Should Thailand tax junk food to help fight obesity?

[Jingthing]

Even without ANY tax tweaking, there are other governmental measures that could be helpful as well. As mentioned, leaning on the large food companies on warning labeling and also large chains mandates to OFFER the healthier choices (at least one) for each TYPE of product line. If I was in charge, I'd hire some super slick advertising / PR / marketing types to come up with a really cool youth oriented THAI themed campaign that ties it all together graphically and thematically, from the labeling icons to the public media spots to the educational programs in schools, etc. The food companies selling the crapola do that, you've got to fight fire with fire. In other words SELL obesity prevention the exact same way KFC sells fried chicken!

Good. I'm glad we've persuaded you away from asking the Exchequer to solve all society's ills.

Education I think few people would complain about, other than perhaps some purveyors of healthy meat and fried food products, who might feel that they were being slandered. Labelling may be a problem for smaller operations that perhaps cannot afford the testing - for example Ned N Charlie's chip shop, or the bloke that sells deepfried fat on a stick at the roadside.

Personally, I think the problem is lack of exercise, rather than diet

SC

Actual obesity experts know food intake is much more of an important factor than exercise, though exercise is important as well, just not AS important.

Education has not been proven to be very effective, but I can see as part of a coordinated BRANDED marketing program whatever benefits it has could be BOOSTED by being seen as part of a cool new youth trend -- OBESITY PREVENTION.

As mentioned MANY times, going after small firms is not practical. This is about big food producers and big retail chains.

Edited January 16, 2014 by Jingthing

[StreetCowboy]

Even without ANY tax tweaking, there are other governmental measures that could be helpful as well. As mentioned, leaning on the large food companies on warning labeling and also large chains mandates to OFFER the healthier choices (at least one) for each TYPE of product line. If I was in charge, I'd hire some super slick advertising / PR / marketing types to come up with a really cool youth oriented THAI themed campaign that ties it all together graphically and thematically, from the labeling icons to the public media spots to the educational programs in schools, etc. The food companies selling the crapola do that, you've got to fight fire with fire. In other words SELL obesity prevention the exact same way KFC sells fried chicken!

Good. I'm glad we've persuaded you away from asking the Exchequer to solve all society's ills.

Education I think few people would complain about, other than perhaps some purveyors of healthy meat and fried food products, who might feel that they were being slandered. Labelling may be a problem for smaller operations that perhaps cannot afford the testing - for example Ned N Charlie's chip shop, or the bloke that sells deepfried fat on a stick at the roadside.

Personally, I think the problem is lack of exercise, rather than diet

SC

Actual obesity experts know food intake is much more of an important factor than exercise, though exercise is important as well, just not AS important.

As mentioned MANY times, going after small firms is not practical. This is about big food producers and big retail chains.

I find that after football or a good cycle ride, I don't feel particularly hungry, and struggle to get through my usual mound of food.

Of course, one of the problems about obesity is that exercise is that much more difficult. Despite my remark about "he must be fit to carry all that round", generally, I don't see the much bigger chaps carrying it round quickly, or running for the bus. That's why it's important that people get into the habit of exercising while they're young - and also adjust their diet when, for example, hospitalised.

SC

[RandomSand]

Seems to me that a bunch of falangs posting on the internet "going after" big food chains or whatever is not practical.

If you really feel strongly about it then maybe you could make an informative website in the Thai language and helpfully hand out leaflets to Thai Nationals as to educate them*

* I mean about eating healthy - not promoting taxes.

Edited January 16, 2014 by RandomSand

[Jingthing]

Seems to me that a bunch of falangs posting on the internet "going after" big food chains or whatever is not practical.

If you really feel strongly about it then maybe you could make an informative website in the Thai language and helpfully hand out leaflets to Thai Nationals as to educate them*

* I mean about eating healthy - not promoting taxes.

Yes it's for the Thais to deal with.

Someday in the future I guess when they're gonna wish they thought about taking aggressive ACTION sooner.

I am not legal to work foreigner. No website from me.

[RandomSand]

If you want to make a change; make that change in yourself first.

What else can one do in this crazy world ?

[Jingthing]

If you want to make a change; make that change in yourself first.

What else can one do in this crazy world ?

There are some elite Thais fully aware of these issues. Like foreign educated ones. It's up to them. Foreign nationals are not welcome to be activists for Thai causes. End of story.

Edited January 16, 2014 by Jingthing

[cashpower]

you made a lot of good points. thanks.

[RandomSand]

You miss the point and you expect "foreign educated Thais" to make changes. Chnages that would effect things that you're already fully in control of yourself by the virtue of your own personal liberty.

[Jingthing]

You miss the point and you expect "foreign educated Thais" to make changes. Chnages that would effect things that you're already fully in control of yourself by the virtue of your own personal liberty.

I have no control whatsoever to stop the rapid increase in obesity levels in Thailand. Not sure I'd want that kind of power anyway. This "personal liberty" meme to me is just empty rhetoric. Talking about what's possible to help from a societal level here, obviously. Yes I get it, adults and smarter children have the liberty to make choices, within the limits of the choices that they actually have, regarding reasonably convenient access to stuff, awareness of figuring out what's in stuff and why that matters and fighting bad labeling/no labeling/ outright trickery, and income levels.

Edited January 16, 2014 by Jingthing

[mogandave]

I have an idea, rather than trying to force people to eat crap they don't want and banning a lot of foods and punish a lot of companies and driving up the price of food in an effort to save money on healthcare, why not just let people pay for their own health care? They can buy insurance, and if they are fat, their premium will be high, and if they are healthy, there premium will be lower?

Problem solved.

[Jingthing]

Not really. Health care after the fact for serious diseases mean people still have those diseases. Hardly the best solution.

