A comment on The Bangkok Post Forum under the topic : future of ISSAN
“The problem for Issan people is the LAO KHAO, the alcohol.
Have a look around. Is there any study about alcoholism in Issan or all about Thailand?
My impression is they are the biggest alcoholics in the world.
When you want to give them a chance, teach them to stop alcohol!!!
Another case of corruption, the influence of the alcohol industry.”
A pretty strong statement and one that provoked a few replies. A lao khao strength statement and one which may have been brewed under the influence of it’s main point. I am glad I didn’t make it.
Lao khao is a cheap priced white spirit and at over 40% proof it’s popularity amongst the poor make it the biggest selling alcohol drink in Thailand. Lao khao is also the most profitable tipple, commandeering over 60% of the market share, a big selling cheaply produced liquor that looks untouchable at the top of the alcohol sales table.
Beer also holds a large slice of Thailand’s alcohol consumption ever since first appearing on the scene in 1934. The Boon Rawd Brewery was founded way back then by Phya Bhirom Bhakdi, producing the still popular Beer Singha and in more recent years the slightly lesser strength Beer Leo. If you need a beer with strong alcohol content then Chang Beer brewed by Thai Beverages weighs in with a 6.4% alcohol count. Thai Beverages make claim to Chang Beer being Thailand’s No I selling beer and they also brew the lesser known Beer Archa and the big selling Mekhong Rum.
Road accidents, fights, burglary, drugs, gambling and even murder are all incidences of problems or crimes that have a high percentage of alcohol induced involvement. So what exactly has Thailand done to try and if not stop, then at least reduce these unwanted acts of unsociability and crime. The Alcohol Control Act was proposed to reduce the consumption of alcoholic beverages. With the fierce political fighting that gripped Thailand last year, the proposals were fiercely debated and challenged by many, especially from those within the alcohol industries . Listed below are some of the controls that were implemented.
- Limit the times when alcohol may be advertised on television and radio stations by forbidding advertisements between 05:00 – 22:00.
- Set a minimum age to purchase alcohol, forbidding the distribution to those under the age of 20 and to adults obviously drunk.
- Regulations to establish alcohol distribution and consumption-free zones, such as religious institutions, educational institutions, and convenience stores at gas stations.
- It requires manufacturers and importers to observe conditions set by committees which include legislation on product packaging, labels and warnings.
So did the new laws have any affect on road accidents through the New Year six day holiday period. New Year road fatalities in Thailand showed a 28% drop to the previous year, sadly the death toll was still well over 300 and far too many were drink related. Last years Songkran festivities saw a 44% reduction and the overall road accident fatalities for 2008 dropped by 11%. An improvement but nonetheless too many unnecessary deaths.
So is Issan and in my interest Udon Thani, a place where the country air has a strong alcohol odour, or do the locals gulp bottled water by the quart and see in the New Year with fruit juice. Below is my reply comment to the Bangkok Post Forum in response to the one above.
‘I have been visiting Udon Thani three times a year since 2003. In all I estimate to have stayed around seven months in the region. My time has been mostly spent in a village near Sang Khom, my other days in Udon Thani city. Sure I’ve seen drunkard people but most of them were farang. I’ve also seen Thai’s who’ve had one too many, sometimes they had drank far too many, but they were always courteous and polite. In my own country England I see it much much more, and with my people it often comes cap in hand with uncourteous and impolite.
Issan has it’s problems with lack of work opportunities and little government investment, but that’s the case in many places worldwide now. In times like these the male especially, turns to cheap alcohol to fill a void. Lao khao being the villagers choice, I’ve seen them drunk and singing, but still retaining a certain amount of dignity and respect for those not in their party fold. Here in England that’s a whole lot more than I’ll ever see’.
I’ve never had any social problems related to alcohol in Udon Thani or indeed Thailand, how about you.
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LAO KHAO i remember the family trying to get me pissed on the jungle juice a few times but i always gulp down water and eat a little so after a couple of hours there passed out all over the place
i love issan sometimes i wish i was Thai and no visa worries could be a good trade of skint but happy
Well being a preacher ,this subject has always made my blood boil, I have lots of thoughts on this subject and the cause and effects of the devils brew ha ha , but,will only post one of my thoughts this time around as you know I can get a little long winded.
