By Kan Htun / MPA
Sittwe, Rakhine State – A health crisis is brewing in the rebel-controlled territories of western Myanmar, as a total ban on military-produced alcohol has driven locals toward dangerous, unregulated homemade spirits.
Since the Arakkha Army (AA) seized control of much of Rakhine State, the Arakan People’s Revolutionary Government (APRG) has strictly prohibited the sale and consumption of alcohol, beer, and wine produced by the Myanmar military junta.
While intended to cut off the military’s revenue streams, the ban has inadvertently created a booming market for “Taw-Ayet” (jungle liquor)—a potent and often lethal home-brewed spirit.
Health officials under the AA administration issued a stark warning following laboratory tests that revealed alarming levels of toxicity. In a report published in July 2025, the AA health department found that some local brews contained up to 12% Methanol.
Methanol, a toxic industrial alcohol often used in antifreeze and fuel, is frequently added by unscrupulous brewers to increase the potency of their product at a low cost.
“These are not professionally produced or inspected,” a 28-year-old local man told MPA. “Because there is no regulation, brewers are mixing in industrial spirit. It is extremely dangerous.”
The consequences of consuming these unregulated spirits are dire. Health experts in the region warn that consistent consumption of these brews can lead to death within just three months.
Consumers have reported severe side effects, including burning sensations in the throat, chest pain, chronic dizziness, and mental fog upon waking.
The risks are not merely theoretical; in August 2024, five young men in Taungup Township died after consuming industrial alcohol they found floating in a river, mistakenly believing it was consumable liquor.
Despite the known risks, the trade continues to flourish. While the AA administration punishes the sale of military-brand alcohol, local “Taw-Ayet” shops often operate openly, with some owners reportedly paying local taxes based on the size of their business.
“If the government cannot produce quality alcohol locally yet, they should allow the import of quality foreign brands,” suggested another Rakhine resident. “Anything is better than this toxic moonshine, as long as it doesn’t fund the military.”
As the conflict in Myanmar continues to isolate regions like Rakhine from standard supply chains, the rise of bootleg liquor highlights the hidden humanitarian costs of the civil war—where the lack of basic regulation is proving just as deadly as the fighting itself.
