It's a wait and see game - smokers and drinkers will discover tax fate on Saturday

[fullcave]

Self impossed nanny knows what's best. 

[tomacht8]

Have never heard of a tax increase where apparently no one knows until the day of the introduction, how high this is.
Runs everything under the motto: Bring back happiness to the people.
Happy tax surprise.

[bannork]

 

[poohy]

31 minutes ago, B4Jazz said:

"Beer taxes could rise from 41 baht to 78 baht."

 

Is that per litre or what?

 

Beer in Thailand is already more expensive than neighbouring countries. 

And the UK!

[tomacht8]

If the money is not enough for sufficient booze, then there will be an increase in domestic violence.
Also not exactly healthy.

[ChiangMaiLightning2143]

Have never heard of a tax increase where apparently no one knows until the day of the introduction, how high this is.
Runs everything under the motto: Bring back happiness to the people.
Happy tax surprise.

A tax increase should be incremental and well planned.
How can businesses rationalize sourcing or purchasing
It encourages hoarding.
Bizarre.

[ukrules]

Major wholesalers of cigarettes and alcohol were closed today.

[choff56]

11 minutes ago, ukrules said:

Major wholesalers of cigarettes and alcohol were closed today.

Now that's "King Power"!

[choff56]

3 hours ago, retarius said:

I don't drink or smoke so it doesn't affect me. Good luck to those whose expenses will increase....maybe you should consider giving up?

Tax trolling.

 

[heybruce]

5 hours ago, recycler said:

To brew for own consumption is no problem and all ingredients and equipment is available mail order in Thailand. Any refrigerator can be set to fermentation temperatures using an override thermostat, my second hand wine fridge does a great job! Water is delivered at home in 19 liter bottles, perfect for brewing, remember beer is a trick to make undrinkable water drinkable, so you can even use tapwater. Cost price can be as low as 40 Baht per liter and you don't need a lot of space, 2 burners and the fridge and some box to keep your grains etc. Almost forget to mention after a little bit of practice you'll never want to buy beer anymore!

I checked, apparently the law was changed in 2016 to allow home brewing.  My information was dated. 

 

I assume you have a house in the 'burbs or a high-end condo with a full kitchen and room for a fermenting fridge in addition to your regular one.  I rent a 70 square meter one bedroom condo with a small kitchen. big enough for comfortable living, small enough for me to argue there isn't room for an ambitious lady-friend to move in.  I like the arrangement, but there's no room for brewing.  A lot of expats live in similar or smaller quarters.

 

Besides, the longer I live in Thailand the less I want to become financially committed to the country.  I don't need to be accumulating expensive new stuff.  Good luck with your home-brewing.  I did it for years and enjoyed it, but I won't be doing it here.

[heybruce]

4 hours ago, sambum said:

Yes, it's a bit like the bar turning the music up because they only have 1 or 2 customers, and when they suddenly have no customers they wonder why?

Somewhat off topic, but you just nailed one of my biggest complaints about bars all over the world.  I like music, but I also like having a drink without hearing damage and having a conversation without shouting.

[baboon]

3 hours ago, Guitar God said:

I think the objective here is to reduce consumption, not increase revenues. They did the same thing to soft drinks that are full of sugar. 

 

Market elasticity will determine the outcome. 

But why do they care who lives or dies just as long as there are enough drones to serve the interests of capital?

This is what the world is all about nowadays. 

[sambum]

40 minutes ago, heybruce said:

Somewhat off topic, but you just nailed one of my biggest complaints about bars all over the world.  I like music, but I also like having a drink without hearing damage and having a conversation without shouting.

Yes - a bar/pub is for drinking - a club is for music/dancing!

 

[heybruce]

14 minutes ago, sambum said:

Yes - a bar/pub is for drinking - a club is for music/dancing!

 

And in Thailand, the restaurant/bars that I like are for having food, drink, and conversation with friends.  I fear that with the higher prices that are sure to come some managers will attempt to attract more customers with even louder mediocre bands.

