Brew-haha: Homebrewing bill doomed by watered-down cabinet compromise

A cabinet maneuver succeeded in undermining support for a progressive brewing bill, eroding its support enough to see it narrowly rejected in parliament yesterday. 

The opposition’s popular Sura Kaona (Booze Forward Act), which would have struck a blow against Thailand’s alcohol oligopoly, failed its second and third readings and was rejected in two roll call votes seeking its return to the floor after enough of its original supporters changed their votes following the adoption of several piecemeal reforms.

After a 174-177 roll call vote with 11 abstentions, Move Forward Party MP Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut asked the house meeting’s chairman for a second. There it went down 194-196, effectively ending its prospects.  

The beer activist-turned-MP who sponsored the bill, Taopiphop Limjittrakorn, posted a picture with party leader Pita Limjaroenrat in which…