Thread: Thai climate produce...

Seems that the Thai climate can support practically any form of fruit and veggie?
Just wondering why there is no major wine industry here..northern mountains with excellent coffee etc same as south America which produces some excellent reds?

Takes a lot of time money and effort to start a vineyard. Farang are probably discouraged by government on account of lost tax revenue.
Sure I heard of Thais producing their own wine?

Because Thai's have no history of drinking grape wine and until recently there was probably very little market for it.

There are some small producers now.

Some 20 years ago exciting news, a big guy building up a huge wine business with a help of Italian experts.

Few weeks ago, on the way to Loei, by chance I saw a side board Chateau de Loei . So, taking a turn a driving along a poor road, seeing everywhere only fallen property.

At last discovering a shop with one girl and a number of overpriced wine bottles. Asking the girl why it is so messy everywhere? She said unconvincingly it is going to be renovated, what one can hardly believe. Seems that they sell whatever is left over and nobody cares any longer.

Obviously, a lot of affordable wine can be imported (France, Italy, Australia, S. Africa) in a big, then bottled and sell in Thailand with a huge mark up, so why to bother with a wineyard. This is a job for generations, not for just a decade.

Actually they grow a lot of grapes here, mostly table grapes.

Mostly in the Rachaburi area.

Interesting paper on the subject;

9. GRAPE PRODUCTION IN THAILAND