Really? Why is the beer in Thailand so expensive?

[Elkski]

I can't imagine the input costs being so much greater in Thailand than in the US. 

Labor is surely lower. 

I think energy is similar. 

Hops?  

Barley?

 

I dont drink  Bud light or Cooks light but they are only 24 baht a can  At 31.2 baht/$.  Keystone only 21 baht. 

Decent small brewery beers that are quite tasty  are 9$ for 6 or 51 baht.   Real good microbrews maybe 75 baht per bottle.   Given the wage difference how can yiur average thai afford to drink any beer ????? I am currently enjoying some completion from a local brewery  Epic on the session  IPA.  On sale  Only 13$/12 it's quite hoppy  and  only 5%.  Reg proce was 17$ . This  good session IPA beer from midwest came into the market @ 16$/12.    All day IPA.  It is really good for hop lovers.  Granted some of you gents want high point for the buzz but I prefer having 1-2 without impairment.  I call them lawnmower beers.  Can mow without cutting foot off.  

 

[onebir]

27 minutes ago, Elkski said:

Given the wage difference how can yiur average thai afford to drink any beer ?????

Don't they drink Thai whiskey, not some hifalutin farang-oriented microbrew?

[n00dle]

57 minutes ago, Elkski said:

I can't imagine the input costs being so much greater in Thailand than in the US. 

Labor is surely lower. 

I think energy is similar. 

Hops?  

 

Its a simple asnswer. Sin tax. 

 

The government taxes alcohol heavily.

 

Imported alcohol even more so.

 

Surely this is obvious?

[damascase]

Why so expensive? Ever heard of excise taxes? Pretty high, in TH.

[daveAustin]

Government... that collection of letters is arbitrary but you get the drift. Wall know that drinking is cheaper in the West right? 

[baansgr]

Because it's bad for you and anyone drinking should go to hell in a handbasket????

[vogie]

When there's very little competition the breweries can charge what they like.

[RichardColeman]

Unless the Thai relatives are visiting, I cannot say the price of beer really effects me. 

 

I don't really drink alot. A couple of 50-60 baht large chang/singha light or whatever for watching the football on a Saturday or Sunday night and i'm done. Unless the wife wont wake up for her daily dues, in which case i'll go back have another ????

[Don Chance]

You could always quit drink, that would save a lot of money. It takes about 4-5 years to reset, after that you won't think about beer anymore and lose all taste for it.

Beer in Thailand has preventatives in so it can last in hot climate for months without refrigeration. You really don't want to drink that stuff everyday.

[mr mr]

Really? Why us the beer in Thailand so expensive?

 

doesn't look like the price affected your ability to down a dozen before writing this headline. just the 2 of us ....building castles in the sand. 

[Orton Rd]

I switched to whisky, Dewars White label is about half the price of what it sells for in the UK, most are more expensive here.

[Elkski]

1 hour ago, mr mr said:

Really? Why us the beer in Thailand so expensive?

 

doesn't look like the price affected your ability to down a dozen before writing this headline. just the 2 of us ....building castles in the sand. 

for some reason there was no edit option to change the title.  I saw that mistake instantly. 

I think the high prices are due to only 2 local companies who probably collude.  and high taxes on imports... 

[Kwasaki]

11 hours ago, n00dle said:

Its a simple asnswer. Sin tax. 

 

The government taxes alcohol heavily.

 

Imported alcohol even more so.

 

Surely this is obvious?

Why is Thai whiskey so cheap then if that's the case.?

The B I L 's can't afford beer to get drunk on, they always get slaughtered on whiskey.

[n00dle]

44 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Why is Thai whiskey so cheap then if that's the case.?

The B I L 's can't afford beer to get drunk on, they always get slaughtered on whiskey.

Got to medicate the masses some how, 

 

You will note also the op asks specifically about imported beers.

 

If thai whiskey werent affordable, I suspect that folk would be drowning in illegal lao khao.

[n00dle]

10 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Unless the Thai relatives are visiting, I cannot say the price of beer really effects me. 

 

I don't really drink alot. A couple of 50-60 baht large chang/singha light or whatever for watching the football on a Saturday or Sunday night and i'm done. Unless the wife wont wake up for her daily dues, in which case i'll go back have another ????

Thats a great mental image, thanks.

[KhunBENQ]

12 hours ago, n00dle said:

The government taxes alcohol heavily.

And don't even think about quality (sparkling) wine

[n00dle]

1 minute ago, KhunBENQ said:

And don't even think about quality (sparkling) wine

Or any wine for that matter.

[KhunBENQ]

1 hour ago, Kwasaki said:

Why is Thai whiskey so cheap then if that's the case.?

