How craft beer helped turn Thai politics

BANGKOK — On one of the hottest days of a scorching Thai summer, Supapong Pruenglampoo stood outside in the sun. His arms covered with goose bumps, he watched hundreds of people pour into the United Peoples Brewery, a beer collective just north of Bangkok that he co-founded and quietly opened a year ago.

The crowds were there to mark the venue’s belated grand opening. But there was much more to celebrate. In mid-May, the progressive Move Forward Party had stormed to a landslide election win that left many stunned, including political insiders. After nearly a decade of military rule, the party promised sweeping change, especially for small business owners and brewers like Supapong. The message resonated so profoundly that Move Forward claimed more than 14 million votes.