soda-tax ...is Thailand ready for one?

[boomerangutang]

Anyone with half a brain knows soda drinks are packed with sugar, and sugar is unhealthy in many ways. National Geographic magazine claims "sugar is addictive." Many of the same sodas are also packed with corn syrup sugar - which is near as bad as white sugar.

People-watchers in Thailand are probably also noticing a higher incidence of fat kids. The city of Berkeley California (alongside San Francisco) recently introduced a law which adds a small tax to all soda drinks sold in the city. Soft drink makers spent over $100,000,000.00 trying to fight the tax (1 penny per ounce), but lost. It's known that Thailand follows the US (particularly California) on many consumer health trends (smoking bans, handicapped parking, banning plastic bags, etc), so it is hoped Thailand will also enact a tax on soda. It could even go a step further and also enact a ban on health-sapping packaged snack treats.

Some added details on the successful Berkeley soda tax

[NeverSure]

Yes, what we really need is more government interfering in our lives, and especially charging us money for the privilege.

BTW Kalifornia never met a tax it didn't like and it's made it very expensive to live there. It adds up...

[bapoboy]

that is so socialistic...........raise the taxes on everthing that can harm yourself so the goverment can be richer is just stupid.

what pepole but in their own mouth is their own Choice and their own problem..

maybe we should ban or have huge taxes on everthing that are dangeros. eg knifes,fork,glass bottles,shoes,Chairs,stones,computers,tables++++++

it's not the goverments job to tell us what to do....

[eldragon]

Thailand follows no one. Don't you know that?

[Thian]

Well how big is a supersized soda-drink which comes with a Macmeal or so in the USA? That's more then a litre i would guess. Then it's not strange they want to stop people buying it.

Thailand doesn't have those huge drinks like the "big gulp" or whatever americans call it.

But yes thai are addicted to sugar and are getting fat.

Edited October 10, 2015 by Thian

[Thai at Heart]

1. Thailand subsidises sugar domestically. Just float the price.

2. Thailand doesn't use corn syrup in drinks.

3. Hfcs is probably worse for the human body than sugar. It is a Franken food which is metabolised differently than sugar. It's inclusion is food goes hand in hand with the explosion of obesity in the USA.

4. Refined sugar is the one foodstuff we have absolutely no nutritional need for. In times past it was a luxury, today it is everywhere. It is a scourge on our diet and best avoided if not altogether as much as possible.

[Don Mega]

"It's known that Thailand follows the US (particularly California) on many consumer health trends (smoking bans, handicapped parking, banning plastic bags, etc)".

What ?

Never seen a handicapped car park here and the plastic bag usage is off the charts.

[pgrahmm]

"It's known that Thailand follows the US (particularly California) on many consumer health trends (smoking bans, handicapped parking, banning plastic bags, etc)".

What ?

Never seen a handicapped car park here and the plastic bag usage is off the charts.

Well → you can scratch one off your list.....This is a local Makro + the Big C's also have clearly marked dissabled parking along with a few banks.....

[h90]

that is so socialistic...........raise the taxes on everthing that can harm yourself so the goverment can be richer is just stupid.

what pepole but in their own mouth is their own Choice and their own problem..

maybe we should ban or have huge taxes on everthing that are dangeros. eg knifes,fork,glass bottles,shoes,Chairs,stones,computers,tables++++++

it's not the goverments job to tell us what to do....

Actually you have also a different effect...very clear on Alcohol tax. Only the rich can drink the good (also good quality and less harmful) wine, while the poor masses must drink the unhealthy homemade lao kao.

Actually the socialist countries weren't that socialist...they restricted the population in many ways but let them freedom on what the drink and eat....

[Don Mega]

"It's known that Thailand follows the US (particularly California) on many consumer health trends (smoking bans, handicapped parking, banning plastic bags, etc)".

What ?

Never seen a handicapped car park here and the plastic bag usage is off the charts.

20150529_162540.jpg

Well → you can scratch one off your list.....This is a local Makro + the Big C's also have clearly marked dissabled parking along with a few banks.....

Never seen one of them so can only assume they are isolated in their usage so no point in scratching it from my list just yet.

[Beechboy]

Got a problem, throw a tax at it.

How clumsy.

There is a growing awareness of the health dangers of consuming over-much of the wrong kinds of sugars because the information is now more readily available than ever before (as it is with smoking, fast-food eating and weight matters in general.)

The only justification for taxing such products would be if the money levied were to be used on extensive educational programmes aimed at explaining the dangers involved, otherwise it becomes just another money collecting ruse.

Education is far more effective, IMO, than simply putting a few baht on a bottle of Cola, which will soon become accepted as awareness of the reason for the tax diminishes.

Besides, financial disincentives will affect some more than others, thus inhibiting choice for those less monied.

The real culprits are the manufacturers, not the brainwashed consumers, but at the end of the day we all are, with the exception of the most unfortunate, responsible for our own well-being. Some will need more guidance than others.

[Briggsy]

Moot topic.

Thailand already applies excise duty at a rate of 25% on soda drinks and then charges 7% VAT on all, bringing a total tax proportion of 100/133.75 equal to 24.7% of the retail price.

[craigt3365]

Well how big is a supersized soda-drink which comes with a Macmeal or so in the USA? That's more then a litre i would guess. Then it's not strange they want to stop people buying it.

