Spirits continue to dominate the Thai alcoholic drinks market, with 684 million litres
consumed during 2011, according to Euromonitor International data. While wine
consumption remains extremely low by comparison (a mere 10 million litres during
the same year), it rose by 28.5% between 2006 and 2011.
This has gone hand in hand with a wave of wine-bar openings in Bangkok. "Younger
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Thais have some money, and they want to drink something different in bars and
restaurants," said Keiichi Miyashita, a Bangkok wine importer and distributor who
was speaking to the New York Times.
However, wine retains something of an elitist image in the minds of many. "A lot of
Thais don't know wine and are embarrassed to ask," said Victor Gomez, the
proprietor of Sip, another Bangkok wine bar.