This March, Thailand’s alcohol consumption rose to 303 million liters a month, compared to 263 for the same period last year. This rapid rise is, in fact, nothing new. Thais were drinking 0.26 liter of absolute alcohol in 1961 versus 8.47 liters by 2001. No wonder many of our country’s biggest (and newest) fortunes were made selling beer. And no wonder that the current backlash against alcohol is this strong. But while “new” drinkers are mostly recruited upcountry, it seems Bangkok has to bear the brunt of the crackdown: early closing hours, more booze-free days and now the press getting threatened when it dares review a wine or give a cocktail recipe. As a kind of very, very limited experiment, we choose a few serious party animals alongside some pretty normal young urbanites and asked them to log all their drinks for a week. Does Bangkok have a drinking problem? Read on and find out.
THE NIGHTLIFE EDITOR, CHANUN, 27
Sunday - total alcohol units: 3
3-5pm: Spend a chilled afternoon listening to Travis, enjoying a few drinks at home while obsessively posting series of videos on Facebook.
7pm: Toy with the idea of purchasing a bottle of Baileys—it makes a really good nightcap.
Monday - total alcohol units: 0
7pm: Meet with uni friends for some carnivorous extravaganza at moo kata.
9pm: Really stuffed. Can’t really drink tonight. Well, I’m out of mixers at home anyway…
Tuesday - total alcohol units: 1
7pm: Grocery shopping at CentralWorld. Stop by Amaltery. A bit too early in the week to indulge in their cocktail buffet. Have 2 scoops of alcohol-infused ice-cream instead.
Wednesday - total alcohol units: 12
4pm: Do a review on an art gallery in Sutthisan.
6:45pm: At the Australian Pub in Sukhumvit Soi 11 with a friend. Crowded, so I make my way upstairs where getting a drink is less of a mission.
7pm: Down a bottle of Pure Blonde. Dude, where’s the food?
7:30pm: Get a Victoria Bitter for my mate, and a vodka and Coke for myself.
7:40pm: Friend doesn’t enjoy VB, so I finish it.
8pm: Love the steamed mussels, better get a glass of white to go with these.
8:30: A couple glasses of vodka and Sprite later see me making some sort of awkward body movements to the Filipino band.
9pm: Damn, free bar’s over. No point staying.
9:30pm: Weigh up a decision whether or not to go on somewhere—don’t want to waste this perfectly good tipsiness.
10pm: Think better of it. I have booze at home.
Thursday - total alcohol units: 0
9:30am-7pm: Hectic day closing as the magazine.
7:30pm: Dinner. Too tired to make it to JET’s first anniversary’s party.
11pm: Fall asleep while Facebooking.
Friday - total alcohol units: 12
5-6:30pm: Gym+swim. Feel a bit icky, like I’m catching H1N1.
7pm: Get dressed up to The Presets. Sip on vodka and apple juice.
7:30pm: At Barsu, meeting with the PR. Mint chocolate martini seems like a good start.
8pm: Have something called Zombie, a stiffer version of the long island tea according to the bar staff.
8:30pm: Everybody else’s having a pretty drink with floating red bits. Turns out it’s a raspberry mojito. Order one. It’s my new favorite.
9pm: Down another raspberry mojito. The DJ takes to the stage, rolling out Kylie and Madonna. The conversation now revolves around botox and bikini waxing.
9:30pm: This chocolate martini tastes a little too strong. I’m not gonna finish it, am I?
10:30: That’s it. I’m switching to Baileys.
11pm: Two Malibu and pineapples accompany the trippy Windows Media Player’s visual on the club’s projector. Whoa.
11:30pm: Leaving Barsu, going to Club Soma with a throbbing headache. Tell myself not to drink for the rest of the evening.
Midnight: Thirsty. A kind friend lets me sip her bucket (more like a long plastic jug) filled with what I can detect is watered down whiskey. Bless her.
1:30am: Headache’s a bitch and getting worse. Flee the scene.
1:45am: Home. Going to bed proves futile as the couple next door are hammering away.
Saturday - total alcohol units: 4
11:45am: Chill at home, reading The Romanian.
