Thailand's craft beer scene has exploded since 2015 — what to drink, where to find it, and navigating the legal complexity.
Thailand's alcohol laws make producing craft beer legally complicated — most 'craft' beers sold in Bangkok are imported or produced by licensed micro-breweries operating in grey areas.
Chit Beer (Thailand's most established craft brand), Sandport, Dark Side, Phuket Brewing, and several rotating tap handles at specialist bars.
The Watergate area, Thonglor, and Ekkamai have craft beer bars; Beer Republic on Sukhumvit is one of the most established.
Many craft beer bars offer extensive Japanese (Yona Yona, Hitachino), European (Belgian Trappist), and Australian imports alongside Thai options.
Craft beer costs noticeably more than standard Thai lagers (Chang, Singha, Leo) due to import duties and small-batch production — expect 200–350 THB per pint at specialist bars.
Despite the legal complexity, a growing number of Thai-brewed craft options are finding shelf space, often brewed under contract in neighbouring countries to sidestep domestic licensing restrictions.