Thailand is the top alcohol-consuming country in ASEAN

[GreenSnapper]

Just imagine..... they wouldn't produce the worst beers in the world....

[DrTuner]

But according to experts, illegal alcohol or "lao kaow" is consumed at about 5 times the volume of legal. That means only 20% of alcohol consumed in Thailand is legal and taxed. So problem is even worse.

I find this a little difficult to believe. I've drunk pretty much all that I've been offered and the only home brews have been my MIL's self made sato (not bad, it's water, rice, yeast and sprite). Should've been offered moonshine already if it was available. Or were imports from Laos, Cambodia meant by this ?

Lao Khao has been from the Nong Khai distillery, mostly. Horrible stuff, but hey, when offered in a tin mug it would be an offence to shrug off an important part of the Thai culture, eh ?

Edited January 7, 2014 by DrTuner

[ginjag]

Look into the persons eyes a heavy lao whisky drinker has a burnt skin look--that sick wino expression and his eyes will have a yellow colour.

I see young males with these symptoms now---never before.

Such a heavy drain on the health service.

The yellow eyes would be a liver gone bust. But I do wonder what health services the winos use .. traditionally they tend to avoid doctors like the plague, cuts down the drinking time and they don't care for moral sermons. In pure money terms it's quite likely croaking in your thirties you'll be cheaper for the society.

The wino's are a drain on the heath service when they are found dead in a back street, and have to be taken to the hospital for autopsy to clarify ..

The others are a drain- fighting-road accidents-PROVEN, drug related /stomach pump, attempted suicides, debt/theft related to buy more booze.

[ginjag]

But according to experts, illegal alcohol or "lao kaow" is consumed at about 5 times the volume of legal. That means only 20% of alcohol consumed in Thailand is legal and taxed. So problem is even worse.

I find this a little difficult to believe. I've drunk pretty much all that I've been offered and the only home brews have been my MIL's self made sato (not bad, it's water, rice, yeast and sprite). Should've been offered moonshine already if it was available. Or were imports from Laos, Cambodia meant by this ?

Lao Khao has been from the Nong Khai distillery, mostly. Horrible stuff, but hey, when offered in a tin mug it would be an offence to shrug off an important part of the Thai culture, eh ?

Or drink it an pewk up, should be an offence to offer it around, Some Thai cultures have had their day like many in the UK. move on and educate.

[flyingdoc]

Incredible achievement indeed for a practising Buddhist country!

[metisdead]

A profanity post has been removed as well as a post using overly large font.

[meand]

That is because workers need it to deal with these fascist Thai employers.

[bra]

I don't find it that surprising when you factor in Thais have a higher level of disposable income than many other SEA nations, and also the likes of Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei are Islamic.

Ok ..........that being the case, shouldn't thay have 0% drinkers???

Not all of populations of these countries are Muslim. In Malaysia its about 55%, the rest being Chinese, Indian and various groups in East Malaysia - who can all drink. There is also a small non Muslim population in Indonesia who can drink eg in Kalimantan and some other provinces. I am surprised at the figure for Brunei which being strictly Muslim bans the sale of alcohol, although if you are a non Muslim you can bring it in. Maybe its all those foreign oil rig workers?

[Local Drunk]

Living in Isaan I have to agree there are a lot of people here who do nothing but drink all day. I do not know how they afford to. On the same note, I can buy a bottle of blended 8 year old whiskey in shops in Laos for 10,000 Kip, = 40 Baht, Meanwhile a bottle of Leo is 55 Baht or more.

Agree seen it for years -- Leo 55 baht 1 or 2 persons drinking--------------Lao whisky 90 bht-or 25 baht from Lao duty free. a whole family and friends can buy and it last all evening with chipping in together. High alcohol content -health problem- on the road problem and anger problem.

Look into the persons eyes a heavy lao whisky drinker has a burnt skin look--that sick wino expression and his eyes will have a yellow colour.

I see young males with these symptoms now---never before.

Such a heavy drain on the health service.

It's a bit like the acne and obesity problems here from a change in dietary habits... It didn't exist 15 years ago. Many thanks to KFC, McDonalds, CP and various other mass manufactures of food products.

