Singha heir denies grudge against Chang Beer

[webfact]

Singha Heir Denies Grudge Against Chang Beer
By Teeranei Charuvastra
Staff Reporter

BANGKOK — When controversy erupted earlier this month involving celebrities, social media and beer, the public had an unlikely source to thank for the full-blown media convulsion that ensued.

The man who brought the possibly illegal use of Instagram to promote Chang Classic to public attention, a scion of the archrival Singha Beer conglomerate, said through a rep today however that his actions were not driven by competition.

“This deliberation by law enforcement officials will set a standard for alcoholic beverage business operators in the future, about what can and cannot be done,” Chatchai Wiratyosinond told the Alcohol Control Board today on behalf of Piti Bhirombhakdi. “This is not about an issue between Chang and Singha.”

On Oct. 10, the Alcohol Control Board and police launched an investigation into 30 actors, actresses and singers who posted to Instagram photos of themselves with Chang Classic, a recently introduced beer line from Chang’s brewery, ThaiBev.

The investigation came after Piti, an executive at Singha brewer Boon Rawd, posted on Facebook that the celebrities may have violated the 2008 Alcohol Control Act, which forbids advertising alcohol by even showing brand logos or “enticing” others to drink.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1445241976


-- Khaosod English 2015-10-19

[Thunder26]

Chang is a solid competitor at the moment. The bottles look like Heineken bottles and Chang tastes better than Heineken. I predict Heineken sales will drop a lot and those who used to drink Leo will shift to Chang Classic as it is a better beer.

[toybits]

I like the packaging of the competitor. Looks very refreshing. Hope I did not violate any laws by posting this comment.

[catterwell]

Khun Piti is of course just acting as good citizen to instigate the full force of the law against his main local competitor.

[Prbkk]

Khun Piti is of course just acting as good citizen to instigate the full force of the law against his main local competitor.

They promote beer the old-fashioned way....calendars of naked women as per those handed out by Chitpas at government house

[catterwell]

Khun Piti is of course just acting as good citizen to instigate the full force of the law against his main local competitor.

They promote beer the old-fashioned way....calendars of naked women as per those handed out by Chitpas at government house

I don't have anything against naked women, at least not right now this moment.

[ChrisY1]

Why do they even bother..........

These brewers are beyond reproach.........their management are right up there among the elite............!

[bangrak]

Chang is a solid competitor at the moment. The bottles look like Heineken bottles and Chang tastes better than Heineken. I predict Heineken sales will drop a lot and those who used to drink Leo will shift to Chang Classic as it is a better beer.

Chang classic better than Leo? That could be what your tastebuds tell you, wonder what damaged them to that point... (Not saying that Leo is a premium lager, what it isn't at all, as to taste better than Heineken in Thailand, I don't know which other even overaged lager doesn't..., but hey, that's just my opinion as a former professional beer, mostly lager, taster...).

N.B.: what a shame the people at Chang have lost the expertise from the Carlberg brewers, which allowed their company to grow big at the time, greed, Thainess...?

[bangrak]

Whether organised or not (IMO it must have been, in some un-official Thai way), it is, according to the restrictive Thai laws, an illegal promotion for Chang, period! Why would someone from Singha need to apologize for denouncing it, whenever he did it, or not?

[bangrak]

Khun Piti is of course just acting as good citizen to instigate the full force of the law against his main local competitor.

They promote beer the old-fashioned way....calendars of naked women as per those handed out by Chitpas at government house

Here we have the opinion of an un-biased and a-political contributor (NOT). Let me guess what your reaction would have been had the situation been the exact opposite... Kept your Thai grenadine coloured mouth shut then, for once?

[cockatoowho]

Chang is a solid competitor at the moment. The bottles look like Heineken bottles and Chang tastes better than Heineken. I predict Heineken sales will drop a lot and those who used to drink Leo will shift to Chang Classic as it is a better beer.

As a 50 years plus beer drinker, I can assure you that all the beers you mentioned are absolute crap, especially the new Chang brew of which I have to drink because Heineken, Leo and Singh are absolutely rancid. Bring back Carlsberg or let Kirin (#1 Japan) move in now they have taken over the biggest brewer in Burma. Problem is if they do, the rest will be history. This country is so pathetically bent, they only allow two brewers and they dictate that the government to make it illegal to home brew.

[cockatoowho]

Must have been a great payday for the BIB, being paid to follow up the complaint and then greased again to make it go away.

