Thai Health officials to call for higher tobacco tax

[hawker9000]

Forget about taxes on tobacco, that won't do squat but remove more baht from the poor man's pocket. What everyone with any sort of power in this country should be doing is figuring out a way to prevent some of the 24000 people killed on Thai roads every year, getting killed. TEACH PEOPLE TO DRIVE!

You're way off topic. This thread has nothing whatsoever to do with road safety. Start that crusade somewhere else. Taxes on tobacco actually make a good deal of sense. If a poor man is disincentivized from smoking, he (not to mention his family) is actually helped way out of proportion to the rest of the more affluent population and has that much more badly needed money for REAL needs! You know, things like food, housing, clothing?

And even in cases where tobacco's addictive nature causes disincentivization to fail, the tax SHOULD help fund the public healthcare burden imposed by tobacco-related diseases such as cancer, emphysema, and heart disease. And again, if used for that purpose, it's the poor man that gets helped most. No reason why smokers shouldn't carry this burden.

Gotta' be the fairest tax there is! Anyone who doesn't want to pay it only has to stop smoking & stop buying tobacco, and he doesn't have to pay it!!

Edited May 29, 2014 by hawker9000

[surangw]

typical of all governments, let the public harm them selves as long as the government gets a cut of the money

[bigbamboo]

Forget about taxes on tobacco, that won't do squat but remove more baht from the poor man's pocket. What everyone with any sort of power in this country should be doing is figuring out a way to prevent some of the 24000 people killed on Thai roads every year, getting killed. TEACH PEOPLE TO DRIVE!

You're way off topic. This thread has nothing whatsoever to do with road safety. Start that crusade somewhere else. Taxes on tobacco actually make a good deal of sense. If a poor man is disincentivized from smoking, he (not to mention his family) is actually helped way out of proportion to the rest of the more affluent population and has that much more badly needed money for REAL needs! You know, things like food, housing, clothing?

And even in cases where tobacco's addictive nature causes disincentivization to fail, the tax SHOULD help fund the public healthcare burden imposed by tobacco-related diseases such as cancer, emphysema, and heart disease. And again, if used for that purpose, it's the poor man that gets helped most. No reason why smokers shouldn't carry this burden.

Gotta' be the fairest tax there is! Anyone who doesn't want to pay it only has to stop smoking & stop buying tobacco, and he doesn't have to pay it!!

That's easy for a non smoker to say... and I am one.... but would you feel the same way about alcohol for example?

[Chill1]

If you Thai Health officials want to improve our health here in Thailand then fix the air quality, improve the water quality and remove health harming chemicals from our foods. Once that's done then ban smoking if you really think that it's better for everybody. Then you can move on to mobile phones, microwave ovens, radiation from appliances, etc if you are serious about health.

It is too easy to say "We can fix it all with a tax, look at us, aren't we socially responsible".

Who really wins with an extra Tax?

On a completely unrelated subject, aren't Thai Health officials employed by the Government?

[kuiburi]

In the world wars many smokers not had Tobacco so they started to smoke tree leaves or anything else that was smokable .

So no worries most smokers will get there smokes one way or the other .

If it's really about peoples health then they should tax many other things , like junkfood and dangerous sports for example .

Maybe an idea to ban all moralist who want to decide how other people should live ,

Anyway , moralists , get stuffed .

[doremifasol]

I read Allen Carr's "Easy way to stop smoking"

and easily quit smoking 8 months a go after 30 +++ years.

Best decision ever.

Just search for "Easy way to stop smoking PDF" and download your free copy.

I promise you won't regret it

[Tokay]

Tax the hell out of them like they do cars, and like cars, it won't matter. Smokers will smoke and people will buy cars.

I'm not a smoker, HATE the smell, and think people who smoke are idiots (but it's their right to be an idiot), however, raising the tax will not stop anyone from lighting up.

If they really want to generate money (that will also go into someone's pockets), they should enforce the smoking ban. That is 2000b a pop, and it's never enforced. In Pattaya and Phuket alone they could probably make millions per month. But again, it won't stop smokers, and taxes have nothing to do with trying to get them to stop.

Legalizing weed would be another income earner for them. Tax it and sell it. Or gambling. It's happening anyway, why not make it legal and tax it?

[neverdie]

Tax the hell out of them like they do cars, and like cars, it won't matter. Smokers will smoke and people will buy cars.

I'm not a smoker, HATE the smell, and think people who smoke are idiots (but it's their right to be an idiot), however, raising the tax will not stop anyone from lighting up.

If they really want to generate money (that will also go into someone's pockets), they should enforce the smoking ban. That is 2000b a pop, and it's never enforced. In Pattaya and Phuket alone they could probably make millions per month. But again, it won't stop smokers, and taxes have nothing to do with trying to get them to stop.

