Govt steps up campaign against bootleg cigarettes and liquor

BANGKOK: -- The government has stepped up its crackdown on the smuggling of cigarettes and liquor.

It is part of the government’s broader campaign to end the trade in these bootleg goods by the end of the year.

More than 30,000 smugglers, counterfeiters and sellers of illegal cigarettes and liquor have been detained over the past ten months since the crackdown started.

In the same period, smugglers have been fined more than 100 million baht, and nearly a million litres of liquor and huge amount of cigarettes have been seized.

These confiscated goods were destroyed at the Excise Department yesterday.

The crackdown has led to an increase in state tax revenues, the Excise Department chief, Sathit Limpongpan, told TNA on Thursday.

There has been a ten percent increase in revenue from cigarettes and five percent from liquor taxes, compared to the same period last year.

The government and local media are running campaigns, urging Thais not to buy, or consume contraband goods.

The crackdown on smuggled and counterfeit goods protects consumers, and taxes are paid, Mr Sathit said.

--TNA 2004-08-20

Hi,

Does anyone know the limit to how many cigarettes (NOT counterfeit cigs but real ones obviously) you can buy in thailand when on holiday??

Thanx

Does anyone know the limit to how many cigarettes (NOT counterfeit cigs but real ones obviously) you can buy in thailand when on holiday??

As many as you can smoke.

If you intend to return home with them, it depends on the laws in your home country.

Hi,

Does anyone know the limit to how many cigarettes (NOT counterfeit cigs but real ones obviously) you can buy in thailand when on holiday??

Thanx

You can buy as many as you like - there is no limit

Now if you really want to know how many you can take back with you when you return home, then that depends on which country you are returning to.....

If you mean at Don Muang duty free, to bring in , it's 200 maximum.

For one time, I must agree with this governemental policy.

As consumer, I must say that the counter ciggies are low quality mostly , then I will be only good one on the marker.

Also, yes any developped country get an important revenue from taxes, and the fake ciggy/liquor is a pain for any country.

Whatever who will complain? Both, ciggy and liquor, are bad for health, and cost a lot to western countries. At least heath of people that stay and live here will be better. In France , the price of the ciggy is so hight than manay [people have stopped to smoke .... I preferred to come here to spend less lol.

At least it's a good news

Duty free cigs is usually 200 but I know people who have brought in and taken back much more than that.

I wonder if anyone knows what the limit is for cigs bought in Thailand say from 7/11..my understanding is that as tax has been paid on them u can take as many as u like within resaon, of course

Anyone know for sure?

If you paid the tax? Depends whetehr you mean the tax in the country of purchase (outside Thailand), then nope.

If you mean import taxes etc in Thailand then as many as your valid import license allows.

Most counties have a limit on duty free AND a limit on duty paid. This often differes between countries due to agreements - for example, there is no hard and fast fixed amount of duty paid goods you can import across the EU, but there they must be for personal use - ressling is illeagl without pating import taxes (second hand sales differ again).

Hi,

Thanx for your replys I was just wondering about Thai laws when leaving Thailand. The UK doesnt allow any cigs from outside EU without payin tax. I was with a friend flying back last year when customs at UK confiscated his cigs, strip searched him, told him they'd found drugs in his bag and told him he would be facing life in jail! There were no drugs, only cigs, they just tried to frighten him and it worked. He definitely won't be buying cigs abroad again. I was just curious if Thailand had limits to how many you could take home.

bad news! i always bought cigarettes from cambodia and laos for my thai-relatives. if this is not possible anymore, i am afraid, my relatives will live longer!

Duty free cigs is usually 200 but I know people who have brought in and taken back much more than that.

I wonder if anyone knows what the limit is for cigs bought in Thailand say from 7/11..my understanding is that as tax has been paid on them u can take as many as u like within resaon, of course

Anyone know for sure?

The legal import in most european countries is 200 cigarettes. It doesn't matter wether you bought them in 7/11 (with Thai tax) or in Duty Free (without tax) The legal limit is 200 and everything over will be fined and taxed according to the taxation of your home country. If you bought them in 7/11 and have the official invoice (which they do not give...only a ticket) you can deduct that price from your fine...

Basically if you bought them with Thai tax, your additional tax will be a bit lower, but then again... The fine they give will ruin all your profits and your cigarettes will be more expensive then buying them at home...

If you bring back 2 cartons/person they (customs) will not complain... but if customs catches you with 4 cartons you will get a fine...

Cheers

Sam

Thanx

If you have more than 2 cartons going around, then keep your mouth shut and smile and say no duty to report.

Heck people smuggle diamonds etc, and they keep quiet. Just dress smart and look good, and be normal, because most of the time they are not going to bang you for the cig booty. That is small pocket change.

Besides finding smokers is getting less and less. Heck when i visited Manila and went to their mega mall, back in 1991, they had a smokehouse outside of the building and so many puffing their smokes. When I went back again in 1998, no one was there anymore. A huge change 8 years later.

So carry on my friend, don't you cry no more and pack your duds with your cigs, in your checked in luggage.

Daveyo