Thailand

While it's true that rum is spontaneously associated with the Caribbean and Latin America, production in Asia, and particularly in Thailand where there are numerous rum distilleries, is far from negligible.
Thailand is home to a large number of major spirits groups, including ThaiBev, Pernod Ricard and Diageo, proving the importance of the Thai market in the world of spirits.

In Thailand, "rum" is made from sugar and rice residue. It's a widely consumed alcoholic beverage in the country, but locals often confuse it with whiskey. Therefore, the Thai government, and more specifically the Ministry of Industrial Standards, is working on establishing a set of regulations to clearly define the types of alcoholic beverages permitted in the country.

The main Thai rum brands are Lamai, Mékong (now Thailand's leading spirits brand), the luxurious Phraya, SangSom, as well as two minor brands, Chalong Bay and Issan, which produce high-quality pure cane juice rum. Read less