Shock Rise On Imported Alcohol By 400 Baht/Litre

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The rates on alcohol products would be raised to Bt120 per litre of alcohol for domestically-produced products and Bt400 for imported products.

-- The Nation 2012-08-21

It never ceases to amaze me at the incessant illustrations of shoddy journalism that get put on display here.... And I'm not talking about ThaiVisa, which is just reposting stuff originally written by Thai "journalism" outlets like The Nation and MCOT.

It's totally meaningless to say the tax on something is going to rise TO some level, without telling folks what the comparable rates are now, thus enabling the calculation of what the actual increase will be.

Somebody's getting paid day in and day out to write these kinds of B.S. articles... It really makes me wonder where they learned their trade... working at 7/11 or cutting watermelons at the local soi fruit stand???

I disagree. Responsible reporting dictates you check your sources before you plaster contradictory headlines. Especially when the source is The Nation, or pretty much any Thai source, given the translation skills. I have to conclude this belongs in your shoddy journalism category.

I do understand your point as regards ThaiVisa's role in these things of things.... But I guess my view is... ThaiVisa isn't a news organization and isn't generally a news provider of its own... It's merely an online bulletin board that reposts news reports created by other providers.

If there are failings in the news`reports from providers like The Nation and others, as there often are, it's probably not really within ThaiVisa's purview to fix those failings or change/alter the articles to fix or address those -- assuming anyone at ThaiVisa even had the capability to do so, which they probably don't.

[andyc2006]

I'm teetotal (in smug mode). Alcohol and motorbikes don't really go well together. What bothers me is the outrageous price I have to pay for orange juice. It's twice the price in Thailand it is in the UK. And the UK doesn't even grow its own oranges!

(late addition) I'm off to France soon where I now have to carry a breathalyser in my car/motorbike even though I don't drink. And you think Thai laws are crazy?

I thought most western countries increased the sin tax when they need extra funds & if it does get some people off smoking &/or drinking then healthcare savings are also made.

I wouldn't be too smug about not drinking, or assume any great healthcare savings if people cut down on alcohol use.

Point out a single scientific study that's shown non-drinkers live longer and/or healthier than moderate drinkers. If you search, you'll find that every single study shows the opposite. Moderate drinkers live longer than both heavy drinkers and non-drinkers (and the non-drinkers don't do too much better than the heavy drinkers).

Not drinking alcohol isn't going to extend your life or cut your health care costs, unless you're going from complete abuse of alcohol to no use. As usual, there's a distinction between abuse/overuse and use. But that applies with everything, including the healthiest of foods.

Not sure where govts get off telling people not to drink.

Anyway, the fact that they're only taxing the imported alcohol and not the local stuff should demonstrate that this has nothing to do with health.

[millwall_fan]

you should check out the people who die waiting for free treatment in the fairytale land of universal healthcare- universal healthcare means everyone can have access to poor quality service- its a joke fantasy land and lazy loosers promote it so they can have other people be responsible for their health instead of taking responsibility for themselves- - infant mortality rates and life expectancy are lower in poor countries who cannot afford sub par healthcare for everyone- go to a hospital in the USA its full of rich people from countries with the myth of universal healthcare who would rather live and pay than die and get it for free

What a sad pile of absolute drivel you speak! Only right wing Americans come out with that utter crap. The UK NHS treats their patients incredibly efficiently as do the health care systems in Canada, Germany, France, Oz, ,Sweden and the rest of the free world. How can American republicans carp on about freedom: freedom to die because you are poor, freedom to die due to a poor diet on a trailer park in West Virginia, while some rich bastard gets even richer whilst they earn $5 an hour. I can't believe you guys are so naive you swallow that nonsense! Viva La Revolution, Viva Socialism. Europe spent a bit too much on its social infrastructure and we're paying the cost. America didn't pay jack shit for its disadvantaged citizens and is still in the myre!

[moskito]

Uhm, what about 'open market', 'free trade pacts' with Europe, Germany and France? Plus some funny farang ideas floated by organisations like the WTO ?

LOL .- Good one .....may be Europe should concider higher import taxes for Thai Products too....shrimp, chicken and a lot of vegetables from Thailand.....its always a one way thing.....

I dont feel sorry for the smokers, to be honest I smoked for 35years and stopped two years ago...if I could do it, everybody can....BUT if BEER gets more expensive then it is already, its a crying shame...

