Thailand's Biggest Health Watchdog Proposes Higher Tax On Sweetened Soda Drinks

[webfact]

Thailand's biggest health watchdog proposes higher tax on sweetened soda drinks

BANGKOK, 12 February 2013 (NNT) - The Thai Health Promotion Foundation has proposed that the government should raise tax on sweetened soda drinks in order to stop obesity in children.

The health watchdog's public campaign director Dr Vilasinee Adulyanond said that raising tax on soft drinks would help newsjsreduce obesity in children. Thailand currently has three times more overweight children than underweight children, she said, and obesity is a cause of other diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

The director said her organization would also campaign for schools to make soft drinks unavailable to children.

The health watchdog is funded by the government through taxes of goods that are deemed "harmful" to consumers' health, such as alcohols and tobacco. It has used its large budget to campaign against alcohol and tobacco consumption, as well as against what is considered to be harmful to society's "health" if broadly conceived, such as pornography.

Last year the World Health Organization (WHO) suggested that soft drinks were a major cause of obesity in Thailand. The beverage industry association, however, argued against the claim, citing a study by Mahidol University that said soda beverages constituted only 2% of Thai people's daily sugar intake.

The association also cited research results published abroad that suggested that there is no positive correlation between intake of soda drinks and obesity.

-- NNT 2013-02-12

[Pimay1]

I expect the dental industry will also come out against this proposal.

Edited February 12, 2013 by Pimay1

[draftvader]

The beverage industry association, however, argued against the claim, citing a study by Mahidol University that said soda beverages constituted only 2% of Thai people's daily sugar intake.

If that is the case then the following is true:

1 * 330ml soft drink = 7 teaspoons

therefore

7 * 50 = 350 teaspoons of sugar per day

1 * 1l bottle of soft drink = 1,060 teaspoons of sugar per day

1 teaspoon of sugar has 16 calories

therefore

A person drinking 1 can of soft drink per day has a sugar-based calorific intake of 5,600 calories per day

A person drinking 1 bottle of soft drink per day has a sugar-based calorific intake of 16,960 calories per day

With this in mind I think I would like to say that the beverage industry commissioned the report from Mahidol and didn't pay enough to get decent statistics or intepretation of data.

Edited February 12, 2013 by draftvader

[Ricardo]

Perhaps there might also be a wider range of low-calorie/non-sugar soft-drinks available here, one day ?

I popped into the supermarket while in Malaysia recently, and found a much-wider range of soft-drinks, many at lower prices.

Why might Thailand be so far behind ? Import-duties, poor entrepreneurial-skills, greedy local bottlers, or what ?

[FarangTalk]

Perhaps there might also be a wider range of low-calorie/non-sugar soft-drinks available here, one day ?

I popped into the supermarket while in Malaysia recently, and found a much-wider range of soft-drinks, many at lower prices.

Why might Thailand be so far behind ? Import-duties, poor entrepreneurial-skills, greedy local bottlers, or what ?

F&N (Fraser and Neave) have a large market share in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. They operate a few of their brands in Thailand but don't have the same market presence. That however may change, as ThaiBev have recently purchased them.

[AleG]

Perhaps there might also be a wider range of low-calorie/non-sugar soft-drinks available here, one day ?

I popped into the supermarket while in Malaysia recently, and found a much-wider range of soft-drinks, many at lower prices.

Why might Thailand be so far behind ? Import-duties, poor entrepreneurial-skills, greedy local bottlers, or what ?

I haven't been able to find any bottles of sugar free soft drinks (basically Coke Zero or Pepsi Max) for the last month or so. Only small half liter bottles or cans, no idea why.

[KhunHehe]

Is Yingluck working with Nancy Pelosi?

[KhunHehe]

Perhaps there might also be a wider range of low-calorie/non-sugar soft-drinks available here, one day ?

I popped into the supermarket while in Malaysia recently, and found a much-wider range of soft-drinks, many at lower prices.

