Community liquor boost
text size

Community liquor boost

Listen to this article
Play
Pause

House approval for the Community Liquor Bill will boost small-time distillers and is welcome news. But this is just the beginning.

The bill sailed through the second and third readings with unanimous approval from all parties on Wednesday.

In principle, the law is to remove key obstacles for small- and medium-scale or community distillers so they can do business with more flexibility. As liquor like sato from the Northeast is made of rice, it's an opportunity for farmers to diversify, add value to their produce, and increase their income.

The legislation, touted as a victory for the liquor industry, now goes to the Senate for deliberation. If approved by the Upper House, the law will take effect within 180 days, or around October.

The legislation is in line with the state's policy to promote community liquor. Last December, the Excise Department introduced a draft revision of guidelines for the production of community liquor to improve competitiveness further.

The idea was to reduce barriers to entry for new producers, particularly those in the "community liquor" group, meaning obtaining a licence would be easier.

At the same time, the revised conditions will expand opportunities for brewpubs and craft beer breweries to sell keg beer off-site, which was previously prohibited.

In addition, the department proposed removing the requirement that community liquor factories, both small and medium-sized (mainly producing white liquor), must be at least 100 metres away from rivers and waterways.

If the factories install a wastewater treatment system that meets Pollution Control Department standards, they can go anywhere. The changes were forwarded to the cabinet for approval and are expected to take effect next month.

Though the legislation belongs to the Pheu Thai Party, the idea of boosting community liquor initially came from the Move Forward Party, which is now the People's Party.

People's Party MP Taopiphop Limjittrakorn, whose pioneering work in the craft beer brewery landed him in legal trouble eight years ago, said the legislation marks a change that would have been impossible in the last decade.

While praising the law, he said some measures are still needed to help small-time producers. Some regulations also remain pro-big business, which must be revised or removed.

Last week, a small-scale distiller complained about unfair tax that makes it difficult for producers to compete. "We pay the same tax as liquor giants, while we are only a community business. This is why our liquor is expensive," he said.

Authorities should be open to input from small-time distillers and breweries to further remove obstacles to competitiveness.

They should also look at how other countries promote their local products, which have become globally famous, like beers in Germany or sake in Japan, and adopt measures with competitiveness as the key watchword.

Editorial

Bangkok Post editorial column

These editorials represent Bangkok Post thoughts about current issues and situations.

Email : anchaleek@bangkokpost.co.th

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT