Bill to liberalise Thai liquor industry sails through 1st reading
The opposition Move Forward Party’s Progressive Liquor Bill, seeking to give opportunities to small-scale brewers, sailed through the first reading with 178 “yes” votes, 137 “no” votes and 15 abstentions.
The bill, which seeks to amend the Excise Tax Act, will be scrutinised by a 25-member committee over the next seven days before it is submitted for second and final readings.
The 178 who voted affirmative included several MPs from the government camp, including 23 from the Democrat Party, nine from Bhumjaithai and two from Palang Pracharath.
After the vote, Move Forward MPs cheered and several hugged Taopiphop Limjittrakorn, who had proposed the bill.
The bill was inspired by Taopiphop’s arrest for brewing craft beer without permission in January 2017.
He proposed the Progressive Liquor Bill on May 29, 2020, when he was a Future Forward Party MP. However, it was rejected by the Cabinet in February this year and returned to the House for further deliberation.
Taopiphop has been pushing for the Excise Tax Act to be amended because it limits brewers’ rights and freedom to do business.
He admitted that he was excited when the bill returned to the House of Representatives for deliberation on February 2.