In a way I would believe that those wealthy expats the government wish to target to settle in the Kingdom, easily can afford the price of imported spirits and cigars; on the other hand a little lower imported spirit and wine prices would be welcomed by us poorer expats that already residing in the nation...????

I imagine this will empty Monaco overnight.

I thought all the people they are trying to attract are rich...do they care about the cost of wine, spirits, and cigars ????

11 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

I imagine this will empty Monaco overnight.

I image this will empty Macro overnight.

So, they brought this idea up because they see us all farangs as massive alcoholics? ????

 

Granted, most foreigners I know (including myself) enjoy drinking, especially some decent wine. But seriously, my Thai friends drink way much more. They always had 6 to 12 bottles in the trunk of their car to bring to restaurants and just pay the corkage fee. 

 

Nonetheless, it wouldn't hurt if they reduce some taxes, duty cost or anything as these imported alcohol bottles are just not worth it here. But I think it will be much more enjoyed by Thais (middle and upper classes) than by us foreigners in terms of volume.

10 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

And seize back control of all the Aussie companies bought up by China.

Pretty reliable bunch, sell something and steal it back.

11 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

I imagine this will empty Monaco overnight.

Yep, can already see them massing at the border and trying to beat down the barriers trying to get in...... 

1 hour ago, transam said:

No mention of Laos beer then.....????

Remember the days when a case in Makro was cheaper than San Mig or Heineken.

 

Then they realised it was a good beer and people liked it. Thats when the prices went up.

1 hour ago, transam said:

No mention of Laos beer then.....????

Its only 22 percent tax anyway so half of that is not going to be such a big reduction. 

33 minutes ago, Nojohndoe said:

but I wonder if the local Winemakers also get some relief from the massive tax they must pay

That's an interesting point........ but do local winemakers actually pay "massive tax"?

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

I have not been able to find any specific mention of a reduction in the rates of tariffs on imported wines anywhere. They mention imported alcohol, which has a for lower rate than wine. Anyone know anything about wine specifically, in regard to this proposal?

 

If wine was included, it would be monumental, as it would be the kind of sacrifice that is needed to attract the wealthier tourists and ex-pats they keep ranting about. Next, lower luxury taxes. Then, Thailand begins to join the real world, and wealthy people feel like they are not being taken for a ride, and then they start returning, instead of vowing to never come back. In reality wine taxes should be reduced from the ridiculous 300% plus, to around 75%. Income from the industry would likely increase 1000%. 

 

 

We can only dream of wine at the same prices of HK, i was at least a bottle a day guy .. normally french wine, i stopped drinking wine all together on arrival in thailand, 

I know more than a few people that enjoy a decent cigar, that was fine when working away for a month and bringing a box back for their month at home, many due to covid haven't worked since the start, they tried buying here but that was price prohibitive so gave up.

 

I often enjoy half a bottle of red wine in the evening which the Mrs & I share, a bottle of cheap Chilean red costs 380 Bht, that's £8.31, probably buy similar in the UK for £3.00. Ridiculous price.

2 minutes ago, MRToMRT said:

Its only 22 percent tax anyway so half of that is not going to be such a big reduction. 

Every little helps, plus in Laos it is really cheap, except hotels maybe...

2 minutes ago, xylophone said:

That's an interesting point........ but do local winemakers actually pay "massive tax"?

Probably depends on which familly they are in.

I like the high taxes on wine. It means I never drink it in Thailand ????

3 hours ago, smedly said:

nobody is forcing you to participate - if you don't want to drink then don't 

And stopping to smoke is easy, you do it. It all begins in your head.

Right, because the rich are going “hey, they’re slashing the import duty on sprits and wine in Thailand! Yay! Let’s immediately spend thousands on a first class ticket so we can save a few hundred Baht on the import duty on spirits!”

 

 

Most wine in stores just gathers dust ..at present price 

Sounds like a committee decision. I can just imagine it now:

 

"So what do zillionaires like to do?"