The brewery started in 1934 , surely must have been backed and financed by a white man. They have been making hoouch,white lightin, moon shine,liquor,whiskey,beer ,wine champagne , are whatever you want to call it and selling and trading it to the black , brown ,yellow ,red skin folks, as long as time and history can tell.If they ‘ve got it ,and we want it , get them hooked on this fire water and sooner or later , we can just walk right in and take what we want, we can even take their women and they will sell us their chlidren, if we want . They don’t care as long as they get their high or buzz , or fix , what ever you want to call it nowdays.
Thats why the white man owns half the world or more we live in today, and have their foot in the door of every bussiness you can think of in these Asian countries. They know how to get what they want and now,they have passed their ideas and greedy plan along to the rich , hi shos,and politicians, in Thailand , and they both are now raping Thailand and it’s people .They own all of the brewery’s in Thailand and have a big share in the ownership of all the bars and discos and and so called Go Go bars in what I call the Sin Cities, and don’t you ever think or hope for one minute that things will ever change, or alcohol will ever go away .
“No” I personally have never had a problen with a drunk person, as I avoid them like the plague they are .But I have LOST lots of friends here in Thailand and the USA and, a couple family members also, to the effects of alcohol and drunks and have saw lots of dead folk on the roads in Thailand and almost everytime it is the results of alcohol.
Malcolm
My first trip to the village in Mukdahan there was lots of drinking. In town only 10 minutes and the family was off to get beer ( 2 cases…large bottles ) and at 10am in the morning the drinking began.
They had their own town drunk as well. Second trip was much less drinking and I never saw much drinking of any time in the city proper.
It seems when the falang comes to town there must be celebration so my observations are obviously a little skewed being the falang.
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last time I checked I thought that all Thai beer was around 5% now (well I know Chang sure isn’t 6.4% anymore)
I agree totally withe the statement in the last paragraph. Drinking in town and cities is titlaly different than in villages and country areas, but then I can only compare with what happens here in Bulgaria. We all know what goes on the the UK, drink isn’t the problem, society is at fault.
Alcohol has always had a lucritive financial attraction to governments, just like tobacco for all the reasons that have been told time and time again. Therefore there will never be a radical change against aloohol, the ads will go on, the only action will just token campaigns for polictal popularity from the middle of the road voters.
It is such a shame that the pleasure of drinking is always going to be open to abuse.The only salvation is in teaching within family circles, bring up chldren to respect the reasons for it. This is an uphill struggle due to the worldwide demise of family virtues – A very big subject.
Back to that last paragraph, it is so close to what goes on here, it must be a universal phenomenom. Pity the whole woeld can’t be set up as small villages, what a good world it would be if this could happen – Dream on!
John – I have only ever had one big drinking session with lao khao and that was one too many, never again.
Malcolm – Tescos are a very good example of what you are saying. They have taken so much trade away from the smaller shops who cannot compete with Tesco Lotus lower prices.The roads and alcohol still remain a very big problem and one that won’t improve enough until a higher profile campaign and administering of it is rolled out.
Memock – As you are residing in the LOS I will bow to your knowledge on that one. I know not too long back draught was 5% and the bottled Chang was 6.4%. On my last trip I assumed the beer was still at it’s elephant kicking strength.
Talen – I’ve had a few skewed observations myself in Thailand . Most villages do have their drunkard element but I have always found them to be not to overpowering, unlike so many under the influence people I meet back here in the UK.
Martin – The country life of Thailand and Bulgaria seem to have so much alike. Fortunately the moguls and advertising seem to target the big city people for their “must have” toys and wares.The haves and have not division is reversed when it comes to morals and clean living.
it is very sad the way local communities have lost the local post office the local butcher and so on but i don’t blame tesco i blame myself
because i am typical of thousands of people who use these superstores every week
why do we use them well time management is a real problem and are active lives are ruddy crazy i feel like a modern day slave
OK maybe the good old days were not so good after-all but where are we going as a species
i like to have money but is the quest to get your hands on it desensetising us to what life should be about
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