Why might Thailand be so far behind ? Import-duties, poor entrepreneurial-skills, greedy local bottlers, or what ?

Or maybe they just don't care.

[Pib]

What about the sweets, candies, etc., sold everywhere....I think a quarter of the Thai population makes a living form making/selling deserts/sweets. But no, let's tax the big companies more; not mom & pop operations.

[ozsamurai]

This has more to do with PEPSICO / EST battle than fat kids, if you can't see that you haven't been in Thailand long enough. Another money grab, with the usual cover-up.

Oz

[colind88]

Just take a minute and watch this video.

It's mind blowing!!!!!

youtube.com/watch?v=F10EyGwd57M

type in www. at the beginning

Edited February 12, 2013 by colind88

[ezzra]

Next time you see me walking around with a bulging brown paper bag in

my hand, it's not booze, it will probably be a can of sweetened soda i got

illegally,

[PhilipCook]

Wanna bet the sugar tycoons are against this too

[pete66]

Perhaps there might also be a wider range of low-calorie/non-sugar soft-drinks available here, one day ?

I popped into the supermarket while in Malaysia recently, and found a much-wider range of soft-drinks, many at lower prices.

Why might Thailand be so far behind ? Import-duties, poor entrepreneurial-skills, greedy local bottlers, or what ?

I haven't been able to find any bottles of sugar free soft drinks (basically Coke Zero or Pepsi Max) for the last month or so. Only small half liter bottles or cans, no idea why.

Yeah I was wondering why the Coke Zero had disappeared from local 7-11s ...... perhaps its classed a stimulant now instead of a soft drink. If you can ban Xanax for being a date rape drug, you are clearly one banana short of a bunch.

[pete66]

I was also in KL recently and was wondering why everyone was so fat. Then I popped into a convenience store and wow - everything I could see was stuffed full of sugar and calories. At least Thais have spicy food to keep them slim. Malaysians just appear to shovel sugar into themselves.

Perhaps there might also be a wider range of low-calorie/non-sugar soft-drinks available here, one day ?

I popped into the supermarket while in Malaysia recently, and found a much-wider range of soft-drinks, many at lower prices.

Why might Thailand be so far behind ? Import-duties, poor entrepreneurial-skills, greedy local bottlers, or what ?

[Robbie Dye]

Bring back GINGER BEER someone please.

[DaiHard]

The Thai Health Promotion Foundation must be getting short of cash now that smoking is in decline. This has got nothing to do with health, it's a fundraising exercise.

As always follow the money.

BTW: <deleted> has pr0n got to do with health?

Edited February 12, 2013 by DaiHard

[hellodolly]

The beverage industry association, however, argued against the claim, citing a study by Mahidol University that said soda beverages constituted only 2% of Thai people's daily sugar intake.

If that is the case then the following is true:

1 * 330ml soft drink = 7 teaspoons

therefore

7 * 50 = 350 teaspoons of sugar per day

1 * 1l bottle of soft drink = 1,060 teaspoons of sugar per day

1 teaspoon of sugar has 16 calories

therefore

A person drinking 1 can of soft drink per day has a sugar-based calorific intake of 5,600 calories per day

A person drinking 1 bottle of soft drink per day has a sugar-based calorific intake of 16,960 calories per day

With this in mind I think I would like to say that the beverage industry commissioned the report from Mahidol and didn't pay enough to get decent statistics or intepretation of data.

This is Thailand when they commissioned it they all ready had the answers they wanted. Thailand hub of made to order polls.

The minute they brought academia into it I knew it was a false study.

[hellodolly]

I have a problem with Pepsi Max and Coke Zero both being hard to find., There is no9 way those two could be working together on the scarcity of there sugar free pop.

Makes one wonder if the sugar industry is behind it. They are the only ones who stand to benefit from the lack of those two pops. Perhaps The Thai Health Promotion Foundation could use there influence little as it is to solve the problem. We are not talking about unproven products here.

