Increasing opposition to government withdrawing Philip Morris lawsuit

 

 

The Thailand Health Promotion Institute has joined anti-tobacco advocates in opposing the recommendation from the Foreign Ministry that the Thai government withdraw the 60 billion baht lawsuit against Philip Morris, the American cigarette manufacturer, for alleged tax evasion.

 

THPI president Dr. Hathai Chitanont said, since the government has adequate evidence to substantiate the tax evasion charges against Philip Morris, it should allow the lawsuit to proceed in the national and public health interest.

 

Philip Morris is accused of under-declaring the price of cigarettes imported into Thailand by 7 baht per pack while the retail price was set at 145 baht, causing the state to lose import tax revenue, estimated at about 60 billion baht over several years.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/increasing-opposition-to-government-withdrawing-philip-morris-lawsuit/

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2019-05-22

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

Any person who knows how Thailand works would wonder how such a scheme took place without some form of State involvement.

 

The company's lawyers will be probing where the monies went, and it is not likely to the company.

Edited May 21, 20197 yr by Fex Bluse

Always makes me smile how every dog and its dinner likes to have a say about how other government bodies should operate.

Edited May 21, 20197 yr by davehowden
spelling

Seems some naming of names may arise from the case....there must have been some underhand dealings at the time.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

since the government has adequate evidence to substantiate the tax evasion charges against Philip Morris, it should allow the lawsuit to proceed in the national and public health interest. 

From the link:

• Mr. Wasin Pipattanachat, assistant director of the research centre for tobacco control at Ramathibodi Hospital, said the government should weigh the pros and cons between the health of the Thai people and the vested interests of the cigarette manufacturer

If weighing the health of the Thai people is a factor, then the State should abandon its Tobacco monopoly and resulting tax revenues, and ban cigarette sales throughout Thailand. The government isn't harmed by giving up its lawsuit and more likely to have to pay Philip Morris compensation for disrupting its Thai operations if the trial goes to a ruling.