On display now at the Thailand Creative and Design Center (TCDC), the exhibition "Thai Local Spirit" raises the question, can Thai rice whiskeys like lao khao, sa toe and ka chae earn worldwide recognition like soju and sake?"
"Thai Local Spirit" is an exhibition that rotates to different provinces including Chiang Mai, Bangkok and Khon Kaen. The exhibition was created last year when the Move Forward Party proposed the progressive liquor bill to the House of Representatives. If the bill was approved, it would provide opportunities to community enterprises and people who produce distilled and fermented alcoholic beverages.
The bill aimed to lift specific capital and production requirements of the 2022 ministerial regulations. According to regulation, small and medium-sized enterprises which use machinery of less than 50hp can produce only rice whiskey. However, the progressive liquor bill would not limit horsepower or the number of labourers hired by the enterprises.
The ministerial regulation requires rice whiskey enterprises to produce a minimum of 90,000 litres per day, but the progressive liquor bill would exempt the minimum requirement. Unfortunately, the bill was rejected.
Due to section 32 of the Alcohol Control Act of 2008, which prohibits advertising or promoting the name or logo of the alcohol as well as the qualities of the product, over 50 local liquor brands at the exhibition are wrapped with white paper to cover this information. However, viewers are permitted to take off the wraps to view the bottles' design packaging and other information.
The exhibition is divided into three zones -- Thai agricultural materials; exporting Thai local spirits as a brand around the world; and empowering Thai local spirits. Phanuphan Veeravaphusit, curator and senior knowledge management officer of the Department of Knowledge Development at the Creative Economy Agency (CEA), explained that most people do not know about materials that are used to produce Thai spirits, so the first zone includes this information.
The first section introduces ingredients used to produce Thai liquor.
Phanuphan Veeravaphusit, curator of 'Thai Local Spirit'.
"Many people have no idea that apart from rice, other ingredients -- fruits, spices and herbs -- can be distilled or fermented into liquors. In Isan, liquor called ka chae uses sugar cane as its primary ingredient. Various fruits such as bananas, pineapples, grapes and lychees add unique flavours and scents to create a sweet flavour. Added spices and herbs are age-old ingredients that can control unwanted microbial growth conditions and produce the required standard taste. The exhibition also displays a diagram of the fermentation and distillation process involved in producing various kinds of alcohols such as gin, rice whiskey, vodka and spirits," explained Phanuphan.
Phanuphan explained that the exhibition also showcases non-alcoholic beverages such as craft soda, kombucha, sweet sake and pineapple vinegar because they are also produced by the fermented process.
"The showcase intends to show that new-generation entrepreneurs can produce many alternative drinks. Kombucha tea is fermented with bacteria and yeast, it has a fizzy taste like soda. A non-alcoholic sweet sake from Chiang Mai is fermented with Thai rice and a Japanese fungus called koji. This drink includes vitamin B, amino acids and antioxidants for good health," he said.
Craft soda.
The second zone, exporting Thai spirits around the world, shows how Japanese sake, Korean soju and makgeolli are successfully promoted globally. One key to success is that Japanese and Korean liquors are supported by the government.
"Both Japan and South Korea have policies to promote their product abroad. In 2012, the Japanese government launched the campaign 'Cool Japan' to promote sake through Japanese restaurants overseas. Another campaign, 'Sake Viva' launched in 2022, promoted the liquor industry by organising a competition where people aged 20 to 39 created their own alcohol business plans. Winners received funds from the government to carry out their plans," Phanuphan explained.
Soju and makgeolli can be often seen in K-dramas. Advertisements using Korean celebrities also attract potential consumers to Korean liquors.
"It is obvious that South Korean alcohol products can be advertised on their media. In contrast, advertising alcohol products in Thailand is prohibited. Thailand may have to reconsider this kind of law," said Phanuphan.
The final zone, empowering local Thai spirits, reveals the Thai alcoholic beverage market is worth 470 billion baht and is likely to grow at 2-4% per year. Since it is a potential growth market, visitors learn who will benefit if Thai spirit marketing is opened freely.
Pineapple vinegar.
Leftover Thai agricultural products can be put to good use. They can still fetch a good price. Farmers and villagers in the community can become SME entrepreneurs, encouraging free competition in the alcohol industry and helping to distribute income to local communities of at least 30 billion baht annually.
"Liquor businesses do not involve only farmers, but also designers. Other jobs include people in design packaging, the ceramic industry and local pottery. Liquor packaging contests can be arranged for developing a local product. Communities can develop local tourism. For example, organising a tour to learn about the process of producing local liquor," Phanuphan said.
Among several community enterprises which produce liquors, Phanuphan said Baan Saieb in Phrae is a community known for its rice whiskey. People in this community work as a team to produce liquors from their organic rice.
"Look pang is fermented flour used in producing sweet alcohol. The fermentation process of look pang is different in each community, so it is like an old-age recipe belonging to each of them. In the North, spirits are made from rice and liquors are made from fruit and coffee. In Isan, sticky rice and look pang are fermented in jars. In the South, people make a lot of rum since they grow a lot of palm trees down there," he said.
Age-old look pang recipes show how fermented flour is used in producing sweet alcohol in each community.
When "Thai Local Spirit" was exhibited in Chiang Mai last year, it received positive feedback from visitors.
"People were surprised to see many local liquor brands at the exhibition. International visitors were interested in the displays and wanted to try Thai liquor. Many people asked where to purchase them," said Phanuphan.
The curator hopes that Bangkokians will understand more about local liquor.
"We want people to understand that liquor is not evil; it is just a drink. We want to change the image of local liquor which used to be of low quality and did not meet standards. We selected many brands from entrepreneurs who produce quality products with beautiful packaging and have the potential to export abroad. The design packaging of the products is also interesting; visitors will view a variety of designs."
"Thai Local Spirit" runs at Thailand Creative and Design Center, Central Post Office, until March 17. Admission is free. For more information, visit facebook.com/tcdc.thailand.
The exhibition asks, 'Should we promote Thai liquor?'.
Over 50 local liquor brands at the exhibition are wrapped with white paper to cover their logos and brands.
Kombucha.
Several kinds of packaging.