[h90]

Chang is a solid competitor at the moment. The bottles look like Heineken bottles and Chang tastes better than Heineken. I predict Heineken sales will drop a lot and those who used to drink Leo will shift to Chang Classic as it is a better beer.

As a 50 years plus beer drinker, I can assure you that all the beers you mentioned are absolute crap, especially the new Chang brew of which I have to drink because Heineken, Leo and Singh are absolutely rancid. Bring back Carlsberg or let Kirin (#1 Japan) move in now they have taken over the biggest brewer in Burma. Problem is if they do, the rest will be history. This country is so pathetically bent, they only allow two brewers and they dictate that the government to make it illegal to home brew.

Carlsberg is back since a long time....you are in the wrong supermarkts (not in 7/11)

Problem the brewer families are all corrupt and protect their monopoly.....

[h90]

Khun Piti is of course just acting as good citizen to instigate the full force of the law against his main local competitor.

They promote beer the old-fashioned way....calendars of naked women as per those handed out by Chitpas at government house

That sounds like an open minded liberal (no I don't mean liberal how it is used in US politics at the moment) mind....

I always liked her.....sorry she won't marry me

[tx22cb]

Of course the authorities would back the Singha beer owners - the family name "Bhirombhakdi" is very old-establishment and blue blooded.

[15Peter20]

I wonder how many would turn their backs on beer if they knew every purchase was propping up the 'educate people' who run the country and keep the military in their pockets to do what is necessary when push comes to shove in the main arena....

Tough choice - personal joy tonight versus political future of Thailand. Should we give it one more day?

Edited October 19, 2015 by 15Peter20

[RubbaJohnny]

I like the packaging of the competitor. Looks very refreshing. Hope I did not violate any laws by posting this comment.

National Socialism and the Volstead Act and my wife looked attractive.

Hindsight is a teacher esp with froth and piss.If German,Czech and Belgian beers were readily availbale taxed at same level as local they would dominate

[Eric Loh]

No grudge? I doubt it when Chang muscled their way into the dominant beer market replacing Singha as the market leader. ThaiBev has always being 2 steps ahead of Singha in terms of market savviness and aquisition. And taste much better too.

[h90]

I wonder how many would turn their backs on beer if they knew every purchase was propping up the 'educate people' who run the country and keep the military in their pockets to do what is necessary when push comes to shove in the main arena....

Tough choice - personal joy tonight versus political future of Thailand. Should we give it one more day?

The beer companies, CP, the big banks, the big car manufacturer hand out money to everyone....military, PTP, Democrats, Red Shirts, Yellow Shirts, etc etc....They cover themself to be on the right side no matter who gets in power. If you look at the politics over the last decades you'll see that no one want to hurt them.

[halloween]

I wonder how many would turn their backs on beer if they knew every purchase was propping up the 'educate people' who run the country and keep the military in their pockets to do what is necessary when push comes to shove in the main arena....

Tough choice - personal joy tonight versus political future of Thailand. Should we give it one more day?

The answer is nobody, because the connection is too tenuous to bother considering.

[Thaidream]

Chang almost put Singha out of business through its relationship with the Mom and Pop shops. Chang produced a high alcohol beer, undercut Singha considerably on price, and told the shops that if you don't sell Chang you won't get access to the Thai whiskey and white spirits. Chang then grabbed huge market share and forced Singha to re brand itself. I assure there is no love lost between the two. As to which one tastes better- that is an individual choice. The best beers I ever had were in Germany and Eastern Europe.

[Thaidream]

Check out the history of ThaiBev and its wealthy owner Khun Charoen who not only owns Chang but Archa and has distilleries all over Europe. He also owns Panthip Plaza and a major hotel in New York City. In addition, he has big connections in Thailand. His empire is untouchable.

[lgking]

KIRIN which is brewed by San Miguel here in Thailand, has been in my Foodland for more than a year. However, it is somewhat disappointing when compared to the bottles I use to drink in Tokyo.

The Carlsberg (brewed in KL) is currently my 'best' choice for beers in LOS.

Edited October 20, 2015 by lgking

[Thai at Heart]

Not a grudge, just an obvious business interest....

[IamNoone88]

I switched from Chang to Leo after the new branding and bottle shape as the Export was discontinued. I think many people did......

[Baerboxer]

Chang is a solid competitor at the moment. The bottles look like Heineken bottles and Chang tastes better than Heineken. I predict Heineken sales will drop a lot and those who used to drink Leo will shift to Chang Classic as it is a better beer.