Legalizing weed would be another income earner for them. Tax it and sell it. Or gambling. It's happening anyway, why not make it legal and tax it?

Hi Tokay,

Nice to see you around.

Your views regarding taxation not reducing the amount to smokers was one I use to share.

I hate to mention a foriegn country, however, for years now taxes on Cigarettes has been rocketing upwards in Oz. It's still rising this year and the next couple as well. Previous govts have raised the taxes gradually.

I have met several people lately who have admitted they were basically forced to give up as they could no long afford to keep smoking, most of them are now happy about it. Not happy at the time but now enjoying all the extra money they have.

So whilst I think you are right to a point there is also a point where joe average will just have to toss it in.

I really feel for these people, it's an evil substance and very addictive.

[sean in udon]

Legalizing weed would be another income earner for them. Tax it and sell it. Or gambling. It's happening anyway, why not make it legal and tax it?

As a newbie to Thailand, the ban on gambling puzzles me. Apart from the potential massive tax revenues that could be milked from the Thai populace, stick casinos in Pattaya, Phuket and Bangkok. Girls and gambling! Watch the tourists roll in.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Benmart]

Nice post. I would have left out the "filthy" and "a**hole" bits.

I've learned that there plenty of alternative words that express a point without generating ill feelings. Some alternatives are as follows. Some are for speech, so one could omit using them.

arrogant

mean-spirited

hateful

rude

self-centered/self-absorbed

condescending

inconsiderate

intolerant

self-promoting (especially at the expense of others)

stingy

greedy

argumentative

hurtful

abrupt, forward, or tactless in speech

Easy Does It

My future posts will, hopefully, make use of your less antagonistic alternatives for a**hole. Sometimes my thoughts come out unfiltered.

My choice of word was not directed at any particular member here as I am unaware of their social graces. I'm sure we've all experienced inconsiderate smoking, driving, parking and many other ...ings.

Having renovated a house where the little old lady died of a smoking related illness I can attest to the 'filthy'.

The living room walls were yellow. I've no idea how many years worth of smoke was in there, but an attempt at cleaning only brought more yellow filth out of the walls and ceiling. The carpet and curtains went to the tip. They reeked.

The options for the walls were strip off the plaster, re plaster and paint or buy a special paint which would seal the smell and the yellow filth inside. I was told the yellow would leech through normal paint and would do nothing to hide the smell.

Went for the special paint and it worked.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

I understand completely. I once had a mentor who told me to compose a letter, put it away, take it out the next day and proof read it. I have sent out some disasters before and after that advice and his words ring ever so true.

As for inconsiderate and rude smokers, some seem to forget that they share a space with others. I dislike seeing them throwing their butts here and there with wild abandon.

I once stopped a man who threw a lit cigarette out of his car window. He denied doing so and said I had to have evidence to prove it. I replied that I would put him,in the back of my patrol car while I looked for the burning butt, at which point he admitted it and received a citation in return.

Peace and good luck.

[Benmart]

Tax the hell out of them like they do cars, and like cars, it won't matter. Smokers will smoke and people will buy cars.

I'm not a smoker, HATE the smell, and think people who smoke are idiots (but it's their right to be an idiot), however, raising the tax will not stop anyone from lighting up.

If they really want to generate money (that will also go into someone's pockets), they should enforce the smoking ban. That is 2000b a pop, and it's never enforced. In Pattaya and Phuket alone they could probably make millions per month. But again, it won't stop smokers, and taxes have nothing to do with trying to get them to stop.

Legalizing weed would be another income earner for them. Tax it and sell it. Or gambling. It's happening anyway, why not make it legal and tax it?

Hi Tokay,

Nice to see you around.

Your views regarding taxation not reducing the amount to smokers was one I use to share.

I hate to mention a foriegn country, however, for years now taxes on Cigarettes has been rocketing upwards in Oz. It's still rising this year and the next couple as well. Previous govts have raised the taxes gradually.

I have met several people lately who have admitted they were basically forced to give up as they could no long afford to keep smoking, most of them are now happy about it. Not happy at the time but now enjoying all the extra money they have.

So whilst I think you are right to a point there is also a point where joe average will just have to toss it in.

I really feel for these people, it's an evil substance and very addictive.

Good points.

My fear is once "government" feels satisfied that it has won the tobacco war, it will zero in on another "evil" such as sugary soft drinks, salted snacks, etc.

A related example. New York City tried regulate the maximum cup size of soft drinks at retail outlets. (According the city... Too many obese people about, due to drinking mega cups of soft drinks). Fortunately, it failed to pass the test in that states supreme court.