I assume (not sure) that taxes differ highly depending on type of booze?

 

[Kwasaki]

3 hours ago, n00dle said:

Got to medicate the masses some how, 

 

You will note also the op asks specifically about imported beers.

 

If thai whiskey werent affordable, I suspect that folk would be drowning in illegal lao khao.

I find that funny  i.e. illegal lao khao,  really ???? in my time here found that brewing in schools and police living in houses next to the police station. 

Many places in our village brew it, 20 bahts worth served  in a polythene bag and their in cloud cuckoo land.

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

I assume (not sure) that taxes differ highly depending on type of booze?

 

Well as for taxing sin towards drinking beer being mentioned,   lao khao is more life threatening than beer in my book.

[robblok]

1 hour ago, Kwasaki said:

Well as for taxing sin towards drinking beer being mentioned,   lao khao is more life threatening than beer in my book.

Doesnt that totally depend on how much (amount of alcohol) not on the drink. I mean how many ml of alcohol you get in your body is how bad it is for you. Same as with any other drug. Amount counts.  Maybe the quality is less but still in the end its largely the amount that counts.

[Leaver]

6 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

I assume (not sure) that taxes differ highly depending on type of booze?

 

Tariffs. 

[Leaver]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

Doesnt that totally depend on how much (amount of alcohol) not on the drink.

Somchai who distils the lao khao has no idea of its true alcohol content. 

 

Indeed, maybe he was intoxicated when making a batch, which can lead to blindness, and other side effects, if drinking it.  

[n00dle]

2 hours ago, robblok said:

Doesnt that totally depend on how much (amount of alcohol) not on the drink. I mean how many ml of alcohol you get in your body is how bad it is for you. Same as with any other drug. Amount counts.  Maybe the quality is less but still in the end its largely the amount that counts.

There are purity issues, certain types of alcohol are also deadly.

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, robblok said:

Doesnt that totally depend on how much (amount of alcohol) not on the drink. I mean how many ml of alcohol you get in your body is how bad it is for you. Same as with any other drug. Amount counts.  Maybe the quality is less but still in the end its largely the amount that counts.

Everyone is different, some can drink beer all the time like I have done for over 60 years.

Like it says on the beer bottle here drink sensibly.

[impulse]

You'll notice that the ads shown in the OP specify that's a "with card" price.  That means you need a membership card (usually free), and they use your data for targeted ads and to sell your buying habits to 3rd parties for even more targeted advertisements.  Oh joy.  Like your Facebook data from your FREE Facebook account...  Discounts on beer is a great way to incent people to sign up as data sources.

 

Beer's also a great loss leader to draw people into the store and make their money on the cartful of other items most shoppers end up with.

Not to say that Thailand's beer isn't overpriced.  I don't have a clue.  I took the oath back in 1988.

 

[impulse]

45 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Everyone is different, some can drink beer all the time like I have done for over 60 years.

Like it says on the beer bottle here drink sensibly.

 

With due respect, drinking sensibly isn't an option for some portion of the population.   They have lost the choice over how many they'll be drinking after that first one goes down.   It has nothing to do with sense- it has to do with an abnormal reaction to alcohol.

 

If you're not one of them, enjoy your toddies, wine and beer.  I mean that sincerely.  But for those who are, the only drink that gives them any choice is the first one.  After it goes down, the choice is gone.

 

Edited October 25, 2020 by impulse

[tgw]

I too wish Thailand would significantly lower taxes on beverages with low alcohol content (i.e. up to 14%), so that wine becomes more affordable and also, especially beer.

Maybe cut the tax by 50% from 5 to 14% of alcohol content and do away with it completely for under 5.5% alcohol content, so light beers can be a cheap relaxing pleasure again.

 

Furthermore, I'm unsure what the time restrictions for purchasing alcohol are supposed to achieve. Someone suggested it was to prevent youth's access to alcohol, but this would defy basic logic: 12:00-14:00 - alcohol allowed for sale, children are on lunchbreak. then, allowed again after 17:00, when children have come out of school already...

 

[tgw]

10 hours ago, n00dle said:

Or any wine for that matter.

the local ersatz for wine (Mont Clair) is actually surprisingly tolerable. Not really good, but far less bad than expected.

[robblok]

8 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

Everyone is different, some can drink beer all the time like I have done for over 60 years.

Like it says on the beer bottle here drink sensibly.

I just don't think there is a difference between beer and other alcohols. If you consume the same amount and its produced safely. Sure of course the drug beer does less harm when used moderate. But It does not really matter what kind of alcohol only the amount of alcohol. (for the bad effects of alcohol)