corkage

[chelsea]

Carlito, I agree with you, most of the drinks are so cheap out in Thailand, there is no real need at all to BYO anything.
We are spoilt in Australia with the choice of wine available to us and when away in Thailand that is the only thing that I miss with my meals.

We did find in Hua Hin at some of the places in the street where the Hilton is some reasonably good wine available by the glass at both of the Italian places in that street. It was called Mona Lisa. It was served from the 1litre bottles that they had, and both the Red and the White were very palatable and not expensive.

It was also served in some of the bars that we went to, just ask what they have available before they serve the house wine, it can save a glass of something that is not as good.

[carlito]

Cheers Chelsea,

I know the area you mean, and have had some pretty good stuff along there. The Italian opposite the Hilton (can't remeber the name. anyone??) is somewhere I've been to quite a lot and always have their 1 litre house wine. Good stuff

I'm just thinking more of the smaller Thai places outside of central Hua HIn. Like the ones over-looking the beach just out of town. I'd always try and bring something half decent along there, as the house wine tastes like pi$$-vinegar and the imported stuff they have is way over-priced.

There are also a couple of places in Cha-am which do very good food, but very limited wine. The problem is that you have to carry the stuff around with you and make sure you finish whatever you bring with your meal. Otherwise you have to carry it around the street looking like a wino...

[Beguine]

I think bringing a bottle of wine into a restaurant in Thailand is OK and I am very willing to pay a corkage charge for this. Many restaurants in Hua Hin don't stock any wines that I would want to drink and what they have is often very expensive. Hi So restaurants in Thailand have to accept that their patrons will bring their own wine. They want to choose the bottle for themselves and, if they are serious wine lovers and wealthy/ well connected they will be able to import their favourite premiers crus without paying the 400% plus taxes. At least the restaurant makes money from the food and other drinks you order and they don't seem to mind. (I know a French restauranteur in Bkk who scrutinises your bottle carefully and you will know whether he approves of you choice by the look on his face. If the wine is cheapo cr*p you will be too embarrassed to bring your own bottle next time.)

I don't agree with people bringing their own bottles into bars. It reminds me of Russian oil workers I saw in a disco in Vietnam who blind drunk on just a couple of orders of orange juice between them. The vodka flasks were being past around fast and furious below the table. Why not have a few stiffeners in the hotel room first, if price is really a problem?