Shock Rise On Imported Alcohol By 400 Baht/Litre

[laislica]

The Finance Ministry reasoned that this action would raise the government revenue....

In the UK I'm fairly sure that they would just have increased the tax on petrol and diesel.

At least this way, it´s only fags and booze, not everything that needs to be transported as well!!

[Skywalker69]

Their reasoning for the extra increase on imported alcohol is that it's much more unhealthy than local alcohol.

They want us "farangs" switch to Lao Kaow.

[silentnine]

Bt120 per litre of alcohol for domestically-produced products and Bt400 for imported products, regardless of alcohol content.

the words regardless of alcohol content.

so its not based upon alcohol by volume

wonder how this will affect the 60bt bottles of local whiskey in 7/11 .. 60bt increase to 120bt ? a 100% price increase .. ouch

[jonclark]

How unfair, the masses have just got their 300 baht minimum daily wage and now the buggers in power won't let them celebrate their new found wealth with a couple of drinks and a packet of fags, and if they do, they probably go home with ess than they had before their salary increase. Boo hiss PTP.

Love the populist policies of PTP. The dems should pledge to reverse this policy if elected That would stump the red shirts ' We hate you Abhisit....but cheaper beer and fags hmmmmm.

Edited August 21, 2012 by jonclark

[Skywalker69]

Nice.... For a botte of red wine costing 500 baths We will now pay 620... 140 % increase !

Do they realise that this is a commercial suicide ?

Sorry to correct you 24% is the answer.

[dominique355]

Another knee jerk action of an aimless government.

Fact is: 80% of all alcohol consumed in Thailand is so-called white alcohol ("lao kao"), which is not taxed.

Fact is, a liter of 40% alcohol costs less than a liter of wine at 13% alcohol.

Fact is, taxing on value rather than on alcohol content is just a fiscal act, NOT something able to fight alcoholism.

Consequence of this: heavy drinking is encouraged, while enjoying moderatly is punished.

[prakhonchai nick]

Looks like I will be be going to Cambodia more than my present once a month.

For US$12. you can pick up a litre bottle of most whiskys or whiskeys. whilst gin, bacardi and vodka are around $5/6 (200bt)

[Cats4ever]

So can someone explain how this affects the free trade agreement with Australia http://www.dfat.gov....y-outcomes.html ??

For agricultural products subject to tariff rate quotas prior to 1 January 2005, Thailand has either eliminated the tariff and quota restrictions or will expand access for Australia over a transition period varying according to the product, before final elimination of the tariff rate quota.

Wine, beer and spirits

• Thailand immediately reduced its previous 54% tariffs on wine to 40%, and will phase the tariff to zero in 2015.
  
• For beer and spirits, Thailand immediately reduced its previous tariffs of 60% to 30%, before phasing to zero in 2010
  

I think that excise is not a tariff.

[Mosha]

Well it wont reduce consumption of either. For the poor it will simply mean less money on the table for food for the children whilst Dad still smokes his tabs and drinks whiskey.

I well remember the post budget interviews in the UK streets. Parents with fags in their gobs, "It's the kids that will suffer(Cos we come 1st)" Same the world over I guess.

[Arkady]

The heading is deliberately misleading to attract eyeballs. The excise tax rate has not been increased by B400 a litre on imported alcohol. It is has been increased by B400. Since the article doesn't bother to mention what the rate was before, we don't know what the increase is or what the effect will be on retail price. What a load of misinformative rubbish!

[bigbamboo]

Does this effect the price of ear medicine?

Yes, but not for three months.

So plenty of time to stock up!

[Arkady]

So can someone explain how this affects the free trade agreement with Australia http://www.dfat.gov....y-outcomes.html ??

For agricultural products subject to tariff rate quotas prior to 1 January 2005, Thailand has either eliminated the tariff and quota restrictions or will expand access for Australia over a transition period varying according to the product, before final elimination of the tariff rate quota.

Wine, beer and spirits

• Thailand immediately reduced its previous 54% tariffs on wine to 40%, and will phase the tariff to zero in 2015.
  
• For beer and spirits, Thailand immediately reduced its previous tariffs of 60% to 30%, before phasing to zero in 2010
  

I think that excise is not a tariff.

I think this is supposed to refer to imort duty, not excise tax. Imported alcohol is subject to four taxes: import duty, excise tax, municipal tax and VAT.

[Arkady]

One of the reasons the duty free business is so lucrative is that probably as much liquor as is legally sold in the duty free outlets is leaked into the domestic market with tax stickers supplied by corrupt officials. Think about how Thai pubs are able to sell imported cheap whisky so cheaply for around B900 is the excise tax, just one of the four taxes is so high.

