The law, which was first proposed in February, aimed to amend the Excise Act B.E. 2560, will end what supporters called an oligopoly on alcohol production. Following a debate that lasted nearly two hours and showed that members were strongly divided on how to solve the problem, the motion finally passed on a vote of 178 against 137. The adoption of the Alcohol Advancement Act was welcomed by Kao Klai deputies who expressed their joy in the middle of the House of Commons.
This amendment now offers the possibility for small and medium breweries to enter the alcohol market.
The major changes in the new amendment will therefore allow alcohol producers to legally produce beverages for domestic consumption without applying for legal licenses or following complicated procedures such as company registration certificates and capital requirements.
This is a major step forward, however companies will not be allowed to determine their own production capacity and choose the number of employees to produce alcoholic beverages. These measures are intended to give small breweries the opportunity to start up their business easily and gain a foothold in the market, but these companies will still be subject to a number of obligations. The state will be able to control the quality and quantity of alcohol production.
Health agencies such as the Department of Disease Control have also expressed concerns about the health aspects of the business, which will require strict controls on production.
