Here's a heads up on where to get some inordinately cheap beer if you're on a budget in Thailand. The Tesco Lotus near National Stadium BTS is currently selling 630ml bottles of San Miguel beer for only 21 Baht. I don't know if this is an offer or their regular selling price, but it's a darn good deal. I've looked in other Tesco Lotus stores (e.g. at Market Village in Hua Hin) and not found it - only the 330ml bottles of San Miguel priced at a much higher cost! - but these were in tourist areas.

Pretty sure it's "brewed under licence in Thailand" stuff rather than the real exported Filipino deal, but it's perfectly drinkable.

Here's the location on a map - it's a five minute walk from the BTS station. Tesco Lotus - National Stadium BTS

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I'll bet you won't see too much of Beer Lao Steve. The Singha conglomerate made sure the Thai Government put a heavy excise on Beer Lao such was its popularity. So much for "free trade" agreements!

San Miguel is my second favourite brew, particularly the San Miguel Extra Dry. They were selling that in most of the bars on my last visit but it might go the same way as Beer Lao if it impinges too greatly on the sales of the local muck.

Australia has a free trade agreement with Thailand but the Australian wines are now priced more highly than before the free trade agreement. It seems that the Thai Government does not regard excise duty as a trade impost. So very Thai!

That's weird, it had always been my understanding that alcohol was always cheap in Thailand

That's a shame, Emdee. Haven't seen any Beer Lao anywhere, so that explains it. I reported last year that our fave the Rosabieng had stopped selling Beer Lao - that still seems to be the case.

To save anyone a trip, I went back to the Tesco Lotus yesterday and San Miguel 630ml is now priced back up to 63 Baht. Must have been a pricing error, or a wrong label on the shelf (I never actually checked my receipt).

By the way, I was checking some of the prices of the Aussie wines in Villa Market and you're right, they were extortionate. They had some Penfold's Rawson's Retreat, which I swear sells for between £6-£12 in the UK (depending on offers), and they were up at £20-£30 per bottle. I know the quality and prices of their wines vary depending on age and range, but every one seemed to be artifically hiked.

The cheapest wine in the shop by far was a Pinot Grigio at 199 Baht. Highly undrinkable, too. I'll be sticking to beer in future. Tiger is my staple here; in some of the 7/11s it's cheaper than Singha, and a better brew, too.

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What about Chang? When I was in Thailand, I don't think I could tell the difference between it and Singha.

Since we're talking about adult beverages here, where do you have to go to buy such staples as rum and/or whiskey? Is it grossly expensive in Thailand? Several years ago now, I read that a bottle of Jack Daniels was about $240 USD in Japan. Of course Japan and Thailand are apples and oranges, but.......

Agreed, Tiger is eminently more drinkable than"Singmucka".

"What about Chang? When I was in Thailand, I don't think I could tell the difference between it and Singha."

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Chang is cheaper! When I wake up the next morning after consuming Chang I don't have a hangover headache like I do with Singha.