Bangkok Guru

Last night I learnt some terrible news for all beer drinkers in Thailand: Plans to market and sell Beer Lao freely throughout Thailand have been put on hold until 2011. That’s a torturing 3 years we’ll have to wait before we can drink this fine beer as and when we please!

Lao Brewery had long planned to introduce its award-winning Beer Lao to the Thai market. Unfortunately though, the Thai government has stupidly decided that beer is one of those products that are too sensitive to be tariff-free. So while the Thai beer market remains protected, beer drinkers like ourselves are missing out.

Tariffs on beer will be kept until 2011. Without a doubt, a new beer plant built in Southern Laos would have marked the beginning of Beer Lao making its way to Thailand. Let’s face it, Beer Lao tastes way better than Singha, Chang and even Heineken. This would have been wicked.

It really does look like Thailand is rather protective of its beer market and that’s a shame because it’s going to be a while before we can expect the lovely Beer Lao in our local 7-11. Beer Lao is probably the only branded product Laos is well known for. Selling it here in Thailand would be a huge step for Laos and its people thanks to the vast number of tourists passing through here, many of whom rightly speak highly of Beer Lao.

But hey things are not as bad as they might seem. For the time being, if you’re really gasping for Beer Lao, a couple of pubs in Bangkok do have it for sale. Gulliver’s have Beer Lao for sale at a reasonable 90 baht a bottle. I think the Office on Sukhumvit 33/1 has it too. Also, my mate says you can buy a crate or two in Yaowarat Chinatown without breaking the bank so those of your alcoholics might like to check it out too!