Two Years of Zero Wine Tariffs

Thailand’s Evolving Wine Scene

Two Years of Zero Wine Tariffs: Thailand’s Evolving Wine Scene

Thailand’s wine import market continued its upward trajectory into 2025. Data from the industry publication Vino Joy News reveals that imports reached approximately 40.4 million liters｜an 8.6% year-on-year increase, marking a second consecutive year of steady growth. This stands in stark contrast to the global landscape: statistics from the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) indicate a 14% decline in global consumption since 2018, coupled with three consecutive years of depressed production. Against this contraction, Thailand’s counter-cyclical growth invites a closer look.

The Turning Point of 2024

A major starting point was the tax reform that took effect on February 23, 2024. The Thai government reduced wine import tariffs from 54–60% to 0% and also lowered excise taxes.

The tariff removal was not based on an agreement with any particular country; it applied regardless of origin. Wines from France, Chile, and Australia therefore entered under the same zero-tariff terms. As of July 2026, the measure remained in effect.

The policy covered wine only; other alcoholic beverages, including Japanese sake and shochu, remained under separate tax frameworks.

The Thai government said the aim was to support tourism’s recovery after COVID-19 through food. Tax policy alone cannot explain the increase in imports, but it is considered one major contributing factor. The country’s alcoholic-beverage market has remained nearly flat, while the wine market has grown relative to it.

Shifting Palates and Emerging Profiles

Market analysis by IWSR indicates that both still and sparkling wines saw a 3% volume increase in 2024. Mid-term projections favor still wine as the primary driver, with a forecast annual growth rate of 3%, outstripping the 1% anticipated for sparkling varietals.

By origin, Italy led with 9% year-on-year growth, followed by New Zealand at 7%, Australia at 3%, and Chile at 1%. After tariffs were set to zero on equal terms, Italy and New Zealand led the growth.

In 2023, red wine accounted for about 87% of Thailand’s still-wine market, according to GlobalData.

Rosé represented about 2% of the market, but IWSR data show it grew at an average annual rate of 15% between 2019 and 2024, the fastest growth.

Thailand-specific market statistics for organic and natural wines are not yet available. Nevertheless, natural-wine-focused venues have continued to open in Bangkok. In 2026, local media ran features describing natural wine as “no longer a niche.”

The Anatomy of the Modern Wine Consumer

Tourists are not the only source supporting this growth. According to IWSR analysis, urban professionals in Thailand, particularly women within this group, are driving wine demand.

The main sales and consumption channels are on-trade venues, including restaurants and wine bars. Bangkok also hosts annual wine festivals that bring together wineries and importers from Thailand and abroad.

International recognition also reflects this shift. In the Southeast Asia category of Star Wine List of the Year, several Bangkok wine bars and restaurants were named finalists in 2026, including venues known for their natural-wine selections.

Vineyards Between 12 and 18 Degrees North

This market has another dimension beyond imports: domestic wine production.

GranMonte and PB Valley have vineyards at the foot of Khao Yai, while Siam Winery operates Monsoon Valley near Hua Hin. These vineyards lie between 12 and 18 degrees north, far outside the traditional 30–50 degree north band regarded as suitable for wine-grape cultivation.

Wines produced outside traditional wine-grape-growing areas are known as “New Latitude Wines.” Thailand’s major wineries avoid the rainy season and harvest once a year from late January to March, during the dry season.

Global wine-market contraction is often described as a decline. Thailand’s experience over the past two years, however, shows that markets can still move when conditions change.

What to watch next is not only growth in import volume, but also Bangkok’s wine lists and how local wines made from dry-season grapes will be evaluated.

This article is intended solely to explore wine industry trends and the cultural landscape of wine in Thailand, and does not aim to promote or encourage the consumption of alcohol. / บทความนี้จัดทำขึ้นเพื่อนำเสนอข้อมูลเกี่ยวกับแนวโน้มอุตสาหกรรมไวน์และภูมิทัศน์ทางวัฒนธรรมของไวน์ในประเทศไทยเท่านั้น มิได้มีเจตนาเพื่อส่งเสริมหรือโฆษณาเครื่องดื่มแอลกอฮอล์ สำหรับผู้มีอายุ 20 ปีขึ้นไป โปรดดื่มอย่างรับผิดชอบ

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