Whining About Wine Prices!

[Jingthing]

I don't remember EVER seeing a bottle of wine in Thailand under 300 baht that wasn't total plonk or house wine. This writer mentions the availability of a very nice Thai wine for 249 baht. Is this for real? WHERE?

I was told by a salesman at Wine Connection that the unbelievable wine taxes are going up even higher in 2007! This is truly sad. Anyone know what the tax is for Thai wine, because in my experience it isn't really cheaper than the imports.

It was a bottle of Wang Nam Keow, in fact a 2003 shiraz cabernet sauvignon from Chateau des Brumes, one of the best wineries from the Khao Yai region. The wine had been taken on by a major distributor in Thailand and was soon being sold at incredibly friendly prices. I bought this bottle at 249 baht more than a year ago.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/151206_Realtime...006_real013.php

[alexth]

Why does the Thai government hate wine?

Because thai people don't use to drink wine, it would mostly be for farangs and they presume that farangs have the dosh to afford it...It works exactly like many other farang things here in Thailand...

[endure]

They don't hate it, they love it. Like all governments they love things that they can tax.

[alexth]

They don't hate it, they love it. Like all governments they love things that they can tax.

Yeah, this would be also a very true statement

[Rooo]

What about the FTA with Australia. Wouldn't that have an impact on the Australian wine prices?

[jumnien]

For cheap delicious local wines you might try living in Italy, France or Bakersfield, California. When living abroad it's best to drink the indigenous specialities. The local homebrew rice whiskey has a bouquet that, though harsh on first try, one learns to enjoy in large quanitities - and no taxes!

[November Rain]

The local homebrew rice whiskey has a bouquet that, though harsh on first try, one learns to enjoy in large quanitities - and no taxes!

And very soon - no functioning liver!!

[Little Black Duck]

What about the FTA with Australia. Wouldn't that have an impact on the Australian wine prices?

Rooo..I heard something about that and they said the tariff and tax was being cut on OZ wines..

Course like all governments they tax so called Luxury items much higher..

[alexth]

For cheap delicious local wines you might try living in Italy, France or Bakersfield, California. When living abroad it's best to drink the indigenous specialities. The local homebrew rice whiskey has a bouquet that, though harsh on first try, one learns to enjoy in large quanitities - and no taxes!

Add to the list Portugal, Spain, Romania, Greece, etc...

[astral]

You should think yourselves lucky.

In Malaysia the cheapest wine is now MYR40 (400 baht).

A quick check on spirits shows a tax of around 100% when compared to duty free prices.......

[Jingthing]

OK, I have heard that the tax on Aussie wine is going down very slowly, over several years. Also heard it doesn't apply to all Aussie states (or are they provinces). I understand this is a cash cow for the Thai government, but I am serious in my feeling that it feels like they hate wine. They are taxing wine like it is a social menace like hard liquor, drugs, or cars, not the life enhancing, food enhancing, manna of wonderfulness that wine lovers know it be. There is mounting evidence that regular moderate wine drinking promotes good health and prevents heart attacks and strokes. So this benefit is only for the wealthy in Thailand who can afford to buy wine everyday?

About the 249 good Thai wine. I think the writer made that up. Has anyone seen a good wine like that for sale in Thailand for 249, and if so, where exactly, because I would surely buy a case if I ever saw it.

I usually agree about going local, but the local Thai whisky rum is absolutely disgusting. Ever tried drinking it straight up? No wonder Thais water it down 100 to 1 with nam soda. Now that crap should be taxed 1000 percent.

Cheers!

Edited December 16, 2006 by Jingthing

[bmanly]

I think Thais do like wine but it's just that it is too expensive for them. When I come over I always bring some Aussie wine over and they love it, same bottle I pay 300 baht for in OZ you would pay 1,000 baht for in Thailand.

When I'm in Thailand I have to adapt. I usually buy the big 2 litre imported Italian Merlot. It costs about 400 baht so it is not that dear and it tastes good. I some how think this 249 baht a bottle of Thai Red will be hard to find everywhere. I would give it a go, if it's good they probably won't be able to keep up supply. Even now some of the popular imported reds run out off the shelf, "no have" so I have to try something else.

