Why is milk so popular in Thailand?

[Hal65]

I'm surprised seeing as most Thais are lactose intolerant. Why is regular lactose-rich milk so popular here?

[taotoo]

I'm beer intolerant but find a way to tolerate it.

[Hedghog]

What % of the Thai population are lactose intolerant.

[1FinickyOne]

Milk is regularly given out in schools - we get cartons to take home, so, maybe it is an encouraged habit.... that said, I never see my wife or family members drinking milk - so, not sure why it is considered popular - not sure i ever saw an adult drink milk...

[Oxx]

Most Thai adults are actually not lactose intolerant. In one study 53% were lactose-tolerant. The authors of the research paper also wrote "The incidence of lactose intolerance has decreased from the past and the symptoms are not so severe* that the people limit the consumption of milk since it is a major source of food containing good quality of protein and calcium".

Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15822548

*It could be argued that the gastrointestinal effects of Thai food can be pretty severe. A little belly ache and a quick trot to the toilet, be they from milk or somtam, are all part of the experience living in Thailand.

[BuaBS]

Who says it's popular ? Much too expensive for regular Thai , even for me.

Now soja milk....given the enormous choice and price... that could be popular.

[harrry]

Mlk as a Royal Project was introduced with the Thai Danish group (i think) to help increase nutrition particuarly calcium. It is provided in schools so those who drank it there grew up not lactose intolerant as to avoid intolerance milk must be drunk in childhood.

[ExpatOilWorker]

Where is milk actually coming from in Thailand?

Apart from the Chokchai farm you never hear about any dairy industry in Thailand.

[Tywais]

[siamcrut]

The only milk I drink is in a White Russian.

[fosseway]

Where is milk actually coming from in Thailand?

Apart from the Chokchai farm you never hear about any dairy industry in Thailand.

When I came here in the 70s it was almost impossible to find milk, except in 5* hotels

[ExpatOilWorker]

What % of the Thai population are lactose intolerant.

78.92347463836382292%

[mgjackson69]

"So popular"...does that translate to a statistic?

LIkewise...."...most Thais are lactose intolerant." ??

[Bantex]

What % of the Thai population are lactose intolerant.

78.92347463836382292%

Don't you just hate it when stats are only approximate.

[BuaBS]

What % of the Thai population are lactose intolerant.

78.92347463836382292%

Is it really lactose intolerant ? I don't have milk in Thailand for 1 to 2 years periods , then I go home and I need serveral weeks to get accustomed to it . Cheese is no problem though .

[rheinwiese]

Thais currently consume 14 litres of milk per head annually.

The south-east Asian average is 60 litres, and the international average 103.9 litres.

Hardly popular.

[Estrada]

Thais currently consume 14 litres of milk per head annually.

The south-east Asian average is 60 litres, and the international average 103.9 litres.

Hardly popular.

I worked for Thai Dairy Industry (Australian Dairies) for several years, the Company that started the Milk Industry in Thailand in 1962. Your figure is incorrect. Milk consumption continues to rise and is currently around 30litres per head. The problem is not demand, but supply of local cows milk. Also the government imposes an import tax on imported milk and milk powder, otherwise Thai would consume more cow and goat milk. A similar problem exists in West and East Malaysia where I also ran a Dairy and Soya Milk factory.

Due to 54 years of school milk most Thai's are not predominately lactose intolerant.

Edited May 3, 2016 by Estrada

[Stray]

If people aren't drinking milk, there must be a reason why the local Makro stocks 5 litre containers of the stuff (produced by several different companies) and sells out. It can't all just be for use in cooking.

The adults in our household (apart from me) don't drink it but the kids sure do.

[Estrada]

Where is milk actually coming from in Thailand?

Apart from the Chokchai farm you never hear about any dairy industry in Thailand.

You obviously do not read the newspapers or have a short memory. Time and time again, it is reported that the Dairy Farming Promotion Organization of Thailand (D.P.O.) is controlling the milk supply. In the past there have been regular reports of pasteurized milk having been supplied to schools in poor condition by those co-operatives often with political connections.

You only have to look along the shelves of Milk in the supermarkets to see that there is a Dairy Industry in Thailand.

[Eiva]

My Thai teacher said, that to consume cows milk is comitting a sin - "tham chua". It is stealing from a mother her vital fluids intended to raise children. Milk is the same body fluid like blood or urine, so how it can be drinken!

My teacher is a women in mid-40ties, buddhist, has 3 children. When I asked if her children drink milk at school she said they didnt because she forbids.

[Kabula]

Calcium is added to the milk according to the Thai government and they encourge more drinking it.

Many are avoiding it now.....???

Some don't trust it unless it comes directly from a tit dispenser....

[Eiva]

Almost every evening I see in local Tesco and Big C that tens of mik bottles and milk yoghurts are discounted to 50-70% because of forthcoming expiration date. But it seems that the discount does not encourage the buyers, because at the closing time still most of the milk products are unsold. I wonder how Tesco and Big C utilize the goods.

[mike324]

most Thais don't know what is lactose tolerant or intolerant....so that has nothing to do with popularity of milk. Its popular everywhere because people are being told milk is good for you.

[BuaBS]

So not only is it expensive , soja milk is cheaper and tastier....but milk spoils very quickly once opened , even in refrigerators which most Thai don't have . Soja milk has calcium too.

[siamcrut]

Of course the gov. encourage drinking milk.

Don't you remembers the milk scandal a few years ago?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Chinese_milk_scandal

[masuk]

Who says it's popular ? Much too expensive for regular Thai , even for me.

Now soja milk....given the enormous choice and price... that could be popular.

It's exactly double the price it is in Australia, yet the Thai milk is produced locally.

Agreed it's expensive for an average Thai, but my friends certainly like the chocolate flavoured variety.

[BuaBS]

Who says it's popular ? Much too expensive for regular Thai , even for me.

Now soja milk....given the enormous choice and price... that could be popular.

It's exactly double the price it is in Australia, yet the Thai milk is produced locally.

Agreed it's expensive for an average Thai, but my friends certainly like the chocolate flavoured variety.

No wonder ... Everybody loves chocolate !

[NeilSA1]

What % of the Thai population are lactose intolerant.

78.92347463836382292%

.... mmm, my figures are slightly different. perhaps I got it from a different source?

78.92347463836382291%

[Tywais]

even in refrigerators which most Thai don't have .

I don't know any Thai household that doesn't have at least a basic frig, that includes some very rural areas. From 2010 census.

[chicowoodduck]

Being living on the Thai breast milk for some time now....don't feel any different except I am a bit lighter in the money pocket....lol...