6-7:45pm: Swim with friends at the Police Club.
10pm: Watch Let the Right One In which calls for a couple glasses of vodka and Sprite.
11pm: Vodka and OJ for a nightcap.
Sunday - total alcohol units: 2
4:30-6pm: Swim at a friend’s condo.
6:30pm: Eat dinner and chase it down with a bottle of Smirnoff Ice.
7pm: Have another bottle to take the edge off the Sunday blues.
GRAND WEEKLY TOTAL: 34
“Do I think I have a problem? Of course not! A drink or two after a hard day at work really relaxes me. And drinking is basically an unwritten part of my job description!”
Emergency Unit
Did you know there’s roughly the same amount of alcohol in a glass of wine, whisky or beer? That’s because pours are usually proportional to alchohol content. Here’s how we counted alcohol units for this story:
● 1 Unit: Glass of beer, wine, whisky or a simple mixer (like a gin and tonic or vodka orange).
● 2 Units: Cocktails
● 3 Units: Bucket
THE MARKETER, NATHAN
Monday-Tuesday - total alcohol units: 0
A bit sick.
Wednesday - total alcohol units: 21?
7pm: Hello Bombay Sapphire party at Fallabella. Who cares about their buffet, where’s the bar? I’ll have a Martini of course.
8:30pm: The bartender says, “Martini mai mee,” after my third. Well, this sucks. Guess I have to make do with gin and tonic. Can we restart counting the alcohol units?
10pm: I think that was my fourth G&T.
11pm: The bar is closed. No more gin, they say. Luckily, I’ve stockpiled four more glasses on my table. Gulp down my seventh drink. Yay!
Midnight: Finish the last three and feeling pretty drunk. Leave the party but another friend wants to carry on. Head to a small bar in Thonglor and open a bottle of vodka.
1am: Half of bottle is gone. I’ve lost count by now. Who cares? I’m wasted, can’t even stand. There’s another half to go.
2am: We can’t finish the whole bottle. I’m already half dead. Let’s call it a night.
2:15am: Poke finger in my throat to puke. Pass out. Can I deduct some alcohol units for throwing up?
Thursday - total alcohol units: 7
10am: At work and luckily no hangover. Just another bright shiny day.
7pm: At Mc Jeans fashion show/concert party. There’s beer and some other drinks, but I don’t really feel like drinking… yet.
10pm: At JET anniversary party sponsored by Ballantine’s, so what else I can ask for but whisky and water? This place is packed and hot—I need to drink something!
11pm: I’ve just downed the third glass thanks to the free bar and peer pressure. The show‘s started and I have to go onto the mezzanine to see it.
Midnight: Too many people. I’ve just finished my seventh glass. I’m hungry. Time for chicken noodles.
2am: Home, safe and full.
Friday - total alcohol units: 18
7:30pm: Meet with co-workers for light drinks and some biz talk. Let’s start with a raspberry mojito. Yummy!
11pm: We’re done and tipsy (I think). I managed a total of 9 glasses of extra strong raspberry mojito.
11:30pm: Home.
Saturday - total alcohol units: 20
11pm: Go to Club Culture for Nonsense Brother Anniversary Party. Start with a bucket of vodka tonic.
Midnight: It’s getting really hot which makes the drinks go down quickly. Finish the second bucket and start the third. I also take two shooters with people I know. Awesome!
2am: Party’s over. I’m half way to drunken-ville with six buckets of vodka tonic sloshing around in my belly. We’re going to Sukhumvit 38 for some late night bah mee.
3am: Shower and go to bed peacefully.
Sunday - total alcohol units: 1
11:30am: Have Spanish brunch with a glass of light Spanish vino. I think that’s enough for breakfast. And I have a whole day to indulge in my weekly shopping ritual.
GRAND WEEKLY TOTAL: 67
“Do I think I have a problem? I don’t really think so. I’m just someone who enjoys partying and the taste of drinks.”
Hangover Cures
UKON POWDER
B30 for a sachet
What’s in it?: Tumeric powder
It tastes: Sweet, and a bit like ginger. The powder doesn’t dissolve right away. Don’t believe the package which says “no need water,” take a swig to dissolve it before it starts sticking to your palate.
