Alcohol in Thailand: types, names, strength, allowed amount of imported and exported drinks

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

Thailand is a very popular tourist destination among our compatriots. An exotic country invariably attracts lovers of beach and sea holidays. Leaving the resorts, every tourist tries to buy memorable gifts for himself and his family.

The choice of all kinds of souvenirs in the country is quite large. Very often, for males, alcohol is purchased in Thailand. The choice of alcoholic beverages can be considered quite diverse. Tourists are attracted by the exotic nature of local products. In our article, you will learn about what you can buy and how much alcohol you can take out of Thailand.

Thai drinks

The range of alcohol in Thailand is very wide. Here you can buy a variety of drinks. But this does not mean that there are no imported goods in the country's stores. As in any other place, both foreign products and local drinks are sold here.

For tourists, the alcohol of Thailand is of the greatest interest. 'Cause it's beautifulthe opportunity to taste national drinks. In the stores of the country you will find not only strong alcohol, but also low-alcohol products. An interesting fact is that the Buddhist country, despite its religiosity, ranks fifth in the world in terms of the consumption of strong drinks per person. Of course, there are some restrictions regarding the place and time of their acquisition. But we will learn more about this later.

The high level of humidity in the resorts of the country and the intense heat make any alcohol strong enough. Even the most innocuous beer drunk on the beach can affect you like pure whiskey.

Thai beer

Food and alcohol in Thailand is what all tourists want to taste. Food and drinks in the country are as exotic as the local nature. Therefore, everyone wants to try unusual food and alcohol. Moreover, you can bring your favorite drink as a gift.

It is worth noting that alcohol in Thailand is represented not only by strong drinks. Low-alcohol products are no less popular here. Beer is very popular not only among the local population, but also among our tourists. This is not surprising, because all locally produced drinks are of excellent quality and bright taste.

How much alcohol can be exported from Thailand

The most famous brands of Thai beer are: "Elephant", "Lion" and "Tiger". Let's take a closer look at each item:

Singha beer (strength 5%), translated as "Lion". Thisthe trademark is considered the oldest in the country. This beer is the most popular. The cost of the drink is much higher than similar products from other brands. On average, a bottle of beer costs 55 baht (150 rubles). "Lion" is considered the best and softest drink in the mass market category.
Leo (5% ABV). This brand is a subsidiary of Singha. Such drinks are cheaper, their taste characteristics are lower. The brand is very popular among the local population, but our tourists do not really like it. If this is your first time visiting Thailand, be sure to try the drink. Perhaps you will like it. A tiger is depicted on the trademark labels.
Tiger (translated means "Tiger"). This brand is familiar to our consumers because its products are sold in our country. Not everyone likes the drink, because it has an indistinct smell and a bitter specific aftertaste. In Russia, the cost of a bottle is 45 rubles. In Thailand, the drink can be bought even cheaper.
Chang (5% proof). The name of the brand in translation means "Elephant". It is worth saying that this brand "works" under the guidance of the famous Carlsberg brewery. Therefore, beer has a more familiar taste to us. There are no sharp notes in it, it is soft and has a delicate aftertaste. In general, the product is very similar to similar European mass-market drinks.

According to reviews, alcohol in Thailand has a specific taste that is not quite familiar to us. All varieties of Thai beer, in the opinion of our compatriots, seem a little watery. But this is a matter of taste. Please note that in the country there are practically no low-alcohol drinks in bottles of 0.5 liters. The most popular containers are 0.32 l and 0.64 l. Beer must be consumed immediately after purchase, otherwise it quickly loses its taste and aroma.

Siam Sato - rice wine

Since alcohol can be exported from Thailand, you can make original gifts to friends and family by bringing unusual drinks. Among these, it is necessary to highlight rice wine. In the vastness of our country, you will definitely not find anything like this.

Many tourists call this wine a hybrid product. Perhaps they are right, because the drink has a unique taste and aroma. It resembles a mixture of wine, cider and beer. In general, it is difficult to describe it in words, the wine must be tasted. It is sold in Thailand on every corner, in any small shop with alcohol. The aroma of the sparkling drink contains notes of sweets and rice. It looks like champagne, but its taste is more like cider.

An interesting fact is that the inscription "beer" flaunts on the labels of the product. For our tourists, this is not entirely clear, since we rank the drink among wines. Such a product is stored in refrigerators. There are no analogues of such a drink in Russia. Only taste notes make tourists classify the product in the category of wines. It began to be produced in Thailand over 300 years ago. With the advent of a large number of tourists, the production of the drink was put on stream. The cost of rice wine per bottle is 40 baht (84 rubles).

Other wines

In Thailand you will find an amazing selection of New Zealand, Australian, Spanish, Chilean wines. Each restaurant also features locally produced drinks. The cost of a glass depends on the manufacturer. The average cost is 120 baht (250 rubles). As for supermarkets, you can buy a bottle of wine in them for 200-300 baht (600 rubles). Such inexpensive drinks are not worth taking. In fact, this is not wine, but fruit hybrids. A high-quality imported product in a supermarket costs 500-600 baht (1000-1200 rubles) per bottle. It is better to buy wines in large stores.

It is worth noting that winemaking began to develop actively only 30 years ago. At that time, the king of the country gave the command to actively plant vineyards. In 1995, the first Thai wine brand Chateau de Loei appeared in stores. It was produced for export to Europe and Japan.

Vineyards are located in the north of the country. And the production of drinks is led by French and Australian experts. The winemaking market began to develop more actively only in the last four years. The most well-known brand in the industry is Siam Winery. In shops you can buy fruit wines (apple, strawberry, white, berry) of the Fresco brand. The most popular drinks include Chateau Vendome, Peter Vella, Mont Clair, Kookaburra.

