Recession drowns Thais in cheap white liquor

Thai Beverage, the country's biggest spirit and beer maker, saw a 26 percent fall in beer sales volumes and a 16 percent rise in spirit sales volumes in the first half of the year.

"If you want to get drunk fast, white spirit is the drink," said Ueychai Tantha-Obhas, the firm's sales chief, told an audience of investors and analysts on Friday in Singapore, where the firm is listed.

White liquor, made of molasses with a 40 percent alcohol content, is seen as the spirit for the rural and urban poor with a price tag of 85 baht ($2.50) a 625-cc bottle. Chang Beer, with 6.4 percent alcohol content, costs 40 baht a bottle.

"To get the same effect from white spirit, you probably have to drink 24 bottles of beer," Ueychai said.