[ginjag]

Living in Isaan I have to agree there are a lot of people here who do nothing but drink all day. I do not know how they afford to. On the same note, I can buy a bottle of blended 8 year old whiskey in shops in Laos for 10,000 Kip, = 40 Baht, Meanwhile a bottle of Leo is 55 Baht or more.

Agree seen it for years -- Leo 55 baht 1 or 2 persons drinking--------------Lao whisky 90 bht-or 25 baht from Lao duty free. a whole family and friends can buy and it last all evening with chipping in together. High alcohol content -health problem- on the road problem and anger problem.

Look into the persons eyes a heavy lao whisky drinker has a burnt skin look--that sick wino expression and his eyes will have a yellow colour.

I see young males with these symptoms now---never before.

Such a heavy drain on the health service.

It's a bit like the acne and obesity problems here from a change in dietary habits... It didn't exist 15 years ago. Many thanks to KFC, McDonalds, CP and various other mass manufactures of food products.

There is " I see it I want it" thinking here. TV soaps -sponsors-Whitening creams- mobiles m/cycles-latest trends-hairstyles suppose it is natural.

What is NOT natural is the allowance of extremely high alcohol content on lethal drinks at low prices--THESE should be banned factories torn down.

Have your beer ,rum, and other stuff, freedom of choice, but uphold the law regarding driving-opening hours--UNDERAGE sales. Parents more accountable.

[Watthanaya]

They say that 40% of the 'drinkers' are from Isan, but Isan makes up for one third or the total population in Thailand. These are not per capita results so are very misleading.

I am not a statistics major but do understand how biased such surveys can be.

Isan- 22 million

Thailand- 66 million

[tinom]

Hmmm... Seems they forgot to survey Cambodia!

Angkor Brewery produces 50 million cans a day in a 17 million people country... but they as well pack in bottles and draft... and you also have Anchor, Cambodia, Kingdom, ABC, Back Panter... then all the imported other beers.

... and quite cheaper than in Thailand.

[Emster23]

Who picks those graphics? Wine glasses being filled? as if..... I would like to see some relationship between the population of the area and the drinking. Isaan has 40% of the drinkers, but what percentage of population is in Isaan? And one drink in last twelve months.... rather crude method I would think. I rarely drink, but have had a few in last year. I do not compare at all with the drunks that frequent my beloved Thailand. 7.1 per capita or is that just folks who drink? A bit of clarification would help. Maybe I need a drink....

[sunshine51]

Thailand...The Hub of Alkies! I'm lovin it!

[belg]

yeah, numba oan numba oan

hub of alcoholics , drunk drivers & idiots in general

now do one for drug abuse and corruption

[Loles]

CHEERS

[Loles]

And please don't forget to compute those old hard drinker German guy who just almost killed himself by bicycle on Jomtein of Pattaya

[Alwyn]

partly because of high tourist volume and being cheapish (comparable with west).

but 7l pure alcohol is high, in par with europe/america

2 things. First it's about Thai drinkers. Second thing, unless you count Bangkok as a top tourist destination for pisshead, the map doesn't really show touristic areas

[Benmart]

From my experience, Alcoholics Anonymous is not very well known in Thailand and there is a stigma attached to alcohol related problems in general. Many health care professionals either don't know about AA or see it as competition to their jobs and income.

Fortunately, there is progress being made here in bringing the program out of the dark and into mainstream society. While there are well organized AA programs serving foreigners in the major towns and cities, the Thai language meetings are few and far between.

As for Isaan, it is an area with a high percentage of problem drinkers which are undeserved by Thai health care professionals who fail to see AA as an adjunct in the treatment of alcoholism.

One Day at a Time

[Khun Loong]

Finally.... #1!!!!!!

As I posted the other day...

#2 in ASEAN for teen pregnancy

#3 in the world for road deaths

All they were missing was a number one. And now... Taa-daa! Well done.

Things are finally looking up for the country.

Didn't they also get a world 2nd in extra-marital affairs by females in study last year? Published in BK magazine.

On a roll Thailand......yeh.

