New cigarette excise tax is trade discrimination: European business group

By The Nation

 

The European Association for Business and Commerce (EABC) has expressed concerns over an ongoing issue related to cigarette excise taxes.

 

In a statement issued Friday, the association said what they see as “unfair trade” may undermine foreign business confidence in Thailand.

 

The Excise Department’s new regulation is similar to the reported suggestion from the Thai Tobacco Monopoly, the association said.

 

Any new regulation requiring that the tax base for cigarettes be the suggested retail price prevailing upon the date the new law entered into effect (September 16, 2017) would be an unnecessary market interference, contradicting the principles of good governance and a free market, said Stefan Teuchert, president of the EABC.

 

The European Union, one of the world’s leaders in tobacco control policy and where cigarettes are subject to a mixed system of excise taxation, the taxation system allows “freely formed prices” where retail prices of tobacco products are freely set by business.

 

Teuchert pointed to the principle of national treatment enshrined in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), under which internal taxes or regulations shall not be applied to afford protection to the domestic production.

“We believe that the Thai Government has always abided by this commitment in designing and implementing an excise tax structure and related rules for any excisable goods to promote a level playing field in doing business in Thailand,” said Teuchert.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/business/30336726

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-01-20

Thailand being unfair to foreign competition? Especially where tobacco tax is concerned?  Who would have thought it?

I like the last paragraph.

sorry for the naive question but what's the limit for flying into Thailand with cigarettes?   1 carton?    More?

2 minutes ago, 7of9rocks said:

sorry for the naive question but what's the limit for flying into Thailand with cigarettes?   1 carton?    More?

200 sticks 

Thanks for the info.   I don't smoke but I'm sure it'd make a good gift for some Thais I know.

 

P.S.   Since I'm writing this, I'll ask.    Are you familiar with the Indonesian herb cigarettes?     Like I said, I don't smoke but damn those smell GREAT!    I have no idea how I can possibly get my hands on some.     No online sales, right?

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

“We believe that the Thai Government has always abided by this commitment in designing and implementing an excise tax structure and related rules for any excisable goods to promote a level playing field in doing business in Thailand,” said Teuchert.

Condemned by European business groups, condemned by HRW, Condemned for no elections, now marches in the street. Not smooth sailing anymore is it ?

4 hours ago, 7of9rocks said:

Are you familiar with the Indonesian herb cigarettes?

 

I presume you mean "kretek" which are laced with ground cloves.

 

They are taxed less than regular cigarettes in Indonesia, hence their popularity.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kretek

4 hours ago, Oxx said:

 

I presume you mean "kretek" which are laced with ground cloves.

 

They are taxed less than regular cigarettes in Indonesia, hence their popularity.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kretek

 

As I understand it, clove cigarettes have now been banned in EU, on the basis that all the kiddies are falling over each other to buy them. Complete BS, of course. They banned them so as to restrict the choices smokers have. Menthol cigarettes are next...

8 hours ago, 7of9rocks said:

Thanks for the info.   I don't smoke but I'm sure it'd make a good gift for some Thais I know.

 

P.S.   Since I'm writing this, I'll ask.    Are you familiar with the Indonesian herb cigarettes?     Like I said, I don't smoke but damn those smell GREAT!    I have no idea how I can possibly get my hands on some.     No online sales, right?

I've seen people selling them on the street in chinatown and kao sarn road.

 

Maybe in the supermarkets the tobaccoshops also have them...don't know, they have a booze/cigarshop sometimes.

8 hours ago, 7of9rocks said:

sorry for the naive question but what's the limit for flying into Thailand with cigarettes?   1 carton?    More?

1 carton or 200 cigs do not go over

Edited January 20, 20188 yr by wakeupplease