Does it work? You feel stimulated and awake for a few minutes, but then it suddenly wears off. So get a couple because one is not enough.
WAKIE
B60 for 4 capsules
What’s in it?: Vitamin C, oyster extract, L-Glutathione, royal jelly, spirulina and
chitosan—pretty impressive combination.
It tastes: Absolutely no taste. Not necessarily a bad thing.
Does it work? Definitely helps you feel more energetic and less sleepy and crappy. You’ll still be tired, though. A good choice if you have a long day ahead.
WAKIE RE-LIVE
B25 for a 100ml bottle
What’s in it?: Orange juice, lemon juice, vitamin C, sucrose, L-Glutathione, citric acid, sodium copper chlorophyllin.
It tastes: Like cheap orange and lemon juice with bitter aftertaste.
Does it work? The bitter and sour taste wakes you up—temporarily. Make sure you eat something first as it can seriously upset your empty stomach.
ALKA SELTZER
B165 for a box of 20 tablets
What’s in it?: Aspirin, citric acid, sodium bicarbonate
It tastes: Pretty gross but at least the fizzy, lemony taste won’t make you gag.
Does it work? This baby makes you feel refreshed and gets rid of the nagging headache.
FRY-UP
What’s in it?: Greasy eggs, bacon and hash browns
It tastes: Great! in a pinch, hit a fast food joint and grab a supersized cheeseburger.
Does it work? It’s no quick fix, but we definitely feel a lot better once all the food has been digested. Maybe the oil helps absorb all the nasty poisons.
SPICY FOOD
What’s in it?: Capsaicin
It tastes: Sizzling hot! Get a bowl of tom yam, to with hydration, too!
Does it work? Yes. Spicy food distracts your body’s attention away from tackling the alcohol. This works pretty much the same as the greasy food.
HAIR OF THE DOG
What’s in it?: More alcohol.
It tastes: Depends on what your favorite poison is.
Does it work? Alcohol may help blunt or suppress the hangover, but once the liver breaks down the alcohol, your body will have additional toxins to deal with, not what you aim for.
THE TV PRODUCER-PARTY ORGANIZER-DJ/NATDAROON, 26
Monday - total alcohol units: 3
10:30pm: Meet up with friends after work.
11pm: Start to drink and have a couple of whisky and Cokes.
Midnight: Still chatting. Feel a bit tipsy, but end the night with a final whiskey and Coke.
1am: Go home in a good mood.
Tuesday - total alcohol units: 1
6pm: Attend the French Film Festival premier.
6:30pm: Have a pre-film glass of wine.
Wednesday - total alcohol units: 18
9pm: Finished work. Go home and get ready for a uni night at Club Culture.
9:30pm: Drink a glass of vodka and Red Bull while dressing up.
10:30pm: Arrive at party. Talk to some kids.
11pm: A group of Club Soma’s fans offer me a bucket of vodka and Red Bull.
Midnight: Another bucket is shoved in my hand from nowhere. Classic whisky and coke.
00:30am: Get offered a shot of vodka while dancing like crazy.
1:15am: A little thirsty from too much dancing. Get myself a glass of whiskey and coke.
2am: Just realized I have to work tomorrow. Felt a bit guilty but a beer changes that.
2:30am: Home and straight to bed.
Thursday - total alcohol units: 5
9:30pm: A friend calls, looks like she already has the evening planned. Meeting her and some other friends at Bed Supperclub in an hour.
10:30pm: At the club. Have 6 drink tickets.
11pm: Meet friends, grab a Long Island.
11:30pm: Try the new special cocktail of the night, Jack Daniel’s mixed with some syrup.
Midnight: Start to dance and share some hot gossip. Get another glass of the special cocktail.
00:30am: Need something sweet and milky, so order a glass of Baileys.
1am: Another glass of Baileys.
1:30am: Friends drag me to go eat with them.
2am: Sleep!
Friday - total alcohol units: 7
8pm: Go to Bed to shoot an event.
9pm: Finished interviewing the DJs.
