quality of the milk produced in Thailand

[midas]

I'm just curious what do people generally think of the quality of the milk produced in Thailand? On the face of it, we seem pretty lucky with the price compared to China for example, who now have an insatiable thirst for Australian produced milk, which unbelievably the is being shipped up to places like Shanghai and Beijing on Qantas.

When it reaches the best supermarkets in those cities it's is being sold at a premium product for $9 Australian per litre !!!  The Chinese are worried about their own milk products after they discovered  melamine in their milk a year or two ago. Whereas Meiji Gold , one of the premium milks is only 54 baht per litre.

Does anyone know what the standards of milk production is like in Thailand compared to China?

Edited June 19, 2014 by midas

[kokesaat]

I've been drinking Thai milk, mostly Foremost, but sometimes the other brands, for 12 or so years. 90% of the time I use fresh milk....but occasionally use UHT. I've never had an issue with the milk.......and when I go back to the US, I don't detect any difference in what I'm drinking there.

[h90]

I've been drinking Thai milk, mostly Foremost, but sometimes the other brands, for 12 or so years. 90% of the time I use fresh milk....but occasionally use UHT. I've never had an issue with the milk.......and when I go back to the US, I don't detect any difference in what I'm drinking there.

 

What I noticed is that the fresh milk, really isn't fresh milk. It doesn't get foul at all.....So I think it is an "almost UHT" milk.

Good experience with Foremost and Dutch Milk. Before I had some milk that tasted "cheesy". But can't recall the brand and it was years ago.

[KhunBENQ]

Drinking Meji for more than 3 years with breakfast cereals.

No issues, no strange tastes. I like it.

Its pasteurized milk not UHT.

UHT is for the dogs, they love it.

 

[Gringogazzer]

When I first came to Thailand I questioned where the milk was being produced as I didn't see vast number of friesian cows up for milking.
My curiosity was that I'm a big tea drinker and cereal eater only hoped it wasn't being farmed out of the bar girls of Pattaya. If you don't see a cloud in the sky and it's raining someone is peeing on you.
A Thai informed me that the King visited Denmark 20 year or so ago to learn the processing expertise to bring back to Thailand so children would benefit from free daily milk in school.
I never googled this and took him on his word.
If this is correct then the King and those with him done an excellent job because the milk is of top quality.

[Gringogazzer]

UHT is for our American cousins like spray on cheese. It doesn't cut the mustard, but that's another thread running at the moment.

[cooked]

Coming from Switzerland, I avoid drinking the stuff that Americans here seem to think is 'milk', except in my coffee and my Muesli. The bottles have numbers all over the front, suggesting that stuff has been added. Dutch Mill blue cap is just about drinkable.

[ryanhull]

Much nicer than uk milk!


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[h90]

Coming from Switzerland, I avoid drinking the stuff that Americans here seem to think is 'milk', except in my coffee and my Muesli. The bottles have numbers all over the front, suggesting that stuff has been added. Dutch Mill blue cap is just about drinkable.

 

Foremost is also OK. But as neighbor (Austria) I must agree, it is not the same as at home.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Milk sold in Thailand (Foremost isn't fresh milk, it's reconstituted milk) is usually reconstituted from powder imported from NZ.

Doesn't taste good.

 

Fresh milk from Thai farms is usually from Asian cows, different genetic line from the cows in western dairy herds.

Doesn't taste good (well, doesn't taste like the milk we are used to drinking).

Edited June 19, 2014 by AnotherOneAmerican

[Gringogazzer]

Milk sold in Thailand (Foremost isn't fresh milk, it's reconstituted milk) is usually reconstituted from powder imported from NZ.
Doesn't taste good.
 
Fresh milk from Thai farms is usually from Asian cows, different genetic line from the cows in western dairy herds.
Doesn't taste good (well, doesn't taste like the milk we are used to drinking).

From what I've been told there is a good Friesian cow population that where introduced here for large scale milking as in the west.
The whole milking program was built on the European methods.
Can't say I seen 1, but I haven't looked.

[Gringogazzer]

I am also the new proud owner of a second hand bridge that spans the Chao Phraya river.
I haven't been to look at that yet either.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

 

Milk sold in Thailand (Foremost isn't fresh milk, it's reconstituted milk) is usually reconstituted from powder imported from NZ.
Doesn't taste good.
 
Fresh milk from Thai farms is usually from Asian cows, different genetic line from the cows in western dairy herds.
Doesn't taste good (well, doesn't taste like the milk we are used to drinking).

From what I've been told there is a good Friesian cow population that where introduced here for large scale milking as in the west.
The whole milking program was built on the European methods.
Can't say I seen 1, but I haven't looked.

 

 

There may well be such a herd, but their milk won't be in the local supermarket.

Supermarket milk is all from milk powder.

 

ChokChai Dairy claim 3000 Fresian/Asian cross-breeds.

http://www.farmchokchai.com/en/index_content.php?content_id=29

That's about enough milk for a dozen of big supermarkets, where do you think the rest of their milk comes from? (Hint, it's bulked out with 95% milk powder & water)
 

Edited June 19, 2014 by AnotherOneAmerican

[Seastallion]

 The Chinese melamine scare was melamine in powdered infant formula, not ordinary milk.

 

Although it's not quite New Zealand full cream pasteurised milk, it's better than nothing.

[cooked]

Friesians produce a lot of milk but are bunged full of antibiotics and other muck to keep them doing so. I drive past the Chokchai farm occasionally, they have cross bred Holstein/Friesian cows with Thai breeds.

Edited June 19, 2014 by cooked

[kannot]

Much nicer than uk milk!


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

much worse in my opinion, has a strange taste, not  awful but something about it , is not quite  right for me.