Various groups lobby towards better health and lifestyles of the public, which on face value is commendable and well intentioned. Government often times uses that as a springboard to institute additonal laws and erode personal choice and freedom.

I once feared Big Brother and then woke up and found that he was living next door. An additional reason I reside in Thailand.

Peace

[neverdie]

Tax the hell out of them like they do cars, and like cars, it won't matter. Smokers will smoke and people will buy cars.

I'm not a smoker, HATE the smell, and think people who smoke are idiots (but it's their right to be an idiot), however, raising the tax will not stop anyone from lighting up.

If they really want to generate money (that will also go into someone's pockets), they should enforce the smoking ban. That is 2000b a pop, and it's never enforced. In Pattaya and Phuket alone they could probably make millions per month. But again, it won't stop smokers, and taxes have nothing to do with trying to get them to stop.

Legalizing weed would be another income earner for them. Tax it and sell it. Or gambling. It's happening anyway, why not make it legal and tax it?

Hi Tokay,

Nice to see you around.

Your views regarding taxation not reducing the amount to smokers was one I use to share.

I hate to mention a foriegn country, however, for years now taxes on Cigarettes has been rocketing upwards in Oz. It's still rising this year and the next couple as well. Previous govts have raised the taxes gradually.

I have met several people lately who have admitted they were basically forced to give up as they could no long afford to keep smoking, most of them are now happy about it. Not happy at the time but now enjoying all the extra money they have.

So whilst I think you are right to a point there is also a point where joe average will just have to toss it in.

I really feel for these people, it's an evil substance and very addictive.

Good points.

My fear is once "government" feels satisfied that it has won the tobacco war, it will zero in on another "evil" such as sugary soft drinks, salted snacks, etc.

A related example. New York City tried regulate the maximum cup size of soft drinks at retail outlets. (According the city... Too many obese people about, due to drinking mega cups of soft drinks). Fortunately, it failed to pass the test in that states supreme court.

Various groups lobby towards better health and lifestyles of the public, which on face value is commendable and well intentioned. Government often times uses that as a springboard to institute additonal laws and erode personal choice and freedom.

I once feared Big Brother and then woke up and found that he was living next door. An additional reason I reside in Thailand.

Peace

Hi Benmart,

You are right.

I'm not sure where one should draw the line, there's DEFINATELY a problem with processed foods, not to mention sugar drinks. All this technology was suppose to make life easier, now health related complications are resulting from the apparent easy good things in life.

I drink water and occasionally home made juice, but there's excess sugars in virtually everything, it's a silent killer.

I. lucky I'm surrounded by great chefs..... mostly good food but who knows what is in it when you eat out.

everything in moderation, I guess.

[Benmart]

Tax the hell out of them like they do cars, and like cars, it won't matter. Smokers will smoke and people will buy cars.

I'm not a smoker, HATE the smell, and think people who smoke are idiots (but it's their right to be an idiot), however, raising the tax will not stop anyone from lighting up.

If they really want to generate money (that will also go into someone's pockets), they should enforce the smoking ban. That is 2000b a pop, and it's never enforced. In Pattaya and Phuket alone they could probably make millions per month. But again, it won't stop smokers, and taxes have nothing to do with trying to get them to stop.

Legalizing weed would be another income earner for them. Tax it and sell it. Or gambling. It's happening anyway, why not make it legal and tax it?

Hi Tokay,

Nice to see you around.

Your views regarding taxation not reducing the amount to smokers was one I use to share.

I hate to mention a foriegn country, however, for years now taxes on Cigarettes has been rocketing upwards in Oz. It's still rising this year and the next couple as well. Previous govts have raised the taxes gradually.

I have met several people lately who have admitted they were basically forced to give up as they could no long afford to keep smoking, most of them are now happy about it. Not happy at the time but now enjoying all the extra money they have.

So whilst I think you are right to a point there is also a point where joe average will just have to toss it in.

I really feel for these people, it's an evil substance and very addictive.

Good points.

My fear is once "government" feels satisfied that it has won the tobacco war, it will zero in on another "evil" such as sugary soft drinks, salted snacks, etc.

A related example. New York City tried regulate the maximum cup size of soft drinks at retail outlets. (According the city... Too many obese people about, due to drinking mega cups of soft drinks). Fortunately, it failed to pass the test in that states supreme court.

Various groups lobby towards better health and lifestyles of the public, which on face value is commendable and well intentioned. Government often times uses that as a springboard to institute additonal laws and erode personal choice and freedom.

I once feared Big Brother and then woke up and found that he was living next door. An additional reason I reside in Thailand.

Peace

Hi Benmart,

You are right.