"Well, I saw on Netflix that they sit around all day drinking wine and smoking cigars"

"But our wine and cigars are expensive. Only the other day I saw how much they cost, especially wine in 7/11"

" Ok, let's reduce duty on them so it will attract these zillionaires and maybe even billionaires will be tempted"

"You are so wise, Khun chairman"

2 hours ago, transam said:

No mention of Laos beer then.....????

ASEAN pact just means they all agreed to screw each others populations with imort taxes and protecing their <deleted>ty Salim beer I no longer touch on principle. All the SEA brewers collude, but to hell with the Salim in particular, I'd rather drink Beer Lao, San Mig or even Tsing Dao (it's actually rather good as it remained true to its German Concession colonial recipe.) The other thing about local beer is it is just vile, because they dont need to compete on price/quality, and the ice cubes are an improvement!

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I have not been able to find any specific mention of a reduction in the rates of tariffs on imported wines anywhere. They mention imported alcohol, which has a for lower rate than wine. Anyone know anything about wine specifically, in regard to this proposal?

 

If wine was included, it would be monumental, as it would be the kind of sacrifice that is needed to attract the wealthier tourists and ex-pats they keep ranting about. Next, lower luxury taxes. Then, Thailand begins to join the real world, and wealthy people feel like they are not being taken for a ride, and then they start returning, instead of vowing to never come back. In reality wine taxes should be reduced from the ridiculous 300% plus, to around 75%. Income from the industry would likely increase 1000%. 

 

 

Hey, don't start introducing logic or real numbers!

1 hour ago, Rookiescot said:

And seize back control of all the Aussie companies bought up by China.

Unfair IMHO, the Aussies sold them. Should have blocked it then. If you do want to take back control fair market price must be paid.

 

I get the anti China feelings, i don't like them either but fair business practices should remain.                     

56 minutes ago, xylophone said:

That's an interesting point........ but do local winemakers actually pay "massive tax"?

Apparently yes. That's why local Thai wine is so lousy. The local winemakers cannot reduce the price to sell volume and make enough profit to develop the local wine industry. They have been lobbying the govt to make them a special case for years but the govt is unsympathetic. It's a great shame coz Thailand could otherwise become a good wine producer.

No mention of imported beer, I see.

 

And a change to the stupid afternoon alcohol sales law would also be welcomed.

 

One step at a time though!

 

 

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

In a way I would believe that those wealthy expats the government wish to target to settle in the Kingdom, easily can afford the price of imported spirits and cigars; on the other hand a little lower imported spirit and wine prices would be welcomed by us poorer expats that already residing in the nation...????

Its well known rich people don't get rich or stay rich by throwing money at bad deals. Also, there's rich (working/business class expat -oil fifo guys) and there's rich (Dr Doom and his mates) and there's rich (Bezos). Only the superyot set, and the Thai Army/Police can afford not to blink at the price of anything, the rest of us "rich" folks still need to be realistic or we won't be ¨rich¨ for long. You are probably far wealthier than me anyway, I get a feeling you are, the really well off are always crying poor.

3 hours ago, smedly said:

nobody is forcing you to participate - if you don't want to drink then don't 

nicotine addiction and alcoholism are not that simple to cure as to say "don't"

3 minutes ago, KKr said:

nicotine addiction and alcoholism are not that simple to cure as to say "don't"

I think his comment was directed at the Thai dissenter in the story, thats how i read it anyway.

4 minutes ago, madmitch said:

One step at a time though!

One step in front of the other can sometimes  be a problem.

1 hour ago, xylophone said:

That's an interesting point........ but do local winemakers actually pay "massive tax"?

They do in fact.  Here is a rather dated item but it gives a fairly good indication of the situation. Apart from suggested prices ....lol.

https://www.econ.chula.ac.th/public/publication/journal/2015/Jordan French.PDF

 

2 minutes ago, chalawaan said:

I think his comment was directed at the Thai dissenter in the story, thats how i read it anyway.

the way I read it is that he is commenting on an observation by a researcher pointing out that increasing prices for tobacco would discourage its use, and hence make nicotine addiction less frequent.
As for Alcohol, increasing prices will drive abusers to cheaper liquids, albeit that it may discourage youngsters starting abuse of alcohol.