BANGKOK — The Thai Cabinet has approved in principle the draft ministerial regulation on alcohol production proposed by the Excise Department under the Ministry of Finance on May 13. The regulation aims to ease barriers to entry for new alcohol producers, especially small community distilleries, in line with the government’s policy to promote locally produced spirits and improve their competitiveness.
The Excise Department is also preparing further amendments to ease other restrictions to support “community spirits” in the near future.
Deputy Finance Minister Paopoom Rojanasakul said the cabinet decision was aimed at increasing people’s income and promoting the use of local agricultural products. This would create opportunities to increase the added value of existing industries and strengthen Thailand’s soft power through traditional craftsmanship.
The new regulation will allow brew pubs, draft beer producers and craft beer manufacturers to distribute draft beer for sale outside their breweries, helping small producers to expand their markets and grow their business nationwide.
The ordinance also addresses the challenges faced by community distilleries located far from water sources. It revises the criteria for citing small and medium-sized factories and allows them to locate within 100 meters of public water sources, provided they use effective wastewater treatment systems that prevent pollution.
In addition, qualified entrepreneurs are allowed to set up medium-sized distilleries immediately without having to operate as a small business for a year, which increases their competitiveness.
Five Venues Exempt from Holiday Alcohol Ban
The government’s alcohol policy has recently become more flexible in several areas to support economic and tourism development. For example, the Prime Minister’s Office recently allowed the sale of alcohol at five specific types of venues on major Buddhist religious holidays: international airports, entertainment facilities, tourism-related facilities that resemble entertainment facilities, hotels, and venues that host major national or international events.
The Minister of Tourism and Sports, Sorawong Tienthong, commented on the expansion of alcohol sales on Buddhist holidays by saying that only one day had passed since the measure came into force, so no data was available yet. However, he argued that it was better to legalize and regulate sales rather than push them underground, as illegal alcohol sales continue to take place on such holidays.
“People who want to drink will drink anyway. The key is proper regulation, including designated sales areas and age restrictions for buyers. Zoning should be considered for restaurants and grocery stores, especially in tourist areas, to allow sales. Most foreign tourists don’t know which days are major Buddhist holidays with sales bans,” Sorawong said.
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