Tax Increase On Alcohol To Hit Foreigners And Benefit Tourist Police

[Rimmer]

Tax increase on alcohol to hit foreigners and benefit Tourist Police

PATTAYA:-- The government announced a new increase in duties to be paid on alcohol, ahead of the Songkran Festival. The duties for alcoholic beverages containing up to 12% alcohol will be increased by 20 baht per 100 ml, while beverage with more than 12% will be increased by 40 baht per 100 ml.

The increase, starting next week on the 5th April, is the start of a new campaign to decrease the number of alcohol related accidents during the songkran holiday.

Every year many accidents are reported due to the huge alcohol consumption during these days. In the past the government has tried to limit the sale of alcohol, which had some effect but not enough. With the increase of the duties on alcohol the government hopes to discourage the use of alcohol. The extra income will go the health department to help pay for the increasing costs related to the treatment of alcoholism.

A more controversial plan, not yet approved by the government, is the plan to impose an additional 20 baht on alcoholic drinks sold to foreigners at bars and clubs. The Governors of provinces dominated by income from tourism are pushing for this new tax, including here in Pattaya. The Pattaya Tourist Police along with Phuket and Koh Samui are seeing an increase in numbers of drunken foreigners.

It is estimated that foreigners in Pattaya account for almost 70% of the total alcohol consumption for the city. The extra funds are to go partly to increase the number of tourist police officers in Pattaya. According to an unnamed government source it is only deemed fair that the foreigners, most of whom don’t pay tax in Thailand, help pay for the increasing costs caused by their shameless behavior.

The sales of alcohol by shops will not be affected by the new proposed tax. The proposal is being heavily criticized by the Thai Brewers Association, who fears a decrease in sales and claim that their members are already under pressure because of the economic crisis and global warming.

It is also thought that ex-pats and tourists who either live or come to have fun in Pattaya will be angered at the proposals for this new tax. Pattaya One News will keep you updated on any developments relating to this story.

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2010-04-01

Story HERE

[Soutpeel]

"The extra funds are to go partly to increase the number of tourist police officers in Pattaya. According to an unnamed government source it is only deemed fair that the foreigners, most of whom don’t pay tax in Thailand, help pay for the increasing costs caused by their shameless behavior"

Oh well Thai ecomonics and logic once again, but would raise this question ?........What about the foreigners who do pay tax.... show a WP or tax receipt and dont pay the extra ??....cant see how this would be enforced...

Interested to know about this "shameless behavior"...

[philliphn]

Don't drink.

Don't care!

[gharknes]

this is a huge increase on a bottle of beer, consider the current cheepest in pattaya is 35baht this will almost double that, are they crazy or what, and to try to tax foreigners even more is just about the cazyest thing i've heard yet

[farangpattaya]

Correct if I'm wrong:

a 600 cc bottle of beer containing 5% alcohol, will increase THB 6?

5% of 600 cc = 30ml

THB 20 = 100 ml

THB 10 = 50 ml

THB 6 = 30 ml

a 1000 cc bottle of whisky containing 40% alcohol, will increase THB 160?

40% of 1000 cc = 400 ml

THB 40 = 100 ml

THB 160 = 400 ml

[monty]

The duties for alcoholic beverages containing up to 12% alcohol will be increased by 20 baht per 100 ml

They didn't state it's per 100 ml of pure alcohol, but rather per 100 ml of the alcoholic beverage!

[Pomthai]

Anyone remember todays date?

You all been had lol

[timekeeper]

nice one Howard.

April fool!!

[BigC]

i hope this is only in Pattaya cause of coarse 70% of people that drink are foreginers because it is a forang city. i wonder how many per cent are drinkers in Undo thani.

anyway the people i see get the mmost drunk are thais. starting to really get the feeling that forang are not wanted anymore

[Mario2008]

1 post calling someone a fool deleted. Please keep it civil.

[bkkjames]

Yep it seems everyone has got the fools fever today.

[jayceenik]

I'd go further than a tax increase! Make it a law that beer-bars and go-go clubs in Pattaya serve only tea, coffee and soft drinks!

[timsarus]

Don't drink.

Don't care!