Lao Khao from 40 Baht a bottle to may be 50 should still not stop the poor from drinking this poison....

[Rob8891]

10 pages in a few minutes....... you guys are whipping yourselves up into a real frenzy....... kick back with a beer or three....

Always fun to look down the list of threads to see where the greatest anst is going to be. This one was a sure-fire winner.

Anyone for coffee???

[Barin]

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.

That would most likely be Lao Khao, which probably would be exempted from the tax hike?

I don't think so.

LaoKhao (RuangKhao) is falling into the gategory of the so-called "White Spirits", the current "Specific Excise Tax" rate is 120 Baht per 1 litre of pure alcohol, and this will be increased to 150 Baht per litre as reported by one of the posters in this thread.

In practice it means that "Sugroboff Vodka" made in Thailand (0.75 litre) will be sold in retail for 254 Baht instead of the current price of 249 Baht.

Nothing to worry about!

[Barin]

Anyone find any data about the tax revenues received by the government in the last few months.

One would assume that there is quite a discrepancy between predicted and taken......

What about the last few years?

Here you are.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Just for those who are having trouble making it thru 11+ pages of posts....

This appears to be the answer to the original OP post....based on info from other news media....

The new rate does not apply to beer or wine, which already face maximum taxes.

[RKASA]

The alcohol excise tax on rice whiskey was increased from 120 baht a litre to 150 baht a litre based on alcohol content, and for blended liquor from 300 baht to 350 baht per litre. The tax on brandy increased to a maximum of 50 per cent from the existing rate of 48 per cent.

The new rate does not apply to beer or wine, which already face maximum taxes.

source : forbidden in here

so no price hike on beer ? the bars in town will be upset ! i bet they already planned to increase prices by 10bt as a 6bt rise would of been an odd number

Please could you explain how 6 would ever be an odd number????

Two days of margaritas in Puerto Vallarta?

[therealmrbrightside]

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

They are making some good Wine and Voidka in Vietnam now, also the local drafts are not bad at all. About half the cost of living as is in Thailand, Vietnam is a good place to hang out.............

Just a shame about the people from there..you think you get ripped off in Thailand??? Vietnam is miles worse.

[Cardiff1963]

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.

people(locals) will not be affected. This is aimed at foreign. Beer. Hopefully the same will happen to thai exports

[crazydrummerpauly]

The rates on alcohol products would be raised to Bt120 per litre of alcohol for domestically-produced products and Bt400 for imported products.

-- The Nation 2012-08-21

It never ceases to amaze me at the incessant illustrations of shoddy journalism that get put on display here.... And I'm not talking about ThaiVisa, which is just reposting stuff originally written by Thai "journalism" outlets like The Nation and MCOT.

It's totally meaningless to say the tax on something is going to rise TO some level, without telling folks what the comparable rates are now, thus enabling the calculation of what the actual increase will be.

Somebody's getting paid day in and day out to write these kinds of B.S. articles... It really makes me wonder where they learned their trade... working at 7/11 or cutting watermelons at the local soi fruit stand???

They could never rise to the noble trade of melon-cutting...;-)

[crazydrummerpauly]

you should check out the people who die waiting for free treatment in the fairytale land of universal healthcare- universal healthcare means everyone can have access to poor quality service- its a joke fantasy land and lazy loosers promote it so they can have other people be responsible for their health instead of taking responsibility for themselves- - infant mortality rates and life expectancy are lower in poor countries who cannot afford sub par healthcare for everyone- go to a hospital in the USA its full of rich people from countries with the myth of universal healthcare who would rather live and pay than die and get it for free

What a sad pile of absolute drivel you speak! Only right wing Americans come out with that utter crap. The UK NHS treats their patients incredibly efficiently as do the health care systems in Canada, Germany, France, Oz, ,Sweden and the rest of the free world. How can American republicans carp on about freedom: freedom to die because you are poor, freedom to die due to a poor diet on a trailer park in West Virginia, while some rich bastard gets even richer whilst they earn $5 an hour. I can't believe you guys are so naive you swallow that nonsense! Viva La Revolution, Viva Socialism. Europe spent a bit too much on its social infrastructure and we're paying the cost. America didn't pay jack shit for its disadvantaged citizens and is still in the myre!

