Mae Fah Luang University (MFU), through its School of Agro-Industry, has joined forces with the Chiang Rai Area Excise Office and local business operators to launch a certificate programme in "Commercial Alcoholic Beverage Production and Standards Control.” Developed under Thailand’s New Generation Graduates and Competency Development Project (2026), the programme responds directly to the needs of community-based producers and aims to elevate Chiang Rai’s local economy through knowledge-driven entrepreneurship.
As of November 2025, Chiang Rai recorded 171 licensed alcoholic beverage producers. More than 93 percent are small-scale distilleries relying on inherited local wisdom. While this heritage forms an important part of the province’s cultural identity, many producers face limitations in fermentation science, production technology, quality control, and regulatory compliance. These gaps often hinder product consistency, business expansion, and access to broader markets.
To address these challenges, MFU's School of Agro-Industry collaborated with the Chiang Rai Area Excise Office to conduct in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with operators across the province. Insights from this process informed a curriculum tailored to real operational contexts, regulatory requirements, and market expectations.
The programme is designed to generate positive economic impact across multiple dimensions: adding value to local products by transforming them from community-based goods into competitive brands, creating and expanding career opportunities, promoting creative tourism through Chiang Rai’s identity-driven Soft Power products, and incorporating BCG (Bio-Circular-Green) economic principles into production processes.
A key strength of the programme lies in its close collaboration among the university, government agencies, and local industry partners. The Chiang Rai Area Excise Office co-designed the curriculum and provides access to operational production sites for hands-on training. MFU's School of Agro-Industry delivers academic and technical instruction led by specialists in diverse alcoholic beverage categories. MFU Food Innopolis supports prototype product development and market linkage. Notably, more than 55 percent of the programme consists of hands-on practice at partner establishments and individual coaching sessions, ensuring that theory and application progress hand in hand.
The curriculum is structured into four modules totaling 285 hours (9 credits), covering fermentation science and contemporary alcoholic beverage production technology, practical sessions across the full range of beverage types — from sato (rice wine), sake, beer, and wine to whisky, gin, rum, vodka, colored spirits, and fruit liqueurs — as well as excise regulations, quality and safety standards, product development, cost management, and the use of AI tools, and digital marketing.
Applications open in April 2026 for 40 participants who have completed upper secondary education or higher. The programme welcomes learners of all ages and professional backgrounds, including students, entrepreneurs seeking to upskill, career changers, and older adults interested in turning their traditional knowledge into sustainable income. Classes will run from May to August 2026 at MFU's School of Agro-Industry (Building E3A) and selected partner establishments across Chiang Rai.
Graduates will receive a Micro-Credential certified by Mae Fah Luang University, which may be used to demonstrate competency when applying for legal production or sales permits, support career advancement as production supervisors or product development specialists, or be transfered toward a future bachelor's degree programme (equivalent to 3 credits).
Assistant Professor Dr. Rungarun Sasanatayart, Programme Coordinator, noted that the programme aims to equip community operators with the knowledge and skills required to produce safe, standardised products capable of competing in modern markets. When local enterprises grow stronger, the broader community thrives alongside them.
For more information or to apply, please visit https://mfu.ac.th/nxtgen/home.html or contact the School of Agro-Industry, Mae Fah Luang University: Tel: 0-5391-6737-9, 0-5391-6738-9
Email: agro-industry@mfu.ac.th Website: agroindustry.mfu.ac.th
Address: Building E3A, 2nd Floor, 333 Moo 1, Tha Sud, Mueang, Chiang Rai 57100
