Five years ago, Taopiphop Limjittrakorn was arrested for brewing beer at home. Today, he’s a opposition politician celebrating a win for his bill to decriminalize brewing and shatter the monopoly controlling the market.
While attention today was focused on Thailand’s historic legalization of marijuana, this week brought another ray of hope for common sense reforms with the passage of a progressive bill to decriminalize brewing passing parliament yesterday on its first reading in a 178 to 137 vote. Fifteen lawmakers abstained.
If it becomes law, all brewers, from hobbyists to entrepreneurs, would be able to brew without obtaining a license or government permission.
“First, home brewing would be allowed. If you homebrew without a commercial purpose, it would be totally legal,” Taopiphop of the Move Forward Party told Coconuts this morning.