[george]

The heading is deliberately misleading to attract eyeballs. The excise tax rate has not been increased by B400 a litre on imported alcohol. It is has been increased by B400. Since the article doesn't bother to mention what the rate was before, we don't know what the increase is or what the effect will be on retail price. What a load of misinformative rubbish!

We wait for a clarification of the price increases, for now we have this info. As soon we have something we will post updates. Please don't shoot the messenger.

Cheers

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Thaivisa Connect App

[Arkady]

Well it wont reduce consumption of either. For the poor it will simply mean less money on the table for food for the children whilst Dad still smokes his tabs and drinks whiskey.

So Thai males usually drink Irish whiskey (with an "e")?

[davejones]

Bye bye Thailand, its been fun but over the last 2 years about the only that hasn't increased is my pay packet.....

Goodbye. Enjoy wherever you're going.

[Arkady]

The heading is deliberately misleading to attract eyeballs. The excise tax rate has not been increased by B400 a litre on imported alcohol. It is has been increased by B400. Since the article doesn't bother to mention what the rate was before, we don't know what the increase is or what the effect will be on retail price. What a load of misinformative rubbish!

We wait for a clarification of the price increases, for now we have this info. As soon we have something we will post updates. Please don't shoot the messenger.

Cheers

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Thaivisa Connect App

The heading citing an increase of B400 a litre is misinfo, not info.

[OZEMADE]

I dont know what all the worry is about, beer you pay Bt50, 60, 70, 80 at the bar and you can get it at 7/11 for about Bt30. Smokes are about Bt40 a pack.

Hell cost you $15 a pack back in OZ. A drop in the ocean. If you cant afford to buy at these cheap prices, you certianly wont be able to afford it back in your own country?

[frankold]

It seems to be an increase on imported and domestic. Imported is just being hit harder than domestic

[h90]

the border areas will make a lot profit....

[Jezz]

Well thought out by the government yet again. In the wake of recent political upheaval, disastrous floods, riots, fatal fires in tourist hotspots and proposed clampdowns on smoking in public places it'll do nothing to stimulate tourism. Reminiscent of Europe when Spain changed from Pesetas to Euros in 2002. Holidaymakers refused to pay the higher prices and went elsewhere.

Many resident farangs like myself buy booze and cigarettes in bulk at Makro. The savings made there will be wiped out - pro rata of course – in the wake of these steep price increases, but still better than shop and bar prices.

[MunterHunter]

Looking forward to the affect this will have on next years Tourist figures...

[rubl]

Well, at least this won't effect inflation figures as normal Thai don't drink foreign alcohol or smoke foreign cigarettes

[brianb1944]

Only means a rise in the number of illicit stills, already every village in Issan has at least 1, may mean more distillers to have "tea money" extorted from them.

[SouthernMan3]

Bye bye Thailand, its been fun but over the last 2 years about the only that hasn't increased is my pay packet.....

You must be in the wrong job..

[culicine]

yea, lets protect the local wine industry.

It needs all the protection it can get lol

[BKKBrit]

Looking forward to the affect this will have on next years Tourist figures...

Good grief. Are you serious?

[bangkokheat]

Government broke?

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Thaivisa Connect App

NO, they and all the world governments are universally stupid, we just pay for their greed and mistakes

[Ricardo]

This just after PM Yingluck had been talking to the French about boosting Thai/EC trade, this will really help her achieve it !

And when the Finance Ministry had been denying reports that the government had a funding problem, too.

No point boosting peoples' incomes, if you only let them spend it, on a few luxuries !

Better to boost the illegal smuggling-trade, instead !

[BKKBrit]

Well thought out by the government yet again. In the wake of recent political upheaval, disastrous floods, riots, fatal fires in tourist hotspots and proposed clampdowns on smoking in public places it'll do nothing to stimulate tourism. Reminiscent of Europe when Spain changed from Pesetas to Euros in 2002. Holidaymakers refused to pay the higher prices and went elsewhere.

Don't know where you get your information from, but official statistics show that Spain's tourism figures have increased year-on-year since the Euro was introduced except for 2009 when it dropped by 8.7% due to the world's economic fall out. Of 52m in 2010, 40m came by air and 10m by road. Sorry, the Euro had diddly squat effect on tourism as this tax hike here will have diddly on tourism for Thailand. But there again, if people come here because beer is cheap and this sends them away, then goodo. Hopefully will then see a drop in farangs and Thais killing themselves when inebriated.