Brewing Possibility: Craft Beer, Identity, and Thailand's Controlled Market

Abstract

Purpose: This study investigates the motivations and adaptive strategies of Thai craft brewers, specifically examining three interrelated questions: (1) What motivates Thai craft brewers to enter and persist in a legally restricted market? (2) How do they construct entrepreneurial identities amid regulatory ambiguity? (3) What roles do prosumer practices and informal networks play in sustaining craft beer culture in Thailand? Design/methodology/approach: Drawing on an updated qualitative case study, the research was conducted through in-depth interviews with ten participants representing six independent microbreweries and homebrewers across Bangkok, Nonthaburi, and Chonburi. Findings: The study reveals that brewers are primarily driven by a desire for product innovation, often incorporating local ingredients to create unique flavors that challenge market homogeneity. Facing prohibitive formal channels, they strategically employ informal distribution networks, including direct sales to pubs and restaurants, and engagement at beer events. These findings highlight how Thai craft brewers embody "disobedient innovation," forging new pathways of participation and legitimacy through creativity, community, and strategic regulatory navigation. Research limitations/implications: This study contributes to understanding informal entrepreneurship, service innovation, and cultural production under constraint, with implications for policymakers, scholars of political economy, and the global study of food cultures. Originality/value: While prior research on Thai alcohol policy largely focuses on public health or mainstream producers, there remains a critical gap in understanding the entrepreneurial strategies within this constrained environment. This study addresses that gap by exploring a vibrant sub-sector defying a highly restrictive regulatory landscape and the market dominance of a corporate duopoly.