People’s Party bill to liberalise liquor industry passes 3rd reading
Pushed by an MP, who was arrested for brewing craft beer years ago, the bill will now head to the Senate for final approval
The opposition People’s Party’s progressive liquor bill, aimed at liberalising the liquor-making industry, sailed through its third reading in the House on Wednesday.
The bill was approved unilaterally with 414 votes.
Sponsored by People’s Party MP Taopiphop Limjittrakorn, who was arrested eight years ago for brewing beer for personal use, the bill will now be sent to the Senate for deliberation.
If the Senate approves it in three readings, the Excise Department will have 180 days to revise its directives to enforce the bill and open up the liquor-making industry.
After the bill was approved, Taopiphop posted a photograph of himself laughing, with the comment: “I’ve delivered the boat to its shore. It’s been 2,916 days, or almost eight years since I was arrested for making craft beer.”
The bill will allow people to brew liquor for their own consumption and eliminate restrictions that have favoured large distillers. It will also remove minimum capacity requirements for producing white liquor, distilled spirits and beer. Small-scale producers will also no longer face a 10-million baht capital requirement, nor will they need to produce at least 100,000 litres of liquor annually as previously mandated.