[Aussie Paul]

First in ASEAN for alcohol consumption and first in ASEAN for road deaths. Any correlation?

[ingvar]

I would like to see a comparison with the rest of the world. Maybe then the picture will be different?

[wolfmanjack]

But according to experts, illegal alcohol or "lao kaow" is consumed at about 5 times the volume of legal. That means only 20% of alcohol consumed in Thailand is legal and taxed. So problem is even worse.

I find this a little difficult to believe. I've drunk pretty much all that I've been offered and the only home brews have been my MIL's self made sato (not bad, it's water, rice, yeast and sprite). Should've been offered moonshine already if it was available. Or were imports from Laos, Cambodia meant by this ?

Lao Khao has been from the Nong Khai distillery, mostly. Horrible stuff, but hey, when offered in a tin mug it would be an offence to shrug off an important part of the Thai culture, eh ?

lao Khao is by many people not just the Nong Khai distillery.

My MIL sells some pretty good home made lao khao for 30 baht for a large beer bottle full. Piece of plastic with a rubber band instead of a lid so I know it is not made by a large distillery.

[stubuzz]

The legal age for drinking in Thailand is 20, so why does this chart indicate 15+ are considered adults?

Looks like another poorly enforced law.

A better set of statistics would be to show how many underage drinkers there are and how much they consume.

[tonneke breda]

partly because of high tourist volume and being cheapish (comparable with west).

but 7l pure alcohol is high, in par with europe/america

What being cheap, the beer in Thailand is more expensive than in Netherlands or Belgium

[ginjag]

But according to experts, illegal alcohol or "lao kaow" is consumed at about 5 times the volume of legal. That means only 20% of alcohol consumed in Thailand is legal and taxed. So problem is even worse.

I find this a little difficult to believe. I've drunk pretty much all that I've been offered and the only home brews have been my MIL's self made sato (not bad, it's water, rice, yeast and sprite). Should've been offered moonshine already if it was available. Or were imports from Laos, Cambodia meant by this ?

Lao Khao has been from the Nong Khai distillery, mostly. Horrible stuff, but hey, when offered in a tin mug it would be an offence to shrug off an important part of the Thai culture, eh ?

lao Khao is by many people not just the Nong Khai distillery.

My MIL sells some pretty good home made lao khao for 30 baht for a large beer bottle full. Piece of plastic with a rubber band instead of a lid so I know it is not made by a large distillery.

If you go to larger shops you will see Lao khao with different coloured labels, There are K Khen, Korat amongst others.

BUT in Issan the best one IS Nong Khai. I used to sell it in my mini mart, try pushing other than Nong Khai to Udon area in particular---answer no way--not same not same taste.

[peterbkk9]

I am not surprised but at the same time the other non muslim ASEAN countries are very close behind (6.38, etc...)

The figures don't mean a lot.

I mean, next year Vietnam or the Philippines could well be #1

[mikemac]

I don't find it that surprising when you factor in Thais have a higher level of disposable income than many other SEA nations, and also the likes of Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei are Islamic.

Singapore?

I suspect it's a mixture of reasons - like the one you've stated along with the fact that Thais are generally lazy and fun-loving above all else. Nothing wrong with consuming lots of alcohol if you also work hard. "Work hard and play hard."

The Germans drink plenty and still get on with business. The Thais just need to figure out the work hard part. Surely Thailand is one of the least boring countries in ASEAN also.

It appears the Thais' weakness for a drink is on par with some of the arrogant and just plain nasty foreigners' weakness for running Thailand and it's people down.

If I knew for sure a foreigner who had chosen to live in my country spoke badly about my country and it's people, I would helpfully suggest that they best f off back to their own stinking country.

[captspectre]

Look at all the pissheads in the NE, and they tell us they are poor, Now we know why.

those boys know how to party! and relax. by the way, what is a piss head? some brit saying? sounds like a brit!

[Thai at Heart]

partly because of high tourist volume and being cheapish (comparable with west).

but 7l pure alcohol is high, in par with europe/america

Does the graphic not specifically note that it is Thai drinkers, therefore excluding tourist drinkers?

Do you think that the excise department can tell the difference if a tourist opens a beer or a thai opens it?