Brilliant post!

[crazydrummerpauly]

Now where was that thread about homebrewing..

Homebrewing is illegal in Thailand as in most other countries (except Russia and New Zealand).

Oh, i must warn the thousands of good guys back home who are cooking up their Boots ale and vino in the family garage !

[tinfoilhat]

The Nation says

humorous, and we are not allowed to quote a source that is correct.

[pepi2005]

So the poor fellas will drink more "sang som" and similar healthy local products more than ever....

[bkkjames]

so this news will followed by the standard crackdown on contraband goodies from parts near and far in the next day or so I imagine. stay tuned for press release and photos coming soon.

but anyone with political savvy knows this is how it's done the world over. Year 2 of mandate, take away a bunch of nice things and year 4 promise some nice ones in return to help ease the pain and suffering.

moving forward, I suggest the government implement a tax on being happy. 7 baht a smile and only 3 baht for a slight grin. being miserable all the time will see you get a tax reduction of 8 baht per day upon proof.

[LUSHGOAT]

Thai Government penny pinching again or should I say Baht pinching big loss in Revenue from tourism because the Thai Baht is too strong Pensioners have lost half their pension as the exchange rate is crap compared to that they had a few years ago thus many are going to other countries where they better value for their money. Sick and tired of saying this wake up you idiot finance minister and devalue the baht problem solved

[bkkjames]

Thai Government penny pinching again or should I say Baht pinching big loss in Revenue from tourism because the Thai Baht is too strong Pensioners have lost half their pension as the exchange rate is crap compared to that they had a few years ago thus many are going to other countries where they better value for their money. Sick and tired of saying this wake up you idiot finance minister and devalue the baht problem solved

Be careful mate, if you devalue the baht, that booze we are wining about will only get more expensive. I think I missed my calling, should have studied in college instead of chasing women.

[SOEYCHANLOY]

So how will it increase revenue if less is sold at a higher price?

And, a bottle of beer (660ml) is to increase by around 100 baht?

Do they mean all alcohol or just spirits?

These illetrate dont know even how to spell spirits.... They still think you talk about gohsts...

Sent from my GT-S5830T using Thaivisa Connect App

[DrTuner]

So...my beer won't get more expensive, but my jack will, perhaps by a hundred baht. I get through about two bottles of hard liquer a year, so not really an earthmoving event. The price of beer affects me more and I'd very much like to see the taxes for wines go down, then I'd enjoy a bottle once a weekend.

The hard taxes on wine really do seem to be idiotic. Tax curve needs fixing.

[crazygreg44]

the announcement does not make much sense. "alcoholic drink less than 80 % " ???

I love to sip a MARTINI ROSSO from Makro, from time to time. It already costs around 780 BAHT as it is 14.4 vol%.

Does the new law implicate I now got to pay 400 Baht on top of the old price?

Very confusing . . best, don't panic, wait for what happens. Can't get a clear info on what this news release really says.

Wait for Happy Hour. There will always be happy hour. Even with Lemonade mix Lao Khao. Cocktails are the solution.

Beers will, according to these news, not rise by any means. So why bother, sailor.

You will see living costs in Thailand constantly on the rise until the end of time. Our dependency on raw materials and

oil and basic foodstuff is spiralling upward mode. Blame it on not using condoms.

Edited August 21, 2012 by crazygreg44

[shunima]

So the poor fellas will drink more "sang som" and similar healthy local products more than ever....

Way back even the Fugees sang about it (assuming nobody remembers who Roberta Flack was)

"Killing me softly with Sang Som" I think a was. Best song ever at Karaoke parties!

And by the way.. as fuel in a properly mixed bucket it is doing a fine job. The lack of headache the following morning confirms that statement.

Edited August 21, 2012 by shunima

[webfact]

Please continue:

EXTRA REVENUE

Hike in excise on cigarettes and liquor backed

The Nation

Lao khao to rise by up to Bt10 per bottle today but beer, wine not affected

BANGKOK: -- Smokers of imported and local cigarette brands, plus drinkers of liquor - known locally as lao khao - will be hit by a rise in excise tax. The Cabinet yesterday backed a higher excise on cigarettes and white liquor, citing a policy to boost the health of Thai people as the reason.

Full story:

//CLOSED//