Strong alcohol

Sang Som rum is especially popular among our tourists. Such love of our compatriots for it is due to the fact that the drink has a more familiar taste for us and is easy to drink. It is sold in all shops and is inexpensive. The Thais themselves call almost all strong alcohol whiskey. We also distinguish rum.

According to tourists, Thai rum meets the price-quality ratio. Its strength is 40%. In local bars, vacationers are offered rum-based cocktails. The cost of a bottle of 0.3 liters reaches 155 baht (320 rubles), and a bottle of 0.7 liters - 300 baht (620 rubles).

Hong Tong whiskey is no less popular. Its strength is only 35%. However, the drink has a harsh taste. Like other alcoholic drinks in the country, it is made on the basis of rice, adding yeast. It is difficult to drink this product "clean", it is better to prepare cocktails based on it.

Another strong drink in Thailand is called Lao Khao. Whiskey is obtained by distilling natural rice wine. It is widely presented in bars and shops, it is considered very useful. It is used to make tinctures of scorpions and snakes.

The strength of the drink can be determined by the color of the label on the bottle. The blue sticker indicates that the whiskey has a strength of about 40%, red and yellow - 28%, pink - 35%. The last type of drink is made with the addition of Asian herbs. Many tourists believe that the taste of "Lao Khao" is reminiscent of good quality cognac.

Moonshine Thais call yadong. The strength of the drink remains a mystery (about 34-45%). Very often the product is offered to guests in cafes and bars. The drink is made fromThai herbs. Every family has its own secrets that are passed down from generation to generation. Please note that these items are not sold in stores.

Thailand also produces rum. The factory is located on Koh Samui. Currently, Magic Alambic produces five varieties of the drink: lemon, pineapple, natural, coconut and orange. Rum can be purchased at any store in the country.

Regency is a good quality local brandy. Its strength is 38%. However, the drink is not popular with tourists. Quality brandy is exported to European countries. An alcoholic drink is best when mixed with mango juice.

Blend 285 is a Thai whisky. There are two types of it, outwardly the bottles differ in labels. In its pure form, it is difficult to use such a drink. Thais prefer to dilute it with cola or mineral water. Whiskey has a characteristic aroma and taste of oriental spices.

Low alcohol cocktails

Tourists in the country are offered a large selection of drinks. What kind of alcohol in Thailand is worth buying? It's a matter of taste. If you do not like strong liquids, pay attention to low-alcohol cocktails. Their diversity is impressive. They are sold in all shops and supermarkets. On average, the cost of a bottle ranges from 35-60 baht (70-130 rubles). In bars, a glass of cocktail will cost three times as much.

In supermarkets you can buy such mixtures withlychee, strawberry, grapefruit, lemon, blueberry, lime flavors. Low alcohol drinks are represented by brands: Spy Black, Spy Classic, Spy Red, Kamikaze, Mai Tai. According to tourists, they are distinguished by excellent taste. Therefore, they are definitely worth a try.

Time to buy hard liquor

You will be surprised, but there is a certain time allocated for the sale of alcohol in Thailand. Drinks can not be purchased at any time you want. It is strictly forbidden to sell from 00:00 to 11:00, as well as from 14:00 to 17:00. Thailand does not sell alcohol to people under the age of 18. It is worth saying that the Thais are law-abiding and follow all the rules. Therefore, you will not be able to purchase alcohol at an inopportune time. As for age, it is extremely difficult for local residents to determine it by eye. Therefore, Russians may well sell alcoholic drinks, even if you are not yet 18.

How much alcohol can I take out of Thailand?

Tourists, of course, want to bring something interesting and unusual to remember from an exotic country. For representatives of the stronger sex, a strong drink can be a good gift. In this case, travelers invariably have the question: “How much alcohol can I take out of Thailand?”

Official sources say that duty-free export of alcoholic beverages is possible up to two liters per person. But in practice, Thais never arrange a strict inspection of tourists' bags and do not take away extra bottles. In general, it is beneficial for them that guests of the country purchase their goods. Thais are very loyal to tourists. According to the rules, for exceedingnorms of transported alcoholic beverages must be paid extra at 10 dollars per liter. But in practice, no one pays attention to this.

Most often, problems arise with Russian customs officers, who are forced to fill out declarations. According to Russian laws, up to five liters of strong drinks can be imported into our country.

By the way, Thai alcohol can be purchased at Duty Free. Its cost practically does not differ from the store prices in Thailand. If you did not have time to buy a "strong" gift at the resort, do not be upset, you will have time to do it at the airport.

Import alcohol

Some tourists go on holiday with their hard liquor. Therefore, you should definitely know how much alcohol you can bring into Thailand. When crossing the border, there are import restrictions. It is allowed to carry no more than a liter of alcoholic beverages per person, and we are talking about persons over the age of 18.

According to experienced tourists, it makes no sense to take strong drinks with you to Thailand. There are so many of them here that you can buy them in any store.

Instead of afterword

Wherever you are vacationing, you can buy alcoholic drinks everywhere. The most widely represented alcohol in Phuket. In Thailand, this particular resort is in high demand among our tourists.

It is worth noting that strong drinks are also in high demand among Thais. It is not considered shameful in the country to drink a couple of glasses of rum after work. Alcohol is consumed by all segments of the population.

Among the benefitslocal drinks can highlight the quality and reasonable prices. Thai alcohol is impossible to get poisoned. Counterfeits are not sold here. But still, it is necessary to use strong drinks with caution, since hot weather has a certain effect on the body. We hope our article will help you understand the variety of national drinks in Thailand.