Bangkok: The House unanimously approved the draft Community Liquor Act, which aims to provide small farmers with the opportunity to produce and own liquor distillers, thereby reducing monopolies on trade. The draft has been forwarded to the Senate for further consideration.
According to Thai News Agency, the House of Representatives meeting was chaired by Mr. Pichet Chueamuangphan, First Deputy Speaker of the House. The draft Excise Tax Act (No. ..) B.E. ..., presented by a special committee led by Mr. Chanin Rungthanakiat, MP for the Pheu Thai Party, was unanimously approved with 414 votes.
Mr. Chanin explained that the committee's amendments are designed to support small business operators in accessing business licenses. This aligns with the objectives of the Pheu Thai Party's Community Liquor initiative and the Ruam Thai Sang Chart Party's Ruam Thai Liquor initiative. Cooperation among agencies has led to plans to adjust ministerial regulations to assist liquor businesses even before the law officially passes. Once enacted, the Senate will modify the regulations to align with the amended draft bill.
The essence of the draft law focuses on issuing ministerial regulations to establish criteria and conditions for liquor production licenses. The criteria must not discriminate or create economic monopolies and should support cooperatives, farmer groups, community enterprises, and small entrepreneurs, allowing them to produce all types of liquor.
Mr. Chanin emphasized that the committee's work adheres to the powers granted by the House of Representatives, ensuring that the social impact of liquor production is controlled. The amendment does not allow for unregulated liquor production and maintains that all production and distillation activities must be notified to government agencies.
Additionally, Mr. Chanin outlined the amendment's alignment with Prime Minister Ms. Paethongtarn Shinawatra's government policies, including reducing liquor production monopolies, promoting agricultural processing, bringing illegal products under government supervision, and fostering creative culture through local liquor production.
Reporters noted that the committee's amendments to the draft law include requirements for ministerial regulations that ensure production standards and support for small entrepreneurs and agricultural organizations. The criteria must not be discriminatory or economically monopolistic.
The approved draft law and its observations will now be sent to the Senate for further deliberation.