Drinks in Thailand
 

Beer is cheap (too bad I don't drink it). Wine is expensive (but I can bring a bottle into most restaurants). I hear that the Thai brands of whiskey - Mekong and Sang Thip are actually rum, being made from sugar cane. How are the drink prices in BKK, at the restaurants that Fodorites visit? Places like Lord Jims, Salathip, Cabbages and Condoms, etc? As you can tell, I'm down to the fine tuning for my upcoming trip!

drinks like rum and coke, rye and water, scotch and soda????

maybe in the $5 range at most restaurants...

beer is cheap...bottled water from 30 cents to $7.50

A small bottle of Thai 'whisky' ( I am not a drinker but you are right it doesn't taste like whisky ) is B 72-85 for a small bottle in shops ( $ 1.75-2.10 ), in local Tghai bars it costs just over $1.10-1.20 for a Sang Thip with coke or soda. Many Thai bars sell the half bottle with a couple of bottles of Coke or Soda for about $5 or a large bottle with sometimes 4/6 bottles of coke/soda and a bucket of ice for anything from $8-15 depending on the type of place.
Restaurants naturally charge a lot more but although not a drinker I notice that very often local liquor is decidedly cheaper even in good restaurants than other drinks. If you like the stuff just but a bottle from a local convenice store and keep in the refrigerator ( note you can only but alcohol at certain times now, certainly not from 2 to 5 pm or after I think 11 or 12 pm these days )

hi cj. We're "money-minded" (read budget... mostly) travellers and usually we take a small hip flask when we go out to dinner, full of duty free spirit. We order a tonic and lime each and add a whack of vodka from our hipflask. This is done very discreetly and so far we have never had a problem. I've been known to take a hipflask of Cointreau and just order a glass of iced water! Saves a bundle, and why not!

Although I've also been known to pay $50 US for a bottle of NZ sauv blanc, anywhere I see it on the wine list, or $150US at the Sofitel Siem Reap, when I feel the urge for chilled white wine or french champagne.

rhk - does anyone drink rye anymore? Or is this how they say bourbon on the East coast? ;-) Sounds like the prices are basically the same as here in CHI. James - for someone who doesn't drink, you're a veritable fountain of info. Lyndie - you're my kind of gal (but I'll nn order some fruit juice for my rum!) Thanx for the info, folks. I'll raise a glass (or 2) to the lot of you!

cj: I know..but I have an excuse, I used to run a restaurant, but Lyndie kept on coming to drink and I went bankrupt!

Have fun cjackson. Sounds like you will!!!

Sorry JamesA. It's probably true!

I'm such a lousy old chick and if I can save a buck, I'll try! Have a good one.

we never change on the east coast