

Guess trade agreements only work one way here.