If the junkta are looking for a way to stimulate trade and dominate the AEC they should follow Hong Kong's example from 8 years ago.

Hk had an import duty of 80% on wine, but when the Financial Secretary changed, the new one was partial to a drop of the red stuff so he reduced the tax to 40% when he took over and within 6 months he reduced it to zero on the premice that HK would become a wine hub for China and the other neighbouring countries.

Surprise surprise his ploy worked and now HK is the major wine hub in Asia, with Australian wine cheaper in HK than in Aus.

Now there's a good idea for the upcoming AEC, Thailand could easily fill that role, if it doesn't Cambodia or Vietnam will steal their thunder!

First teach the Thais to drink wine and then you can talk about hubs.

I doubt there are many around that know what wine is.

First teach the Thais to drink wine and then you can talk about hubs.

I doubt there are many around that know what wine is.

Just drop into the Wine sections at Rimping, Tops and the Wine Shop near Rimping (Airport)....you'll see a growing number of Thais who KNOW and Love good Wine.

What a great idea. I would hope they could do this. It would mean that I could possibly afford some great California wines again. Maybe even find some on the shelves. I know the wineries in California are now putting on trade missions to Asia, but they are not stopping in Thailand. What a shame that this passes us up completely. High taxes does lead to $0 revenue.

What a great idea. I would hope they could do this. It would mean that I could possibly afford some great California wines again. Maybe even find some on the shelves. I know the wineries in California are now putting on trade missions to Asia, but they are not stopping in Thailand. What a shame that this passes us up completely. High taxes does lead to $0 revenue.

I think this is the objective, the majority prohibitionists here don't want the demon drink anywhere around and the elite don't want the poor farmers to enjoy such fine items.

Rubish, They are too far behind Indo China in every respect.

A French woman in Bangkok wants to open something doing with wine near the Cambodian boarder. Says access is unfettered. Time to stop trying to help Thailand.

First teach the Thais to drink wine and then you can talk about hubs.

I doubt there are many around that know what wine is.

Just drop into the Wine sections at Rimping, Tops and the Wine Shop near Rimping (Airport)....you'll see a growing number of Thais who KNOW and Love good Wine.

My missus likes a good whine.

Alcohol taxes (and other 'sin taxes') aren't just imposed to help governments make money. They are also imposed to deter heavy drinking. I live in Singapore, which is one of the richer nations in the world (per capita), and they raised alcohol taxes by 25% this year. They're now up to US$70 per litre. Military governments tend to be quite moralistic/conservative, and I wouldn't expect this one to do something that would give people easier access to alcohol, whatever form it comes in.

p.s. I actually don't mind the Singapore model: very low personal income taxes and high sin taxes... you can decide how much 'fun'/convenience you want to have (drinking, smoking, owning your own car) and you pay the price for it through taxes. You want to lead a 'sin-free' life, you have more money to spend on other things.

thailand already has cheap wine, its called sato and its 32b a bottle

I hope this post can not be construed as promoting alcohol...certainly becoming a "hub" for wine would be, and as we know, it could be illegal to promote alcohol in Thailand, even by "word of mouth."

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/755046-tough-new-crackdown-on-alcohol-promotions-in-thailand/

what a great idea

and promote the health benefits of it as well

now many imported wines are mixed with fruit juice to make them cheaper and theyre aweful

The Chinese also patented the name Penfolds and then tried to ransom them into buying back the patent!!!

A WINE HUB??? Is this a joke?? Before becoming anything about wine...Thailand need to produce a decent wine, not a fruit licor. Better idea will be to invite Australia to the Asean Community and export its wines free of taxes.....

Agree totally, however the HK retail prices of wines never reflected the change. As for Thai people not drinking wine, I have to disagree, there are certain section of Thai's that are well informed on Wines, and know their wines.

Of course, what would happen is that some restauranteurs would merely mark up the margins even more, as again, profiting from a lack of knowledge about the various varietals of wines. There are of course some people that will just try to impress guests, and order the most expensive one on the menu. HK restauranteurs make a fortune off the lack of knowledge from the Mainland clientele.

There are some very good Thai Wines to had here, a shame as they are not competitvely priced in comparison to New World Wines.

What simply amazes me, is the restaurants charging a premium price for mediocre, at best wines, whereby consumers are so put off by the pricing, that they have one bottle, if at all, if the pricing was kept reasonable, you could in fact sell more.

Example that comes to mind : Any restaurant that is located in the 5 star Hotels !

And please don't get me started on the lack of decent bubbles ( champagne ) all the BRANDS and nothing else, don't people realise that there are some fabulous Champagnes, available to you other than the BRANDS, which IMHO have nothing on the for lack of a better word ''boutique ' champagnes.

In a recent published report of alcohol consumed by type, Thais consumed less than 1% wine. It was hard liquor at 73% then beer at 26% and wine at the bottom...

Compared that to America where wine and beer were consumed equally at low 40% and hard liquor at 12%...

What a contrast in drinking habits and lifestyle...

CB

Alcohol taxes (and other 'sin taxes') aren't just imposed to help governments make money. They are also imposed to deter heavy drinking. I live in Singapore, which is one of the richer nations in the world (per capita), and they raised alcohol taxes by 25% this year. They're now up to US$70 per litre. Military governments tend to be quite moralistic/conservative, and I wouldn't expect this one to do something that would give people easier access to alcohol, whatever form it comes in.

p.s. I actually don't mind the Singapore model: very low personal income taxes and high sin taxes... you can decide how much 'fun'/convenience you want to have (drinking, smoking, owning your own car) and you pay the price for it through taxes. You want to lead a 'sin-free' life, you have more money to spend on other things.

Yo!! I have a cardiac condition and the Doctors say red wine is good for my heart. The "sin" is in penalizing me for my medical needs. Or do I get a exemption? The next debatable point is the definition of sin and who decides what constitutes the "sin".

Alcohol taxes (and other 'sin taxes') aren't just imposed to help governments make money. They are also imposed to deter heavy drinking. I live in Singapore, which is one of the richer nations in the world (per capita), and they raised alcohol taxes by 25% this year. They're now up to US$70 per litre. Military governments tend to be quite moralistic/conservative, and I wouldn't expect this one to do something that would give people easier access to alcohol, whatever form it comes in.

p.s. I actually don't mind the Singapore model: very low personal income taxes and high sin taxes... you can decide how much 'fun'/convenience you want to have (drinking, smoking, owning your own car) and you pay the price for it through taxes. You want to lead a 'sin-free' life, you have more money to spend on other things.

Yo!! I have a cardiac condition and the Doctors say red wine is good for my heart. The "sin" is in penalizing me for my medical needs. Or do I get a exemption? The next debatable point is the definition of sin and who decides what constitutes the "sin".

You have my sympathies! I wish I had medical conditions I could use to justify my various 'sins'... :-)

May be Loei winery can brush up on its poorly kept up surroundings.

When i visit there i always have to tell my friends not to expect anything.

Except for the owners airstrip that is.

If anyone is going to be the wine hub of the AEC, then it should be Vietnam