[nasanews]

5 hours ago, retarius said:

I don't drink or smoke so it doesn't affect me. Good luck to those whose expenses will increase....maybe you should consider giving up?

Pink lungs don't have to pay anything, it is smokers lungs who have to contribute to society costs.

[Jonah Tenner]

16 hours ago, robblok said:

So I would hope they are not going to shoot themselves in their foot. 

They normally do. I'm surprised there are any feet left without bullet holes in Thailand.

[Jonah Tenner]

16 hours ago, steelepulse said:

Does this include the cheap and lethal made in Thailand lao kao etc. ?

Not the barn yard quality lao khao, no.

 

I see an opening market for laboratory equipment.

[bartender100]

11 hours ago, riki said:

5 baht on beer and 5 baht on cigs

Sent from my A1601 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Are you taking tax or retail price, or just guessing?

 

Because if it goes up 5 baht to a bar or shop they will add whatever profit margin they work on, they don't buy something for 5 baht and sell it for the same

[wakeupplease]

£4.30 for Budweiser 300ml in UK supermarkets and that is for 6 bottles.

 

Why wait till Saturday to give the price increase, Sunday day off maybe

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

18 hours ago, robblok said:

So I would hope they are not going to shoot themselves in their foot. 

Err... They do that all the time.

 

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

6 hours ago, tomacht8 said:

Have never heard of a tax increase where apparently no one knows until the day of the introduction, how high this is.
Runs everything under the motto: Bring back happiness to the people.
Happy tax surprise.

Happens twice a year in the UK, It's called The Budget.

We will see how many bullets they can shoot at there feet tomorrow.

Beer is much the same price as the UK, but cigs are still very much cheaper here.

When the cost of keeping warm in the UK is the same as staying cool here I'll leave...

Could send a lot of tourists elsewhere, but they don't care, just like the TM6 cards and double pricing.

 

 

[jacko45k]

Well perhaps some of the Expats can fire up the skills they learned while working in Saudi Arabia .....

 

Home brew kits will be the next best seller.

[over it]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

Sanook said that the fundamental reasoning behind the new measures was to raise the health of the Thai people.

Get real! The fundamental reason is to extract as much money as you can from anyone you can get it from, especially foreigners. 

 

I, for one, will be watching, not paying, from the vantage point of another country where a beer costs me 15 baht.

 

Along with my cheap beer in one hand will be a roll-your-own...in the other hand. #FUThailand

Edited September 15, 2017 by over it
because I can

[Elkski]

Sad news.  Beer already costs to much in Thailand.  

[wgdanson]

If the idea is to stop THAIs drinking in order to improve their health, why not let Falangs have it TAX FREE.

[wgdanson]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Well perhaps some of the Expats can fire up the skills they learned while working in Saudi Arabia .....

 

Home brew kits will be the next best seller.

And so easy to do. 6 litres grape juice from Tesco, 2 kg sugar, get wine yeast sent out from UK. In one month....Bob's yer Uncle.

[geronimo]

21 hours ago, robblok said:

 

That would be the case if they are really stupid, we might want to think they are all stupid but I don't believe that. I believe there are quite a few real smart Thai people far smarter then those on the forum. Not all those in goverment are stupid (there certainly are a few). But even they get the hint that if taxes decrease after an increase not to increase again.

Whatever way it goes, the BIG man is the one who has the final say, and I wonder how smart he is?

 

[650721]

They just saved me B1,000+ a week and i am sure i am not the only one.. i have been looking for a good reason to obstain and this is it. My health will improve, my sense of humor will suffer and i will probably leave Thailand and spend my B80,000/mth in another country. Smart move, looks like they have shot themselves in both feet.

On another note if a government wishes to prevent unrest/anarchy then they should not make it unaffordable for the working (Thai) man to enjoy a drink and a smoke, often it is the only thing he has to look forward to.

[Bartman1369]

It won't be Visa runs to Cambodia it will be Fags and Booze runs.

[inThailand]

If the tax is significant, get ready for yet smaller beer bottles.