National –
The Thai Cabinet has voted in favor of the “Progressive Liquor Act” on its first reading in the parliament on Wednesday, June 8th.
The draft bill, which was first proposed by the Move Forward Party in February, aims to amend Section 153 of the Excise Tax Act B.E.2560 and highlights the end of what bill proponents call a liquor production oligopoly as well as give the opportunity for small-to-medium-sized breweries to enter the liquor market.
Major changes to the draft amendment will allow alcohol producers to legally produce beverages for domestic consumption without asking for legal licenses.
If local breweries desire to sell their products, they will not require complicated procedures such as company registration certificates and capital requirements. They will not be allowed to identify the production capacity and the number of employees to produce the alcoholic beverages. These are to grant small breweries the ability to start their business conveniently and make room for them in the market.
The Act was voted 178 in favor, 137 against, and 15 abstained. The government will set up a special committee to study and consider the draft bill in the next agenda.
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