Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing alcohol in Thailand. We have discussed this a little bit, it is not really not what I intended the bailiwick of this channel or the thrust of this channel to be but these alcohol bans are having a tremendous impact, especially on SMEs, food and beverage sector, small businesses here, restaurant sector, yes the entertainment sector as well; bars, pubs etc. We have had this ongoing alcohol ban essentially since April of 2021. Let's be clear, we are now sitting here in October of 2021.

As I have discussed in other videos on this channel, I fail to see what the purpose of these alcohol bans is; I mean I don't get it. We have done videos where I think the only other major country I have even heard of that tried to implement this is South Africa. We did a video on that where we explained they were kind of befuddled as to what the reasoning was behind it was down there as well and folks in their food and beverage sector were asking why this was going on. South Africa has got more problems arguably at this point than the alcohol ban. Here in Thailand, Thailand is the only country I have really heard of that has done this. I haven't even seen any studies, I haven't seen any data out there. That doesn't mean there isn't any. I am not creating the impression, if there is some I am always happy to stand corrected. If you see some data regarding alcohol bans in this overall situation, put it in the comments below. I will happily have a look at it but I haven't seen any data where banning alcohol has anything to do with mitigating this overall public health issue such as it is. I haven't seen that.

Getting back to the thrust of this video, this question: "Does Thailand have a love-hate relationship with alcohol?" I was recently reading in the Pattaya Mail, that is pattayamail.com, the article is titled: Thailand Booze Laws are Always a Cocktail of Confusion. Quoting directly: "Thailand's love-hate relationship with alcohol goes back a long way. Booze only became a significant issue in Thai politics in the 19th century when Chinese immigrants first set up distilleries for white spirit and the Thai Government urgently seized the opportunity to tax the product." Yeah it is actually interesting. The history of alcohol policy, it is all one of Taxation. Taxation, except for prohibition which we saw in America what happened when you prohibit alcohol, it ain't good. Maybe Thailand could take a look at what happens when you prohibit alcohol. You essentially create a criminal underworld out of people that were not part of the criminal underworld. On top of that, you dramatically decrease your tax revenues associated with alcohol. That is the other thing people forget. It was a huge problem. People kind of forget in American history and there were other factors at play with the Great Depression, but one thing I have read this in a few different places one thing that is often overlooked is the fact that states especially weren't getting excise tax receipts off of alcohol and that had a lot to do with keeping state coffers replenished and thereby allowing certain public spending to go on which wasn't going on in the Great Depression because you can't tax something that is illegal or it is more difficult. Yes I know there are those who will get into things like the Volstead Act and talk about “yeah there were ways in which you can have alcohol in the system” but the widespread consumption of alcohol in a legal context was massively curtailed during prohibition and it only augured well for criminal elements and it did not auger well for public coffers. In any event, getting back to this, quoting further: "This contradictory dualism between the traditional Buddhist dislike of alcohol and the state's love of cash is very deep in Thailand. It explains the cocktail of confusion," I love the writing here, it is fantastic. Again those who are watching this, Thailand Booze Laws are Always a Cocktail of Confusion, Pattaya Mail, pattayamail.com. 

We have discussed this in other videos. Thailand can be a very conservative place but it is also simultaneously a very tolerant place and you see this with alcohol. Thailand being predominantly Buddhist, Buddhism frowns upon alcohol usage quite frankly and you could argue going back to prohibition, Christianity frowned upon alcohol usage as well at least Protestant Christianity but the long story short here is it is tolerant too. Buddhists don't like or don't partake but they are tolerant of those who do. On top of it, it generates tax revenue. So again there is a cost benefit analysis that is done and it is sort of worked out. Quoting further: "The post-coup military backed Government stepped up the war on alcohol. In 2015 a forgotten law of 1972 was unwrapped to limit the sale of alcohol to 8 hours a day. A 2008 control ban on advertising was beefed up in 2020 when online booze sales and even delivery to homes were outlawed. At the same time alcohol can be bought almost anywhere and the World Health Organization estimates there is one retail out selling booze for every 100 citizens in the Kingdom." Okay, one way to look at it, long story short it is interesting. There does seem to be this kind of I don't know cognitive dissonance with respect to alcohol policy here in Thailand. That said, I think policy makers need to bear in mind that no matter what their own personal biases are one way or the other on this topic, it has an integral impact on the food and beverage sector and we made videos on this. People in the food and beverage sector noted that it really it is not only detrimental it is almost ludicrous to presume that the food and beverage sector can continue on without alcohol being involved. Now we have seen Phuket has reopened, the ban on alcohol has been lifted in Phuket so presumably hopefully we are going to see similar moves being made up here in Bangkok, possibly Pattaya, Hua Hin and other places relatively soon. The sooner the better quite frankly. These SMEs that have been hanging on really by their fingernails in the food and beverage industry could really use some help. The best thing that could be done, it doesn't need to be subsidized, the best thing that could be done is just get out of their way and let's go ahead and get this booze ban off the table and start moving forward with business here in the Kingdom of Thailand.