[teletiger]

One reason for high taxes on imported wines could be to protect the growing Thai wine industry. A smart move in my opinion. Having tried a few Thai wines over the last 3 years, my opinion would be that they have a way to go yet.

Rumania and bulgaria, about 15 years ago, employed Australian winemakers and their knowhow and achieved quantum leaps in a very few years. Maybe Thailand could do the same.

May I just add.....and as a Brit, it irkes me to say so....very few countries, none actually, can beat Aussie wines for price and quality. Some of their Cabernets are the nuts and at less than half the price of a French equivalent.

Regards

[bmanly]

The Australian FTA has been widely publicised and in the waning months of 2004, new Australian wineries were entering Thailand’s market at the rate of about two a week. They’re lining up to get a foothold in the Thai marketplace as import duties on Australian wines will decrease to zero over the next 10 years.

Beginning in 2005, Australian wines will increasingly be taking up shelf space and wine list spots at the expense of European brands. It’s a worldwide process and has the French wine industry in a state of shock. This writer’s only comment to the French wine industry is a line from a famous American baseball movie, The Natural: “You should have seen it comin’.”

The above courtesy of this website.

By the way Jingthing wine is taxed more than any other alcohol product so it seems, at 60%! More here.

[emwobberlydee]

The high wine prices came in after the Thai economic crisis in 1997 when a 70% Luxury Import Duty was levied on any item that was deemed a luxury. I seem to recall that some politicians at the time were making a big show out of only wearing locally manufactured Thai neck ties to prove a point about supporting Thai industries.

Unfortunately, this tax was never taken away again once the economy recovered.

[chuchok]

If memory serves me correctly,the large duty on items like wine,was imposed during the Asian Crisis.

I don't know much about wine making, but I believe that the climate is not that great etc for producing anything reasonable.

[VanZam]

Why would you want to buy "good" wine under 300b... I dont think there is such a thing... not just in Thailand... anywhere.

[Ulysses G.]

Why would you want to buy "good" wine under 300b... I dont think there is such a thing... not just in Thailand... anywhere.

I don't even like wine, but I think that you are wrong here. I think that one could do OK for about $10 in California and perhaps Australia.

[jumnien]

I gave up drinking 11 years ago, but I used to be able to a box of wine for five bucks. So much easier to fit in the fridge instead of those ridiculous bottles. And if you took it to the movie theater it didn't fall over and roll "clank, clank, clank" all the way down to the first row.

[tuky]

Why would you want to buy "good" wine under 300b... I dont think there is such a thing... not just in Thailand... anywhere.

I don't even like wine, but I think that you are wrong here. I think that one could do OK for about $10 in California and perhaps Australia.

UG, I think the point is that an AUD $10 bottle of wine is worth up towards 1k baht here.

I also do not like wine, I am a beer man myself

[davidjtayler]

You can find bargains but you've got to be prepared to sniff around for the deals .. Villa market often have buy 2 get 1 free etc and can bring the price per bottle down to 300-350Baht but it takes patience and an eagle eye.

For the real deal you just find one of your mates who's going on a visa run or holiday through the friendship bridge at Nongkhai or Langkawi ... duty free ... Peter Vella Caifornian Burgundy (or Cab Sav if its available) ... 5 litre box for 600Baht ... Bargain !

In fact I'm just drinking some now.

Edited December 16, 2006 by davidjtayler

[Johpa]

For cheap delicious local wines you might try living in Italy, France or Bakersfield, California. When living abroad it's best to drink the indigenous specialities. The local homebrew rice whiskey has a bouquet that, though harsh on first try, one learns to enjoy in large quanitities - and no taxes!

Here here! Finally a poster on ThaiVisa with some common sense. As far as I am concerned, the beer in Thailand is pathetic and one would expect to pay 300B for a decent bottle of wine in LOS as that is about the price range I must pay in the US to bring the odds of a bad bottle down to an acceptable risk level. I mean once in awhile I can get a good bottle for less, but I am just as likely to get a stinker. But as far as I am concerned, nothing beats a Mae Khong & soda.