[Gringogazzer]

 

Milk sold in Thailand (Foremost isn't fresh milk, it's reconstituted milk) is usually reconstituted from powder imported from NZ.
Doesn't taste good.
 
Fresh milk from Thai farms is usually from Asian cows, different genetic line from the cows in western dairy herds.
Doesn't taste good (well, doesn't taste like the milk we are used to drinking).

From what I've been told there is a good Friesian cow population that where introduced here for large scale milking as in the west.
The whole milking program was built on the European methods.
Can't say I seen 1, but I haven't looked.
 

 
There may well be such a herd, but their milk won't be in the local supermarket.
Supermarket milk is all from milk powder.
 

As I'm running on what I've been told without research, which I don't have the heart for, I'll have to concede and wait for further comments.

[David48]

Milk sold in Thailand (Foremost isn't fresh milk, it's reconstituted milk) is usually reconstituted from powder imported from NZ.

Doesn't taste good.

 

Fresh milk from Thai farms is usually from Asian cows, different genetic line from the cows in western dairy herds.

Doesn't taste good (well, doesn't taste like the milk we are used to drinking).

 

I must admit, I never did know when it came from.

 

As for the taste, I get used to it.
 

[David48]

What I do like in Thailand is their version of a 'drinking yoghurt'.

 

Little bit sweet, but still enjoyable.

[Costas2008]

I usually drink the 0%, fat milk, the one with the white top.

Many people have asked me why I bother, as it is just water.

But I like the taste much more than the other kinds.

Yes, I am surprized as it doesn't go bad, but "AnotherOneAmerican", has given me the answer.

Anyway, milk is good for you.

Not as good as beer, but we can compromise sometimes.

 

[Gringogazzer]

 

Milk sold in Thailand (Foremost isn't fresh milk, it's reconstituted milk) is usually reconstituted from powder imported from NZ.
Doesn't taste good.
 
Fresh milk from Thai farms is usually from Asian cows, different genetic line from the cows in western dairy herds.
Doesn't taste good (well, doesn't taste like the milk we are used to drinking).

From what I've been told there is a good Friesian cow population that where introduced here for large scale milking as in the west.
The whole milking program was built on the European methods.
Can't say I seen 1, but I haven't looked.
 

 
There may well be such a herd, but their milk won't be in the local supermarket.
Supermarket milk is all from milk powder.
 
ChokChai Dairy claim 3000 Fresian/Asian cross-breeds.
http://www.farmchokchai.com/en/index_content.php?content_id=29
That's about enough milk for a dozen of big supermarkets, where do you think the rest of their milk comes from? (Hint, it's bulked out with 95% milk powder & water)
 

Your a wealth of information and logic.
If I was only curious about where the milk came from before, I am now enlightened.

[Chao Lao Beach]

Milk sold in Thailand (Foremost isn't fresh milk, it's reconstituted milk) is usually reconstituted from powder imported from NZ.

Doesn't taste good.

 

Fresh milk from Thai farms is usually from Asian cows, different genetic line from the cows in western dairy herds.

Doesn't taste good (well, doesn't taste like the milk we are used to drinking).

 

Hvae you noticed that is doesn't use the words "fresh Milk" on the labels, in Thailand, the milk is a mix of imported powder and fresh, it only has those words if it is 100% milk, which doesn't exist here.

 

There are some good quality herds up around Korat I have been reliable told from Australian Dairy farmers who have visited them, (tax right off to Thailand kind of trip) 

 

I am not say that it is bad or anything though.  Personally I find Dutch Mill taste better than Meji. 

[trainman34014]

If you want proper milk these days you need to go to The Channel Islands.  However; as that seems unlikely most of the milk here in LOS is drinkable and also good for the likes of scrambled eggs, with a big dollop of butter of course !

[AnotherOneAmerican]

If you want proper milk these days you need to go to The Channel Islands.  However; as that seems unlikely most of the milk here in LOS is drinkable and also good for the likes of scrambled eggs, with a big dollop of butter of course !

 

Most of the butter in Thailand is fake too!

(Made from butter oil)

[samran]

Probably the nicest milk I've tasted in Thailand is the 'Ummm Milk'. It is produced by the Chockchai farm guys and it is pretty good. It isn't the same as the Chokchai branded milk however (just to confuse things).

 

The Meji gold is pretty good too.

[WitawatWatawit]

Back in the day when I was a lad, i used to spend my school holidays on my uncles' farm - milked the cows early morning and evening. There's nothing quite like pulling a cow's tit and squirting fresh milk straight into your mouth.

 

Just saying.

[NoshowJones]

I think the quality of the milk here is very good, but I can't compare it with China as I have never been there. I just love  ice cold milk, it is my favourite drink.

[NoshowJones]

When I first came to Thailand I questioned where the milk was being produced as I didn't see vast number of friesian cows up for milking.
My curiosity was that I'm a big tea drinker and cereal eater only hoped it wasn't being farmed out of the bar girls of Pattaya. If you don't see a cloud in the sky and it's raining someone is peeing on you.
A Thai informed me that the King visited Denmark 20 year or so ago to learn the processing expertise to bring back to Thailand so children would benefit from free daily milk in school.
I never googled this and took him on his word.
If this is correct then the King and those with him done an excellent job because the milk is of top quality.

When I was teaching, the other teachers ( I was the only Farang in the school) knew how much I loved it, and would always give me any cartons that were left over.

[Sandman77]

Chok chai here is the best
Not avalible at 7 only at tesco!

[NoshowJones]

What I do like in Thailand is their version of a 'drinking yoghurt'.

 

Little bit sweet, but still enjoyable.

 

The drinking yogurt you buy in Makros is really good, I bet the twins would love it. I don't know whether they are too young for it as I have never had kids myself, at least none that I know about.