Auntie’s fermented fish safe from salt tax, says govt

By The Nation

 

Nathakorn

 

A planned tax on salted foods will not apply to traditional dishes made within communities, the Excise Department insists.

 

Deputy spokesman Nathakorn Uthainsut said ordinary cooks and vendors needn’t worry about the incoming excise tax on food products with high sodium content.

 

The tax will not be applied to salted dried fish, fermented fish or shrimp or other food products in which the salt has always been used as a preservative.

 

The tax is instead aimed at larger-scale manufacturers who add salt to enhance the tastiness of snacks, instant noodles and canned food, Nathakorn said.

 

The objective is to lower people’s sodium intake for the sake of their health, he said, noting that the World Health Organisation advocates no more than 2,000 milligrams per day and Thailand’s Public Health Ministry accepts 2,400mg.

 

Nathakorn said it hadn’t been determined which of those limits will be reflected in the terms of the new excise tax.

 

A schedule of new tax rates should be ready by year-end, he said.

 

The department will allow food producers an adjustment period of up to two years, just as makers of sugary beverages were given breathing space when a sugar tax was introduced.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/business/30377582

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-10-21

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So the tax is on salted food but not on salt alone?

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The tax will not be applied to salted dried fish, fermented fish or shrimp or other food products in which the salt has always been used as a preservative.

Does that mean the end user will have to sign an agreement to wash the above and remove all traces of salt, in order to avoid paying the new tax? I can see an opportunity for a bureaucratic wet dream!

If you tax salt you will be done in 5 minutes, if you judge it per product you need a commission of people to decide what will be taxed, by how much, and how much you want to be bribed to change your decision. Guess which one they picked...

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Auntie’s fermented fish safe from salt tax

Unfortunately, the fermented fish is not safe (to eat).

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The objective is to lower people’s sodium intake for the sake of their health,

I somehow find this hard to impossible to believe. More like trying to make a mark for himself under the guise of health safety but all the while the government takes businesses for a new ride.
Don't think he is finished as he will try to up the ante with some other hair brained idea again.

 

Why would they not tax fish sauce or salt itself?

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The tax will not be applied to salted dried fish, fermented fish or shrimp or other food products in which the salt has always been used as a preservative.

So if I labelled my crisps 'Salt preserved' they'd be ok ?

15 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

I somehow find this hard to impossible to believe. More like trying to make a mark for himself under the guise of health safety but all the while the government takes businesses for a new ride.
Don't think he is finished as he will try to up the ante with some other hair brained idea again.

 

Why would they not tax fish sauce or salt itself?

Stock up on Lea and Perrins 

Imported and contains salt.

Edited October 21, 20196 yr by overherebc

15 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

I somehow find this hard to impossible to believe. More like trying to make a mark for himself under the guise of health safety but all the while the government takes businesses for a new ride.
Don't think he is finished as he will try to up the ante with some other hair brained idea again.

 

Why would they not tax fish sauce or salt itself?

Because they are after prepared or processed foods foods that may have a high or even hidden salt content. 

7 minutes ago, metempsychotic said:

Because they are after prepared or processed foods foods that may have a high or even hidden salt content. 

There is nothing hidden about it most processed food does contain salt ......Just read the label........

12 minutes ago, metempsychotic said:

Because they are after prepared or processed foods foods that may have a high or even hidden salt content. 

There is no hidden salt content. It will all show on the nutritional testing on the label. 

58 minutes ago, Bob12345 said:

If you tax salt you will be done in 5 minutes, if you judge it per product you need a commission of people to decide what will be taxed, by how much, and how much you want to be bribed to change your decision. Guess which one they picked...

This is 100% correct.....

They want the whole process murky and not clear......So corruption can flourish....

 

Salt is in most food in the supermarket.....Soup, ketup, bread, you name it it most likely has salt......This whole tax thing is going to be hilarious to watch...

Salt is a mineral and electrolyte essential to our bodily function especially in a hot country and taxing it is just mad.
Sure too much salt is not good same with every substance but a packet of noodles ain't gonna kill you.
If they are really concerned about our health why not tax all products containing salt?
Will they apply this tax equally to all products including Thai and Imported
Will Thai noodles get taxed at same rate as Korean?
Or will it be used to replace lost Tariffs because from trade agreements.
Pretty sure most Farang food will get taxed.
What about MSG tax?

Edited October 21, 20196 yr by monkfish

Can't foresee the tax man standing in Samut Songkran at the roadside salt sellers?

 

Edited October 21, 20196 yr by VocalNeal

If they are going to tax salt ,the only fair way would be to tax

it when it leaves the producer,like alcohol,tobacco,but as usual

Thailand is going to do it the difficult way,Thai,salted fish,fish sauce,

street food are all very high in salt,but they are not been covered by

this salt tax,as the Government knows if it did impose tax on those

it would cause an uproar.so just pick and choose,I am thinking this

may just be a tax, to raise funds to buy more war weapons.

regards worgeordie

Better to tax the salt product itself, let the manufacturers and aunties determine how much they will use as that will affect their selling price... if not they will have to absorb the extra cost in house.

you will probably find the amounts used will drop accordingly and be healthier for all !

2 hours ago, fforest1 said:

There is nothing hidden about it most processed food does contain salt ......Just read the label........

Did you see the part where I said high "or" hidden? 

 

Amusing you would suggest to just read the label, when apparently you are unable to read a simple post. 

 

You know most people won't read a label, often in such small print as to be illegible. 

 

Many here on thaivisa seem to purposely misunderstand what they are reading because it fits better with whatever axe they have to grind. 

 

While I do not defend the notion of the tax, nor even consider it sensible, the story is pretty clear - the government wants to limit the intake of salt by implementing a tax on processed or prepared foods which despite being appropriately labeled (if indeed they are) contain a large potentially unhealthy amount of sodium. The rationale or efficacy of this strategy I have deliberately not addreed. 

 

Taxing salt or fish sauce themselves has not been suggested because these are simply additives, one might say staples, common in day to day usage and not, in themselves, misleading or abused. 

Edited October 21, 20196 yr by metempsychotic

The word "salary" is derived from the original word for salt, from the times when people were actually paid in salt.

 

Since so few Thai's pay any taxes on their Salary, the govt has decided to try to tax the original....!

So Thai can keep eating safely all the $hit that kills them <3