Well you should drink and then you would have something better to do with your time, instead of posting about things that don't concern you. It is often said never trust a man that doesn't drink as he has something to hide. Which begs the question what r u hiding, over here in the land of smiles and don't drink. Mmmm i wonder.

[spacemand]

Have to be April fools if not its insane.

[theoldgit]

Yes I had rather hoped it was more about today's date then another government initiative.

[bloody tiger]

I believe that tax exemption coupons will be available for tourists at major outlets such as TESCO, BIG C, 7-ELEVEN etc.............. 7-ELEVEN also has a special on excess stock of PC widgets from 2007

Edited April 1, 2010 by bloody tiger

[sangfroid]

Look at the date..... 1st April

[thykeeper]

this is a huge increase on a bottle of beer, consider the current cheepest in pattaya is 35baht this will almost double that, are they crazy or what, and to try to tax foreigners even more is just about the cazyest thing i've heard yet

Thai people get so screwed on the cost of booze it's sad. If they knew how drunk they could get if they lived in America for doing the same stupid jobs they'd be rioting in the streets. Getting drunk after a long pointless day of labor is most peoples prime objective in life and Thai people are getting the shaft on that one. Boo!

[sangfroid]

Don't drink.

Don't care!

Well you should drink and then you would have something better to do with your time, instead of posting about things that don't concern you. It is often said never trust a man that doesn't drink as he has something to hide. Which begs the question what r u hiding, over here in the land of smiles and don't drink. Mmmm i wonder.

Alcohol has obviously damaged your brain.......

Edited April 1, 2010 by sangfroid

[yabaaaa]

So Somchai and his buddiesget the old prices? wow this will be like when i saw kids at school asking adults to buy them booze at "drugstores/wineshops/outdoors" etc beacsue they werent old enough to go in an ask for it themselves.

Glad i dont drink

[BKKBrit]

Nice April Fools

It can't be anything but

[PattayaParent]

More info here.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/language_tips...1471_fool_0.jpg

[neverdie]

The taxes of alcohol should be increased to start covering the costs of some of the PROBLEMS it causes. Simple really

[bud7]

So a 750ml bottle of wine goes up 300 baht?

[TheGhostWithin]

"The extra funds are to go partly to increase the number of tourist police officers in Pattaya. According to an unnamed government source it is only deemed fair that the foreigners, most of whom don't pay tax in Thailand, help pay for the increasing costs caused by their shameless behavior"

Interested to know about this "shameless behavior"...

In New Zealand (as in many other countries I would imagine) you cannot make statements like this, even if you are government. Farang is a slang for someone of European Descent as we all know. The government is now demonstrating that it too, can be racist. Perhaps this is a reaction to Vietnams rising rice exports - an attempt at revenue gathering. But, as demand decreases and supply increases, revenue falls from taxes. This will provide short term gain, however in the long term will just encourage tourists to party elsewhere in the world.

I also noted, that Lonely Planet did not include Thailand in their "10 cheapest places to visit" list. They actually made special mention of Thailand, saying that it was no longer a cheap place to go if I recall. You would think that the government would source and research the causes of these kinds of reports to help their declining tourist industry - but no, too easy. Perhaps they feel they can weng their way through the crisis?

[george]

Weng indeed.

[torrenova]

Ha Ha

Edited April 1, 2010 by torrenova

[Sateev]

I'd go further than a tax increase! Make it a law that beer-bars and go-go clubs in Pattaya serve only tea, coffee and soft drinks!

What a waste of bandwidth.

April foolishness.

[yabaaaa]

Don't drink.

Don't care!

Well you should drink and then you would have something better to do with your time, instead of posting about things that don't concern you. It is often said never trust a man that doesn't drink as he has something to hide. Which begs the question what r u hiding, over here in the land of smiles and don't drink. Mmmm i wonder.

I suspect he's hiding his nom addiction to alcohol

[khunsateeb]

I would think this is an april fools joke but it is not from george. he he

Don't drink.

Don't care!

Well you should drink and then you would have something better to do with your time, instead of posting about things that don't concern you. It is often said never trust a man that doesn't drink as he has something to hide. Which begs the question what r u hiding, over here in the land of smiles and don't drink. Mmmm i wonder.