Customs cracks down on false declarations for alcohol and cigarettes

BANGKOK: -- The Customs Department is overhauling its tax valuation procedures for imports of alcoholic beverages and cigarettes to clamp down on unrealistically low declarations by producers.

Tax officials have long claimed that importers underdeclare their CIF (cost, insurance and freight) values to help minimise their customs duty valuations and ultimately, retail prices. Customs officials have also been ordered to tighten their procedures regarding the handling of guarantees pledged by importers against their import tariff liabilities.

Importers of alcoholic beverages will receive refunds of their guarantees within three months of import and cigarette importers within six months if the department accepts the declared valuations.

More: http://www.bangkokpost.com/Business/07Apr2008_biz24.php

Customs cracks down on false declarations for alcohol and cigarettes

Yet another crackdown...Life is going on...

But all imported booze and cigarettes has to have a Thai seal slapped on it, so how can they under declare??

But all imported booze and cigarettes has to have a Thai seal slapped on it, so how can they under declare??

Read the OP again - it talks about values, not quantities.

more reasons why the prices are going up every week

All this means is that they will declare an additional few % and everyone will be happy. It has nothing to do with actually doing it correctly or honestly.

I have spoken to a mate who is in the thick of things between Customs and the importers.

There is a real sh1t fight going on - I suspect the importers are starting to fight back against the arbitrary and completely unsupportable values that Thai Customs has imposed for many years. These matters are covering under an international valuation agreement to which Thailand is a signatory, and so there are rules.

As they say in the news article, it will end up before the World Trade Organisation disputes committee, with Thailand likely to get a flogging.

But all imported booze and cigarettes has to have a Thai seal slapped on it, so how can they under declare??

Don't confuse tariff (Customs, import duties) and excises stamp.

To recap the taxes on imported booze :

-tariff (import duties)

-VAT (7 %)

-excises stamp

Yes, well all countries are guilty of over-indulging in duties when it suits them. I like wine - I hate the prices - what to do? Drink less? Fat chance - just find a cheaper plonk. (anyone agree that the New Zealand exporters have probably been on the the level about costs while the Aussie wineries less so? - I mean just given pirce as a lone idicator of that?) In my home country Aus and NZ wines are about the same price - but clearly not here..