9:30pm: Get a free bottle of Jack Daniel’s complete with mixers. Make myself a glass.
10pm: Wait for show to start. Pour another.
10:30pm: A couple more glasses follow. I’m in a good mood. Another Jack & Coke for me.
11:30pm: Move to Club Culture for another party. Have a bottle of Barcardi Breezer.
1am: Talk to people outside at the club, sipping on beer.
2am: Have dim sum with friends. Go home.
Saturday - total alcohol units: 7
9:30pm: A gay friend calls up, wanting to hit DJ Station.
10pm: Have a glass of vodka and tonic while getting dressed.
10:30pm: Another vodka and tonic while waiting for my friends.
11:30pm: Arrive at club. The first drink coupon spent on a glass of Malibu and pineapple.
1am: Jack and Coke.
2am: Migrate to Silom Soi 4. A friend buys me a beer.
2:30am: Head to an after party at a friend’s house.
3am: Make myself vodka and Sprite.
4am: Another vodka and Sprite and the host’s homemade food.
5am: Dawn’s breaking. I’m calling it a day…
Sunday - total alcohol units: 0
6am-3pm: Die at home.
GRAND WEEKLY TOTAL: 41
“Do I think I have a problem? Nah, I still can grab a glass of water from the bar instead of going for more booze. I don’t drink every day, so I don’t think I’m an alcoholic.”
THE PHYSIOTHERAPIST, PATTAKAMOL, 23
Thursday - total alcohol units: 0
5pm: Go to Chula stadium and do a general check on all the football players.
8pm: Work’s finished. Feeling pretty tired so I decide to go home and watch TV.
Friday - total alcohol units: 1
9am: Open the clinic as usual.
5pm: Have to go to the stadium and oversee the footballers training again.
8pm: Feeling pretty mellow. Don’t want to waste a perfectly fine Friday night without at least one beer…
Saturday -total alcohol units: 9
9pm: Meeting my university friends at Ratchada Soi 4, our fave hangout spot.
9:15pm: Start drinking whiskey and Coke.
11pm: Finishing up my ermmm… sixth refill. I think I’m starting to slur.
1:30am: This is too much fun. But the place is closing soon. Where else can we go?
1:45am: Rounding up the last beer.
2:30: Home now. Too tired to walk to the bedroom, the floor looks comfy enough…
Sun-Thu total alcohol units: 0
Work, shop, sleep, work. Been a good girl all week.
GRAND WEEKLY TOTAL: 10
“Do I think I have a problem? Not at all. I just like to drink occasionally, especially when I go out with friends.”
Q&A
Piyawat Komolmit, MD, PhD (UK)Hepatologist & Liver Transplantation,
Samitivej Hospital
How much is too much?
For women, it’s no more than 14 units per week, and 21 for men. That’s 1.5 bottles of wine for women, 2.5 for men or 9 cans of beer for women, 14 for men. If you’re drinking whisky, half a bottle for men or a third for women.
What constitutes a drinking problem?
You can suspect that you have a problem when you start to become dependent on alcohol—you feel the need to drink it every day. When not drinking, you feel powerless, your hands are trembling and your heart’s pounding.
Then what?
If you continue to drink excessively, your liver will eventually become inflamed. And if that keeps up, you’ll experience an alcohol withdrawal which results in numb hands and legs, vomiting, nausea, seizure and aggression.
What about binge drinking?
Even if you drink to the point of blacking out, as long as you don’t do it every week, it’s not as bad as drinking too much on a regular basis.
Is it true that a glass of wine now and then actually promotes good health?
All types of alcohol are pretty harmless as long as they’re consumed in moderation. It’s more about quantity than type of drink.
What’s a good hangover cure?
I wish I knew! (laughs) Well, stop drinking and take a lot rest. Anything sweet is also a perfect antidote to the hangover. One thing to keep in mind is that, if you’re a heavy drinker, a pain killer like paracetamol and Tylenol are a big no-no.
Take a look at these drinking diaries.
If these people, well except for the physiotherapist [who is within the limits], continue to drink this much for the next 5-10 years, they will suffer from liver failure.