I'm not sure where one should draw the line, there's DEFINATELY a problem with processed foods, not to mention sugar drinks. All this technology was suppose to make life easier, now health related complications are resulting from the apparent easy good things in life.

I drink water and occasionally home made juice, but there's excess sugars in virtually everything, it's a silent killer.

I. lucky I'm surrounded by great chefs..... mostly good food but who knows what is in it when you eat out.

everything in moderation, I guess.

Yes, the processed foods are loaded with hidden sugars, sodium, etc. I cook at home and therefore can regulate what I eat.

When I eat out, it's buyer beware. But, at least I have the option of choice to consume what is offered.

I subscribe to "All things in moderation...even excess!".

Good eating my friend.

[englishoak]

hehe wages will really have to rocket here to keep up with all these proposals then.... good luck with that.

Not that im against taxing tobacco but generally its the poorer that use all these bad things to excess. Rather than taxing the buyers it would be better to levy a special business tax on the producers. A licence maybe of huge proportion annually. Millions not paltry, they can afford it. No licence, no sale. They will try to pass on the cost but make a campaign ongoing to educate about smoking etc but make the licence rate so high they wont be able to raise the prices that much to cover it

Bring down those ridiculous profits and hit the ones that make the money out of what is effectively killing people rather than making the people pay the tax

Edited May 30, 2014 by englishoak

[neverdie]

Yes, the processed foods are loaded with hidden sugars, sodium, etc. I cook at home and therefore can regulate what I eat.

When I eat out, it's buyer beware. But, at least I have the option of choice to consume what is offered.

I subscribe to "All things in moderation...even excess!".

Good eating my friend.

I am the same as you really.

My wife can make everything. I am old and don't mind a biscuit or piece of cake or other treat every now and then, the wife bakes it all. In her mixtures she always cuts the sugar content either out completely or makes it minimal. ie: instead of half a cup, she puts 1 teaspoon. I cart my cookies around with me and people are always dropping their hand in to sample..... much nicer than either the locally baked stuff or the mass produced rubbish.

I am led to believe (not sure how accurate it is, but some of the most damaging content of the mass produced cigarettes has something to do with the extra chemicals in them as opposed to fresh tobacco rolled as you go things. Not so sure how accurate that really is and it has nothing to do with tax. lol.

[englishoak]

Rolled ( still has chemicals but not so many or pure tobacco leaf even better ( in scale of bad anyway) still has the tar but not all the chemicals in packaged which is the worst of the lot ..

[noitom]

It's like the national lottery. It's voluntary tax for the poor.

[hawker9000]

Forget about taxes on tobacco, that won't do squat but remove more baht from the poor man's pocket. What everyone with any sort of power in this country should be doing is figuring out a way to prevent some of the 24000 people killed on Thai roads every year, getting killed. TEACH PEOPLE TO DRIVE!

You're way off topic. This thread has nothing whatsoever to do with road safety. Start that crusade somewhere else. Taxes on tobacco actually make a good deal of sense. If a poor man is disincentivized from smoking, he (not to mention his family) is actually helped way out of proportion to the rest of the more affluent population and has that much more badly needed money for REAL needs! You know, things like food, housing, clothing?

And even in cases where tobacco's addictive nature causes disincentivization to fail, the tax SHOULD help fund the public healthcare burden imposed by tobacco-related diseases such as cancer, emphysema, and heart disease. And again, if used for that purpose, it's the poor man that gets helped most. No reason why smokers shouldn't carry this burden.

Gotta' be the fairest tax there is! Anyone who doesn't want to pay it only has to stop smoking & stop buying tobacco, and he doesn't have to pay it!!

That's easy for a non smoker to say... and I am one.... but would you feel the same way about alcohol for example?

Yeap. I don't drink all that much or that frequently and so am not that much bothered by the taxes on it. If the income I earn, and the gas I put in my car to go & earn it, and my home, and a pair of socks, can all be taxed, then tobacco & alcohol certainly can be, and in much greater proportion as they're both problem-causers. (All of which, btw, has absolutely nothing to do with what I posted...).

Edited May 30, 2014 by hawker9000

[tomross46]

The only licensed tobacco manufacturer in Thailand, the Thai Tobacco Monopoly, is owned by the government. If the health officials are serious they would call for the closure of this health hazard.

[hawker9000]

The only licensed tobacco manufacturer in Thailand, the Thai Tobacco Monopoly, is owned by the government. If the health officials are serious they would call for the closure of this health hazard.

...which would simply result in the stuff being imported...and taxed...highly taxed...which pretty much brings the discussion right back to imposing higher taxes on tobacco, and how it supposedly "targets" the poor.

Unless you want to just ban it outright. And that's just not gonna' happen (nor do I think it should).