To the delight of our tourists, alcohol is allowed in Thailand, so when you go on vacation, you can not worry about the lack of alcohol. However, Thai variations of beer and whiskey are somewhat different from the usual European ones. The country also has rather strict rules for the sale of alcoholic beverages: most large stores sell alcohol-containing products only at certain hours (from 11 to 14 and from 17 to 24). During national holidays, significant dates or elections, a short-term “prohibition” may be introduced.
Alcohol is not sold near schools, religious buildings, gas stations. The right to buy alcohol has a person 20 years and older. However, in resorts and in popular tourist places there may be concessions: even if the shelves with alcohol in the store are already locked, then in the club or mini-bar of the hotel you can always buy the coveted bottle, however, 2-3 times more expensive.
Customs regulations. In Thailand, you can enter no more than 1 liter of alcohol of any strength per adult. There are no restrictions on export, so here it is already necessary to focus on the customs rules of the host country (for example, only 3 liters of “hot” are allowed to enter Russia duty-free).
Thai beer
Produced with national characteristics (often from rice and stronger than European), but at modern factories in compliance with all technologies and under strict control. Therefore, the quality is usually not satisfactory.
Beer in Thai will be “bia”, the drink is packaged not in 0.5 bottles familiar to Russians, but in two types of containers: 0.33 and 0.64 liters.
On average, beer in Thailand is stronger than in Europe, and under the hot sun, intoxication sets in quickly, you need to know when to stop and not abuse even such harmless alcohol.
| Name | Fortress | Taste | Price $ | Features |
| Singha (lion) Singha Light | 5% 3.5% | Bitter, sour in the aftertaste. | ~ 1.6 for 0.64 l | Brewed in Bangkok. |
| Chang (elephant) Chang Draught Chang Light Chang Export | 6.4% 5% 4.2% 5% | More “hoppy” and strong taste. | ~ 1.5 for 0.64 l | The version for “home” use is brewed from rice, pure malt is exported. |
| Leo | 3.5% | Light, fresh. | ~ 1.3 for 0.64 l | Good thirst quencher. |
| lao | 5% | Soft. | not expensive | Dark beer comes from Laos. |
| Tiger | Soft, refreshing. | ~ 1.4 for 0.64 l | Singapore beer. | |
| Heineken | 5% | It differs in taste from the European counterpart. | Over $2 a bottle. | Despite the world famous brand, the beer is produced directly in Thailand and tastes different from the Dutch original. |
| Ark | 5.4% | Considered a “working class” beer, rough taste. | ~ 0.9 for 0.64 l | The cheapest beer on the market. |
| Cheers | 5.6% | Sweetish, fruity taste. | ~ 1.3 for 0.64 l | It is considered a “ladies” variety. |
In Thailand, you can find a lot of other beer brands: Federbrau Beer, Red Horse, Blue Ice, Siam, Kloster and so on, but they are all less popular than the above varieties.
Bars buy imported brands, so that even the most demanding traveler will not be left without his beloved Guinness or Murphys.
Strong Spirits
| View | Name | Fortress | Taste | Price $ | Features |
| rum | Sang Som | 40% | Soft with a pleasant aftertaste. | ~ 6 for 0.37 l | The most popular and exported Thai alcohol. |
| Whiskey | Hong Thong | 35% | Worse than Sang Som. | ~ 3.8 for 0.37 l | Often mixed with cola or energy drinks. |
| Whiskey | Sang Thip | 40% | Rude | ~ 4 for 0.37 l | One of the most inexpensive and strong drinks. |
| Whiskey | Cavalier | 35% | Similar to Ararat | ~ 10.5 for 0.6 l | It’s hard to compare the taste. |
| Whiskey | Mekhong Whiskey | 35% | Harsh, rough taste, it is better to drink cola. Fragrant aroma. | ~ 1.5 | 95% raw materials – molasses, 5% – rice. Causes a severe hangover. Despite the name on the label, it is in fact a poorly refined rum, not a whiskey. |
| Whiskey | Lao-Khao | 28% 30% 35% 40% | Грубоватый | From $ 2 for 0.3 liters | Obtained by distillation of sato – rice wine. Sometimes they insist on snakes. |
| Balm | Ya Dong | 50% | Spicy | От 4.2 | Herbal tincture. |
| Brandy | Regency | 38% | Soft, classic | ~ 11 | Delicious alcohol, one of the few Thai spirits for export. |
Other alcohol
Winemaking is poorly developed in Thailand, but New World wines are quite popular here. The cost of one bottle of imported wine starts from 8.5-10 dollars.
| View | Name | Fortress | Taste | Price $ | Features |
| Wine drink, cocktails | Spy, Smirnoff Ice, Bacardi Breezer | Depends on the manufacturer, but small. | Fruit. | From 1.2 to 0.33 liters | Huge variety of flavors. |
| Rice wine | We are Sato | 8% (0.7 L) 5% (0.25 L) | Similar to non-carbonated champagne. | 1 0.62 | One of the most traditional alcoholic drinks in Thailand. |
| Grape wines of local production | Siam Winery (producer) | Depends on the brand | Depends on region and manufacturer. | От 5.6 | Winemaking in Thailand began to develop only in 1995. |
| fruit wine | Fresh | 8-10% | Fruity, refreshing | ~ 5.6 | It is made from a wide variety of fruits: rambutan, lychee, mangosteen, etc. |
Alcohol in Phuket
On the resort island of Phuket, you can buy everything the same as in other cities of Thailand. The hallmark of the place is Phuket rice beer with a strength of 5% and a price of up to $1.4. The rules and restrictions in force in the Kingdom are not strictly observed here.