More info on Sodium tax expected by year’s end

[webfact]

More info on Sodium tax expected by year’s end

 

   

BANGKOK (NNT) - In addition to the doubling of sugar tax effective since 1st October, the Excise Department is also aiming to impose a sodium tax to encourage the general public to eat healthier food. The tax will initially be applicable to sodium used as seasoning, with more information expected by the end of this year.

 

The Excise Department’s Deputy Spokesman Nattakorn Utensut has revealed the proposed tax will only be applicable to food seasonings containing sodium, excluding necessary and basic seasonings such as fish sauce and soy sauce, as well as sodium used for food preservation.

 

He said the department is now researching just what level of sodium should be used as an indicator, and how to determine the amount of sodium tax applicable to seasoning items which already contain sodium used for preservation. The department will be holding talks with businesses to aid with their adaptation, and may offer tax discounts should the products’ ingredients be changed to contain less sodium. These discussions are expected to become more concrete by the end of this year.

 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the recommended maximum daily sodium intake for one adult is 2,000 milligrams, or about 600 mg per each meal.

 

The Excise Department deputy spokesman said today the new policy is aimed at forcing food manufacturers to reduce the sodium level in their products, not for the purpose of collecting more revenue, but with the ultimate objective of encouraging the general public to consume healthier food products, as more than 60 percent of food items in Thailand such as snacks, instant noodles, and seasoning powders, contain more than the recommended sodium component.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2019-10-22

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[loong]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

has revealed the proposed tax will only be applicable to food seasonings containing sodium, excluding necessary and basic seasonings such as fish sauce and soy sauce

Does that mean they are going to tax MSG?

There will be riots!

[worgeordie]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

excluding necessary and basic seasonings such as fish sauce and soy sauce, as well as sodium used for food preservation.

BUT....they  contain a lot of salt,they will not dare tax them as

it would create an uproar ,so I wonder if this is just not another

tax,they say it's for health reasons,but with so many dying on the

roads every year,and nothing really been done about it,....so

regards worgeordie

[Tayaout]

8 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

BUT....they  contain a lot of salt,they will not dare tax them as

it would create an uproar ,so I wonder if this is just not another

tax,they say it's for health reasons,but with so many dying on the

roads every year,and nothing really been done about it,....so

regards worgeordie

It's just another tax. The food company usually absorb these "health" tax to stay competitive. 

[cyril sneer]

My favourite food ☹️

[kingstonkid]

I took a look at what i was eating and man the amount of salt was astounding.  

 

Seems to me the best thing to do is to make your own food it is the food that is prepared and canned.

 

GF is now rationing and watching closely ( something about keeping me alive or is it keeping my money coming in LOL

Either way I don't mind.

 

[fforest1]

Funny how MSG is not even mentioned...A MSG tax or ban would be wonderful....

[VocalNeal]

4 minutes ago, fforest1 said:

Funny how MSG is not even mentioned...A MSG tax or ban would be wonderful....

Are you allergic to MSG or just riding on the band wagon?

[rwill]

1 hour ago, loong said:

Does that mean they are going to tax MSG?

There will be riots!

MSG has half the sodium that salt does.

[fforest1]

21 minutes ago, rwill said:

MSG has half the sodium that salt does.

Yea well who cares....MSG is orders of magnitude a more nasty stuff than salt will ever be...... Millions of people complain because MSG is a big problem for them..Me included....

[VocalNeal]

9 minutes ago, fforest1 said:

MSG is orders of magnitude a more nasty stuff than salt will ever be

Not proven yet. The band wagon will be along shortly.

[rwill]

12 minutes ago, fforest1 said:

Yea well who cares....MSG is orders of magnitude a more nasty stuff than salt will ever be...... Millions of people complain because MSG is a big problem for them..Me included....

It is just not true.  

[zydeco]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The Excise Department deputy spokesman said today the new policy is aimed at forcing food manufacturers to reduce the sodium level in their products, not for the purpose of collecting more revenue, but with the ultimate objective of encouraging the general public to consume healthier food products, as more than 60 percent of food items in Thailand such as snacks, instant noodles, and seasoning powders, contain more than the recommended sodium component.

In other words, a tax on farang foods and not on soy sauce and fish sauce, which are Thai foods.

[fforest1]

14 minutes ago, rwill said:

It is just not true.  

Sir.....What are you a absolute dictator on how people should feel?.....If I and millions of other people say MSG is a problem for them it is a problem for them...No studies needed....Salt is not a problem for me or the millions hence no salt complaints...

[zydeco]

Didn't Gandhi start with a protest against a salt tax?

[mikebell]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

not for the purpose of collecting more revenue,

We don't believe you.  The military hardware must be paid for somehow.  Since when has the Thai Government given a toss about its people's health?

[Kasset Tak]

I have 16-18 years old students that have high blood pressure because of too much sodium intake, and those students are already on medication for that. At the same time the same students are having iodine deficiency! WHY? The high sodium fish sauces (that will not be taxed...) as most fish sauces are produced using non-iodized salt, so in fact they really found a way to make a double whammy on peoples health.

[Tayaout]

14 minutes ago, Kasset Tak said:

I have 16-18 years old students that have high blood pressure because of too much sodium intake, and those students are already on medication for that. At the same time the same students are having iodine deficiency! WHY? The high sodium fish sauces (that will not be taxed...) as most fish sauces are produced using non-iodized salt, so in fact they really found a way to make a double whammy on peoples health.

Why say it is salt when it could likely be oxidized vegetables oil or simply a lack of exercise? 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3226610/

[holy cow cm]

2 hours ago, Tayaout said:

It's just another tax. The food company usually absorb these "health" tax to stay competitive. 

Actually no they don't. They pass it on or at least try to. Depends on the amount tax levied..