Thai Govt Proposes Salt & Fat Tax to Boost Public Health

[webfact]

 

Thailand's government is considering imposing new taxes on salty and fatty foods as part of a broader strategy to improve public health and reduce healthcare costs. This measure aims to address rising health issues like obesity, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

 

The Ministry of Health has announced plans to explore this option in an effort to lower the nation’s overall sodium and unhealthy fat consumption.

 

High levels of salt and unhealthy fats in diets are linked to numerous health problems, including cardiovascular diseases. With this proposal, the government plans to incentivise healthier eating habits and put further pressure on food manufacturers to reformulate their products.

 

The proposed taxes would specifically target processed foods high in salt and trans fats, focusing on items often consumed by large numbers of people.

 

The Ministry of Health is collaborating with public health experts, economists, and stakeholders from the food industry to assess the potential impacts of such taxes.

 

They aim to ensure that any policy implemented is not only effective but also fair and economically viable for groups affected, particularly in the food production and retail sectors.

 

Critics argue that the tax could raise food prices and disproportionately affect lower-income families; however, the Ministry is considering measures to mitigate these impacts, possibly through subsidies for healthier food options.

 

They also propose a phased introduction of the tax to allow time for both the food industry and the public to adjust.

 

If approved, the salt and fat taxes could be implemented within the next two years, making it a critical part of the government's health policy strategy.

 

Public consultations are expected to take place in the coming months to gather opinions and refine the proposal's details, reported Bangkok Post.

 

-- 2024-11-06

 

 

[Geoffggi]

35 minutes ago, webfact said:

If approved, the salt and fat taxes could be implemented within the next two years, making it a critical part of the government's health policy strategy.

 

Another major actor is the large amount of sugar used in Thai cooking, a point that was pointed out to me at a prominent hospital in Bangkok 

[hotchilli]

A fat tax... now that would bring in trillions.. start with Walking street

A sugar tax or a sugar ban in food and drinks would benefit health much better.

Edited 8 hours ago by hotchilli

[harryviking]

Fat is NOT the problem! Sugars and refined cooking oils are!!! Start to study before deciding things!! 😆

[bubblegum]

6 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

Another major actor is the large amount of sugar used in Thai cooking, a point that was pointed out to me at a prominent hospital in Bangkok 

Cardiologist told me not to eat Thai food.

[black tabby12345]

Another rotten proposal for the 0.1% of the kingdom.

Dietary education at school won't help them for another

Easy Billions.

But new tax will.

Edited 6 hours ago by black tabby12345

[brfsa2]

Oh please no, it's so bad how everything now is zero-fat or low-fat. With the good fats remove (for profit) and add all the cheap horrible vegetable oils like palm oil and sunflower oil to preserve the food. Then stick the label "No preservative", the biggest lie in the food capitalism in Thailand.

[IC2000]

Is absolutely hilarious. Fish sauce is practically food in this country.

[brfsa2]

2 hours ago, harryviking said:

Fat is NOT the problem! Sugars and refined cooking oils are!!! Start to study before deciding things!! 😆

You see, that's the thing! All doctors don't agree, because they dont want to change their outdated mindset. they think like a rock.

And Thai people still dont believe that Fats are good and Sugars are bad.

Nothing to do with Salt or Fat. Salt is absolutely necessary for any balanced diet, the problems lies on the imbalance of minerals and nutrients. Food now a days have zero nutrition and full of cheap vegetable oils. 

[digger70]

Thai Govt Proposes Salt & Fat Tax to Boost Public Health 

 

What an Idiotic  idea, People eat what they want to eat .

What in Satans name has this got anything to do with the Govment what people eat.

Who dreamed this Greedy ,Money ,Tax Scam up.

Next they will put a tax on the Dirty air we breath .

Tax for walking on the footpaths.

We pay road tax now so they will look at that for sure.

[khunPer]

Sugar is normally considered worse...

[John Drake]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

however, the Ministry is considering measures to mitigate these impacts, possibly through subsidies for healthier food options.

 

Eat your peas, and shut up about it.

[NickyLouie]

personally I hate fat people 

 

tax them and make them pay 

[phetphet]

Not forgetting MSG.

 

[billd766]

When I was growing up in the UK during the 1940s and 1950s, oil was something you put in the engine of a car.

 

Butter was for spreading on bread and margarine was for pastry and baking.

 

My Mum used to fry and roast with pork or beef lard as the dripping went on bread or toast, and it was rare to see any fat people. Sugar was used mainly in tea and sometimes in pastry.

 

Food was simple, basic and filling, and all the kids burnt off their energy playing in the streets or up on the "common" land until the street lights (mostly gas back then) came on.

 

meal times were when your stomach alarm went off, If you were late for a meal, it was either in the oven keeping warm, you ate it cold or went hungry.

 

Even though my Mum would tell me what time dinner would be, it made little difference as I didn't have a watch anyway.

 

Take away food was fish and chips once a week and we had to walk a mile each way and stand in a queue to get it. And that was exotic fast food. No home delivery by Grab etc, you either went and got it yourself, or went without and ate bread and dripping. There was always a lot of that in the larder.

 

 

Edited 2 hours ago by billd766

[redwood1]

20 minutes ago, phetphet said:

Not forgetting MSG.

 

MSG is some nasty nasty stuff.....Very bad for health.....Never a word about banning MSG...

[ModdaPunk]

Same as every other bankrupted country trying to pay off their debts.

Tax, tax, tax.

And of course only a moron wouldn't understand it will backfire economically.

[novacova]

Why not throw in a carbohydrate tax as well. Better yet, how about a BMI tax. Set up mandatory scales, if height and weight ratio is out of range then pay the tax.

[Luuk Chaai]

7 hours ago, harryviking said:

Fat is NOT the problem! Sugars and refined cooking oils are!!! Start to study before deciding things!! 😆

 

Finally ....  somebody did their homework and go it right !

[LennyW]

Sugar tax on coffee shops is what is needed, it is like many Thais permanently have a coffee shop coffee in their hand, crazy!

[lordgrinz]

10 minutes ago, LennyW said:

Sugar tax on coffee shops is what is needed, it is like many Thais permanently have a coffee shop coffee in their hand, crazy!

 

Cream and sugar, it's not even coffee, its a dessert! I am guessing most of these drinks are almost 1500 calories each, won't take long to add weight with a daily intake of that many calories just in a drink.

[Negita43]

Which is better - Tax or Health Education - obviously for the government Tax but for the population ??

Health education should start in primary schools and continue into adulthood.