As a 50 years plus beer drinker, I can assure you that all the beers you mentioned are absolute crap, especially the new Chang brew of which I have to drink because Heineken, Leo and Singh are absolutely rancid. Bring back Carlsberg or let Kirin (#1 Japan) move in now they have taken over the biggest brewer in Burma. Problem is if they do, the rest will be history. This country is so pathetically bent, they only allow two brewers and they dictate that the government to make it illegal to home brew.

Kirin - salty piss water. The problem with all the big brands is they brew locally and therefore, quality and taste varies.

Doing something for 50 years doesn't necessarily make you an expert. You have your preferences based on your tastes. I guess you like the lager type of beer rather than a bitter, stout, mild, IPA etc. I find Heineken and Carlsberg crap. The Guiness brewed in Malaysia used to taste like barley wine - it was strong in alcohol and sweet, nothing like the real stuff.

San Miguel is awful too. Kingfisher in India is highly variable can be o k or downright awful especially when the add glycerine.

Best beers I've drunk in Asia - Tiger, Tsing Tao, some draught in Osaka, and imported Paulaner in Thailand.

A German friend recently asked what my favorite beer was. Incredibly difficult to answer, if you like drinking the different type of beer. I could only pick favorites in categories - Guiness, Koelsch, Paulaner, Director's Bitter.

A Canadian friend asked me if I knew what a "Black & Tan" is. He drinks that in the Irish pups in BKK.

Most Thai industries and businesses are controlled by one or a few families. Breaking that up, and creating a competitive market isn't going to happen until some significant other changes. In the meantime, they will do all they can to prevent foreign businesses and products entering or gaining market share.

[pedro01]

Chang is a solid competitor at the moment. The bottles look like Heineken bottles and Chang tastes better than Heineken. I predict Heineken sales will drop a lot and those who used to drink Leo will shift to Chang Classic as it is a better beer.

The new Chang is a terrible beer. It's too sweet. The old stuff was better, the new stuff tastes like fizzy p*ss

[marinediscoking]

I love bad new about chang! Their business practices are a perfect example of why to not trust a thai partner after what they did to Carlsburg. Carlsburg partnered with them before they even made beer, then after seeing the success they came out with Chang (a copy of carlsberg elephant). Then they charged carlsberg for distribution basically delivering chang for free off the back of carlsberg. Carlsberg called a board meeting and sacked the owners of chang, chang sued but some Judge in Ayutthaya sided with the thai partners of course and banded carlsberg from thailand for 5 years. I could not taste the difference between chang export and carlsberg.

I am guessing chang losing popularity abroad now as do most trends. I also think it was too costly to brew and distribute the many different chang beers in thailand thus now only chang classic being sold. Thus the paying of celerberies to pose with it. Seems chang is proud of the new bottle which is a complete copy of carlsberg.

Carlsberg returned after the ban being imported from Vietnam and in the last few months Carlsberg draft has returned after a long absence.

[mankondang]

Could anyone provide information on the following:

What is the amount of percentage alcohol per volume of the common beer bands?

What are the comparative price of these beers?

With reference to the above questions. Your opinions on, what is the selected choice of buying a particular brand of beer based on; Taste, value for money or "more bang for the buck"?

I do not drink lager beers (Ales yes) and this is not a troll, but mere an interested onlooker seeking knowledge and opinion.

NB, I always thought that the Chang v Singha family feud was an urban myth, but have heared that some Thais will only drink one or the other based upon which political colour "shirt" they support. Myth or fact?

Today, so much complexity over beer. As a youngster, I drank for the party effect...reason was simple then.

Edited October 20, 2015 by mankondang

[mike324]

Chang almost put Singha out of business through its relationship with the Mom and Pop shops. Chang produced a high alcohol beer, undercut Singha considerably on price, and told the shops that if you don't sell Chang you won't get access to the Thai whiskey and white spirits. Chang then grabbed huge market share and forced Singha to re brand itself. I assure there is no love lost between the two. As to which one tastes better- that is an individual choice. The best beers I ever had were in Germany and Eastern Europe.

Singha lost market share mostly due to price and higher alcohol content. It was the choice of drinks for low income earners who were price sensitive. The sons of Chang and Singha were in the same MBA class at Chula years ago, they talked about their own family business and strategies, I wasn't there but my friend told me about it, it was interesting to have two rivals sit in class.