The Thai Health Promotion Foundation

[Chao Lao Beach]

These do gooders missed the real issue here, it is fructose (50% of table sugar) that is the real issue here. The glucose is fine as long as you are not stupid. It's the fructose that screw ya teeth, and bashes the crap out of your immune system and gets converted to fat before you body can use it.

There is nothing natural about table sugar, you could crew sugar cane all day and not have issues !!! You can't compare chewing sugar cane to table sugar, more than that about 15-25g a day of fructose is killing you without a large amount of fiber at the same time which you get when eating fruit. The results of the effect of eating 200g of a fresh apple and 200g of dried apples and 200g of apple juice is staggering.

I like this

Edited February 12, 2013 by Chao Lao Beach

[bender92]

Perhaps there might also be a wider range of low-calorie/non-sugar soft-drinks available here, one day ?

I popped into the supermarket while in Malaysia recently, and found a much-wider range of soft-drinks, many at lower prices.

Why might Thailand be so far behind ? Import-duties, poor entrepreneurial-skills, greedy local bottlers, or what ?

I haven't been able to find any bottles of sugar free soft drinks (basically Coke Zero or Pepsi Max) for the last month or so. Only small half liter bottles or cans, no idea why.

Yeah I was wondering why the Coke Zero had disappeared from local 7-11s ...... perhaps its classed a stimulant now instead of a soft drink. If you can ban Xanax for being a date rape drug, you are clearly one banana short of a bunch.

Plenty of Coke Zero in Pattaya, in bottles, cans, fountain drinks. McD, movie theaters...

[starkey_rich]

They should also promote exercise.I know this goes against the grain for most Thai's.

I was at the beacht the weekend.It's a long beach and only two places were crowded.

That was were the Thai's could park and not move more than a couple of meters from their cars and a numerous supply of fried food stalls.

Never seen so many fat Thai's in all the years I have lived here

[nikkoid66]

When you drink soda or most candies you get a huge amount of sugar, but it is not actual sugar cane sugar, it is CORN SYRUP.

That mean GMO, and a sugar that stick to your body.

The government should also look into the palm oil everyone is using here because it is cheap (increase drastically the risk of heart disease).

There is a cocktail in Thailand for a huge health outbreak in the short future, and when I see how many Thais are really huge everywhere, I feel that Thailand will be looking like New Orleans very soon.

Edited February 12, 2013 by nikkoid66

[quandow]

I just finished a walk on Pattaya Beach Road this afternoon (beautiful day to do so!), and was appalled at the number of little fatties rolling about. I don't believe taxing will fix this obesity epidemic, rather education is the only way. The problem is that we fight corporate greed in the form of Monsanto (aka Monsatan), Coke, etc. partnered with the corrupt FDA. We are truly sheep being fattened for the slaughter. Just my not-so-humble opinion.

[ronthai]

Who wants to bet, that soft drinks like diet coke and such will also get more expensive.

[PaulHamon]

A person drinking 1 can of soft drink per day has a sugar-based calorific intake of 5,600 calories per day

There are about 140 calories in a can of 330ml Coca‑Cola.

Based on 1,800 carlories per day for an average Thai person, the average Thai person drinks 2 cans of coke per week.

[steveeeeee]

'Thailand currently has three times more overweight children than underweight children

that's a weird thing to say. sounds like one solution is more underweight children

[RogueLeader]

Is it a coincidence that most 'sweetened soda drinks' are imported?

Looks like standard trade protectionism to me,

[bangon04]

'Thailand currently has three times more overweight children than underweight children

that's a weird thing to say. sounds like one solution is more underweight children

Maybe a new law against grandmothers forcefeeding the children would be useful...

[Thai at Heart]

Of course they could just let the domestic sugar price float to the global price. it's capped here.

In essence no one is going to be allowed to screw with thai namthip(coke), singha, and the sugar industry in Thailand. They are tooooo powerful.