Smuggled alcoholic drinks on the rise in Thailand

[webfact]

Smuggled alcoholic drinks on the rise



BANGKOK: -- As New Year festival is arriving and many celebrations will inevitably involve alcohol drinking, the Excise Department said they will tighten control on smuggled liquors and stamp out border smuggling of alcoholic drinks, particularly at the southern border.

Director-general of the Excise Department Mr Somchai Poonsawat admitted that after the government has increased excise tax on alcohol, smuggling of foreign liquors have risen steadily.
Notably during the New Year festival, he said, more foreign liquors are smuggled across the southern border to Thailand and kept in secret stocks.

This prompted excise authorities to step up checking stocks of business operators in the effort to stamp out smuggled liquors in the market.

He said that during the first quarter of the 2014 fiscal year from October to December 15, excise officials have made a total of 9,800 cases of seizures of smuggled liquors with a total fine of 119 million baht being imposed on violators.

He said most of the liquors were smuggled into the country from across the southern border. However he forecast of higher tax collection on liquors as the result of the long cool season this year which was pushing up alcohol drinking.

He said that tax collection from liquors from October to November amounted to 71.6 billion baht, or 959 million baht above the target.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/smuggled-alcoholic-drinks-rise/

-- Thai PBS 2013-12-24

[EricBerg]

Prohibition-like smuggling. But there are no untouchables in the Thai police.

[JRSoul]

Increasing the excise also increases the incentive to smuggle.

[FangFerang]

The link is to English News, but the English..... I usually don't nitpick grammar, but this thread has more tangles than a fishing net.

"government has increased excise tax on alcohol" -- where is the article? Should be 'increased the excise tax'

"made a total of 9,800 cases of seizures" -- should be '9,800 cases of liquor were seized' or (unlikely) 'there have been 9,800 court cases about seizures'...which is very hard to believe.

And "he forecast of higher tax collection" -- should be 'he forecast higher revenues from tax collection'

[Zpete]

Prohibition-like smuggling. But there are no untouchables in the Thai police.

Yeah, most are quite toucheable.

Where is Elliot Ness when he is needed?

[moe666]

The link is to English News, but the English..... I usually don't nitpick grammar, but this thread has more tangles than a fishing net.

"government has increased excise tax on alcohol" -- where is the article? Should be 'increased the excise tax'

"made a total of 9,800 cases of seizures" -- should be '9,800 cases of liquor were seized' or (unlikely) 'there have been 9,800 court cases about seizures'...which is very hard to believe.

And "he forecast of higher tax collection" -- should be 'he forecast higher revenues from tax collection'

Some wasted key strokes here

[kingalfred]

So you have no choice but to drink the low quality beer and wines in thailand or pay exorbitant prices in bars ahhh the land of choice

[Yunla]

Its the Hub of bringing your favourite stuff with you from overseas.

[jackr]

Stop ripping the people off on duty, Thailand, and this won't be so much of an issue.

[Chupup]

as usual the Thais have it back 2 front higher tax = more incentive to smuggle, same thinking as low occupancy in hotels = higher room rates don't you just love it

[alant]

as usual the Thais have it back 2 front higher tax = more incentive to smuggle, same thinking as low occupancy in hotels = higher room rates don't you just love it

in common with you I see simple logic that says the ordinary man in the street will, if offered, buy the same product at a lesser price. In fact many will buy a lesser product. Ah the logic of prohibition...

[h90]

So you have no choice but to drink the low quality beer and wines in thailand or pay exorbitant prices in bars ahhh the land of choice

The good imported things for the rich like Chalerm and for the common men the low quality Thai beer. Which as well is protected to minimize competition.

But what else to expect from this government?

[brownknees]

My last bottle of "Johnnie Walker Red"had never seen Scotland!Wont be long before we see people die from Illicit alcohol brews.

[Costas2008]

"Notably during the New Year festival, he said, more foreign liquors are smuggled across the southern border to Thailand and kept in secret stocks."

Must be in the cellar of my local police station.

[fxe1200]

It is well known, and I doubt that the politicians in Bangkok do NOT know about it, that complete border stations, customs and immigration, the local police make their living on smuggling here in the South. And I do not mind at all. As long the government in Bangkok fills its pocket, let them folks have their share by smuggling and selling tax free booze, cigarettes, and gas from Malaysia.

[QROPS]

If you spend any time down Soi 80 in Hua Hin, you will see the local officer of the law for that area collecting his 1500thb for the month, you will then see him later quite often still in uniform dropping off smuggled booze to the bars at a discounted rate.

[BlackJack]

the people in the know will never pay high prices

reminds me of Board Walk Empire

[JohanB]

My last bottle of "Johnnie Walker Red"had never seen Scotland!Wont be long before we see people die from Illicit alcohol brews.

.No smuggling here!! Proudly Made in Thailand!!

[Muhendis]

Any one know where I can get a decent bottle (or two) of port?

[ronrat]

I am surprised that wine is not top of the list. Hideously expensive here and the local product is rubbish.

[ginjag]

Any one know where I can get a decent bottle (or two) of port?

Oporto. Sorry for that

[jobsworth]

Does anybody know how to tell a fake bottle of Johny Walker Red?

[GAZZPA]

The link is to English News, but the English..... I usually don't nitpick grammar, but this thread has more tangles than a fishing net.

"government has increased excise tax on alcohol" -- where is the article? Should be 'increased the excise tax'

"made a total of 9,800 cases of seizures" -- should be '9,800 cases of liquor were seized' or (unlikely) 'there have been 9,800 court cases about seizures'...which is very hard to believe.

And "he forecast of higher tax collection" -- should be 'he forecast higher revenues from tax collection'

i think it means that the news is in English, it is not written by English people. You are still right though.

[GAZZPA]

Any one know where I can get a decent bottle (or two) of port?

Not sure where you are but here in Pattaya you can buy a decent bottle in Foodland. I like Taylors vintage which they had in stock recently, be warned though they certainly charge you for it.

[Ulic]

That is why I drink Sang Som. I know it is made here. I know exactly what I'm getting.

[Muhendis]

Any one know where I can get a decent bottle (or two) of port?

Not sure where you are but here in Pattaya you can buy a decent bottle in Foodland. I like Taylors vintage which they had in stock recently, be warned though they certainly charge you for it.

Many thanks Gazzpa. I am in Buriram but have visitors coming from Pattaya so they can contribute that as a Christmas warmer.

Merry Christmas to you and all on TV.

[Sydebolle]

Now this comes as a big surprise - booze smuggle on the increase? Well, we had more offerings of untaxed booze than phone calls from new wine suppliers here in Pattaya …………..

[Briggsy]

That doesn't really look like smuggling, it looks like fake Johnny Walker. The article is confusing and leads the reader somewhat none the wiser. Where have I heard that before?

[Zpete]

My last bottle of "Johnnie Walker Red"had never seen Scotland!Wont be long before we see people die from Illicit alcohol brews.

Already happening in Indonesia, soon here too.

[mumjokmok]

Is it the cool weather making people drink more? I thought there might have been this screaming guy freakin' people out, maybe I'm wrong.