[The Dan Sai Kid]

But as far as I am concerned, nothing beats a Mae Khong & soda.

[Jingthing]

Actually, as far as world wine prices go, the 300 baht level buys thousands of varieties of quite drinkable wine in the US. If you are visiting South America, you can buy an even better bottle for 100 baht. I have found in Thailand, generally drinkables start at 400 in the market, and often these turn out to be dogs anyway, either poor wine or wine ruined by bad storage. There are wine snobs who will only drink 100 dollar bottles, nice work if you can get. In many cultures, of course, you drink wine with every meal, it isn't anything to get snobby about. And yes, I understand why wine lovers would pay thousands of dollars for a special bottle, just out of my price range. There is no logical reason why drinkable wines shouldn't be available to the masses, as they are in so many countries in the world. So, I still go with my theory, the Thai government is militanty anti-wine. And its a bit fishy. Why so supportive of rot gut whisky rum and so punishing to a healthy drink like wine?

Edited December 16, 2006 by Jingthing

[The Dan Sai Kid]

No-one has mentioned the best selling wine-style drink - Spy Wine Cooler.

That stuff gives me a headache before I get to the bottom of the first bottle...

[Jingthing]

That ain't wine!

[tolsti]

Never really been a fan of Australian Wines since reading this review........

''A lot of people in this country pooh-pooh Australian table wines. This is a

pity, as many fine Australian wines appeal not only to the Australian palette,

but also to the cognoscenti of Great Britain.

"Black Stump Bordeaux" is rightly praised as a peppermint flavoured

Burgundy, whilst a good "Sydney Syrup" can rank with any of the world's

best sugary wines.

"Chateau Bleu", too, has won many prizes; not least for its taste, and

its lingering afterburn.

"Old Smokey, 1968" has been compared favourably to a Welsh claret,

whilst the Australian wino society thouroughly recommends a 1970 "Coq du

Rod Laver", which, believe me, has a kick on it like a mule: 8 bottles

of this, and you're really finished -- at the opening of the Sydney

Bridge Club, they were fishing them out of the main sewers every half an

hour.

Of the sparkling wines, the most famous is "Perth Pink". This is a

bottle with a message in, and the message is BEWARE!. This is not a

wine for drinking -- this is a wine for laying down and avoiding.

Another good fighting wine is "Melbourne Old-and-Yellow", which is

particularly heavy, and should be used only for hand-to-hand combat.

Quite the reverse is true of "Chateau Chunder", which is an Appelachian

controle, specially grown for those keen on regurgitation -- a fine wine

which really opens up the sluices at both ends.

Real emetic fans will also go for a "Hobart Muddy", and a prize winning

"Cuiver Reserve Chateau Bottled Nuit San Wagga Wagga", which has a

bouquet like an aborigine's armpit.''

Courtesy of Monthy Python

[jbowman1993]

Thai government hates all alchohol. Buddhist country and all..... Why is this a suprise?

Stop drinking, give money to poor people, lol! Get merit!

[Jingthing]

Thai government hates all alchohol. Buddhist country and all..... Why is this a suprise?

Stop drinking, give money to poor people, lol! Get merit!

They clearly hate wine more than whisky rum based on the tax rates. Whisky rum clearly kills more people than wine. So it isn't that simple. I don't think the tax situation has an awful lot to do with Buddhism. I think it is cultural. There is a lack of understanding about the benefits of wine because indeed Thailand is not a big wine drinking country historically. Imagine this kind of government policy in France or Argentina. There would be riots. And if the taxes were raised much higher on whisky rum in Thailand, same difference ... or more local stills.

Edited December 17, 2006 by Jingthing

[jumnien]

The benefits of wine are very clearly documented. The average income of wine drinkers worldwide is much higher than non-wine drinkers. Thailand should stop wasting all this money on education and just give one million baht of wine per village - no more poverty!