[RandomSand]

One man says "give me liberty". Another man says "your liberty is empty rhetoric - I'm here to help you".

[Jingthing]

One man says "give me liberty". Another man says "your liberty is empty rhetoric - I'm here to help you".

The real world is more complex when you have big food companies doing whatever they like without any checks on it. There is freedom for people but is it possible for large companies to have too much freedom? I think so. When they greatly damage the public, which they are.

Classic case of more need for government regulation, but non-food, the aptly named

FREEDOM INDUSTRIES!

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-13/meet-freedom-industries-the-company-behind-the-west-virginia-spill

Edited January 16, 2014 by Jingthing

[mogandave]

If it s fair to charge everyone more for a bottle of pop to save money spent on the healthcare for the obese, why is it not fair to charge the obese people more for healthcare?

[Jingthing]

If it s fair to charge everyone more for a bottle of pop to save money spent on the healthcare for the obese, why is it not fair to charge the obese people more for healthcare?

Fair, schmair. That's a punitive approach against people with a health problem. It is already often done by private companies or insurance denied entirely.

Talking here about measures of policy to promote PREVENTION.

You might argue that punishment would encourage prevention. In theory, maybe.

Don't have the link handy but I recently watched a video exploring the different reasons obese people are motivated to try to help their problem and their most vehement point was that being DISCRIMINATED against was determined to not be one the typical motivations.

[transam]

One man says "give me liberty". Another man says "your liberty is empty rhetoric - I'm here to help you".

The real world is more complex when you have big food companies doing whatever they like without any checks on it. There is freedom for people but is it possible for large companies to have too much freedom? I think so. When they greatly damage the public, which they are.

Classic case of more need for government regulation, but non-food, the aptly named

FREEDOM INDUSTRIES!

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-13/meet-freedom-industries-the-company-behind-the-west-virginia-spill

OP, FIRST, YOU look at what ordinary Thai/Lao folk eat............FIRST...........Before you run down farang multinational food chains. It just might open your eyes. Hmmmmmmmmmm, perhaps. Get out of your P or P town and cir-cum navigate LOS as a whole and see what ordinary folk eat.

[Jingthing]

Not everyone can be helped. The idea is to make progress in reversing the troubling trend in Thailand. Prevention is much more desirable for individuals and societies than later disease care with it's suffering and costs.

[mogandave]

So fairness is of no concern.

[Jingthing]

So fairness is of no concern.

Is that what you think I said?

If you're asking for my health care ideology, I think all countries that possibly can should offer universal access from the government paid from tax systems with no discrimination based on age, diseases, risk factors. etc.

Such countries of course will have strong motivations to promote better HEALTH in their populations.

Obesity may or may not be a disease but it is so strongly linked to actual serious disease that it may as well be.

Edited January 16, 2014 by Jingthing

[RandomSand]

Let;s say there are two countries:

1) Land of wal-mart.

2) Land of farmers markets.

Even though the people in No. 1 are dying of health problems, they are still a much more efficient society than No. 2.

Because of this; They are able to enter the second country and introduce new unhealthy products.

How can we PREVENT this?

Well how about exercising our personal liberty and gong back to own land of wal-marts.

[manarak]

I'm against taxing anything just because *some* people have problems.

Yes, I am also against applying special taxes to alcohol.

for every person having serious problems, there are plenty of persons with no problems at all.

for problems caused by some kind of special condition (genetic or other), base solidarian public healthcare should look after the people.

for problems caused by lack of willpower, I fail to see how punishing everyone could be fair or effective.

Edited January 16, 2014 by manarak

[mogandave]

Why is it every large company is looked at as evil?

[manarak]

Why is it every large company is looked at as evil?

many people are jealous because they didn't achieve success in business in their life.

Edited January 16, 2014 by manarak

[Showbags]

The best way to fix the fat problem is to put wall to wall mirrors in every 7/11

[Jingthing]

Why is it every large company is looked at as evil?

I'll refer to the Jewish culture to answer that.

“The Jewish imagination is paranoia, confirmed by history,”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/tv-and-radio-reviews/10279886/The-Story-of-the-Jews-BBC-Two-review.html

Apply that confirmed paranoia to the history and reality of how big business actually behaves without proper REGULATION.

I really wouldn't say evil. But needs to be watched and regulated because they can't be trusted to behave responsibly without that, YES.

Government power ALSO of course needs to be kept in check. That's the job of functioning democracies. OK, that doesn't always work either!

Edited January 16, 2014 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

The best way to fix the fat problem is to put wall to wall mirrors in every 7/11

Better yet, fat making mirrors!

[mogandave]

Let;s say there are two countries:

1) Land of wal-mart.

2) Land of farmers markets.

Even though the people in No. 1 are dying of health problems, they are still a much more efficient society than No. 2.

Because of this; They are able to enter the second country and introduce new unhealthy products.

How can we PREVENT this?

Well how about exercising our personal liberty and gong back to own land of wal-marts.

Do you have any idea how many farmer's markets are full of people that are buying and reselling produce that gets rejected by the big supermarkets? It looks a little ratty, they jack the price up and all the suckers buy it.

Do you every wonder whey there are so many farmer's markets where there are no farmers?

No shortage of healthy, inexpensive meat and produce in Thailand.

[Jingthing]

Yes, I have found the availability of fresh produce to be quite good in Thailand. Not at the 7-11 though!

[mogandave]

Not at the 7-11 you frequent.

[Jingthing]

Not at the 7-11 you frequent.

PM your local one to me and I'll put visiting it on my bucket list. Until then, my previous post on that stands, as I have been to those stores in many areas of Thailand.

It's kind of funny concept to think of a current Thai 7-11 as a place you would provision for a healthy diet!

Edited January 16, 2014 by Jingthing