Thailand doesn't have those huge drinks like the "big gulp" or whatever americans call it.

But yes thai are addicted to sugar and are getting fat.

BS. Go to any mall and they sell HUGE cups of soda for only 25 Baht or so. In the US, it's many times more than that. Either way, not good.

I just walked through a major grocery store. The isle labeled "snacks" was about 80 meters long. Two isles, stacked on both sides with chips, cookies, and misc "bad for you" snacks. Can't blame the US for everything.

[Pib]

Soda tax? Ha. Just another tactic to increase tax revenue. Maybe tax the air we breathe...should be much more tax revenue there. Use Article 44 if anyone complains.

[johnmcc6]

They are going to put a computer chip in underwear so every time you fart they will charge your account a carbon tax. They think of everything to milk you dry. F or your own good of course,

[masuk]

"It's known that Thailand follows the US (particularly California) on many consumer health trends (smoking bans, handicapped parking, banning plastic bags, etc)".

What ?

Never seen a handicapped car park here and the plastic bag usage is off the charts.

20150529_162540.jpg

Well → you can scratch one off your list.....This is a local Makro + the Big C's also have clearly marked dissabled parking along with a few banks.....

At least they got the term 'DISABLED" right, if not the PARKINK bit.

Thankfully, they got the smoking bit right, and so nice to sit down and eat without someone's used smoke blowing in our faces.

As for the plastic bag problem, charging per bag is the only way to stop it. In China, when you check out, the goods are placed on a bench in front of you. It's up to you how you carry them out of the store, or pay for some bags. You soon remember to bring a shopping bag. ALDIs in Australia have done this for some years.

[MikeOwen]

Well how big is a supersized soda-drink which comes with a Macmeal or so in the USA? That's more then a litre i would guess. Then it's not strange they want to stop people buying it.

Thailand doesn't have those huge drinks like the "big gulp" or whatever americans call it.

But yes thai are addicted to sugar and are getting fat.

And very Type 2 Diabatic

[MikeOwen]

Well how big is a supersized soda-drink which comes with a Macmeal or so in the USA? That's more then a litre i would guess. Then it's not strange they want to stop people buying it.

Thailand doesn't have those huge drinks like the "big gulp" or whatever americans call it.

But yes thai are addicted to sugar and are getting fat.

BS. Go to any mall and they sell HUGE cups of soda for only 25 Baht or so. In the US, it's many times more than that. Either way, not good.

I just walked through a major grocery store. The isle labeled "snacks" was about 80 meters long. Two isles, stacked on both sides with chips, cookies, and misc "bad for you" snacks. Can't blame the US for everything.

Just most things when it comes to unhealthy eating !

[sirineou]

that is so socialistic...........raise the taxes on everthing that can harm yourself so the goverment can be richer is just stupid.

what pepole but in their own mouth is their own Choice and their own problem..

maybe we should ban or have huge taxes on everthing that are dangeros. eg knifes,fork,glass bottles,shoes,Chairs,stones,computers,tables++++++

it's not the goverments job to tell us what to do....

"what pepole but in their own mouth is their own Choice and their own problem.."

Yet they expect others to pay for the problems resulting from this

"it's not the goverments job to tell us what to do.."

Sure it is,

government tells you what to do all the time. if you dont believe me try smocking weed in front of a cop, I am sure they will do their "Job" and tell you what to do

PS" in the US.

The total estimated cost of diagnosed diabetes in 2012 is $245 billion, including $176 billionin direct medical costs and $69 billion in reduced productivity.

Edited October 10, 2015 by sirineou

[Taffyfromflint]

Soda tax? Ha. Just another tactic to increase tax revenue. Maybe tax the air we breathe...should be much more tax revenue there. Use Article 44 if anyone complains.

Why stop at soda, think of all the donut stalls, yamaguzi, sweet cake shops, etc. Type 2 will be rampant here in a few years and couple that with KFC, pizza etc.etc.

Never mind the tax, it never stopped smokers and drinkers, just get meaningful education programmes via tv (which is the most widely looked at media). But wait that may stop the fat cats getting fatter.

[ozyjon]

First reply, we need more taxes, who will enforce them?

Second reply, we need more taxes, who will pay them?

Third reply, read the top two.

[farangmick]

One of the British newspapers published brief highlights of a study of sugar content in soft drinks sold globally. Coke produced in Thailand has the least sugar of Coke anywhere in the world. Thai produced Sprite has the most. Personally I like Schweppes lemon soda, and their dry ginger ale.

[nithisa78]

Across the board sin taxes. Starting with alcohol. That's the root of problems on an International level.

[MockingJay]

Allowing cancer and illness causing substances and then simply tax them harder for being unhealthy won't change the world for the better, quite the contrary. Any government concerned about its fellow countrymen should require food and beverage companies to come up with heatlhy alternatives or simply go away. All the managers, investors and corporation crooks will have a mental breakdown then and do a crybaby media campaign about the "ingredients being perfectly fine and without any suitable alternatives".

But then, if anyone would boycott their shitty stuff - voila! after a few weeks or months, you would have a perfect coke equally priced but sweetened with Stevia instead, completely without chemical additives, colors, and the killer Aspartame... Anything is possible, the problem is that they (the corporations) don't want to do it. Why? Because then the pharma industry would suffer and we all don't want that, don't we? Knowing this, please don't expect any changes, except the appearance of even more and even fatter Thai kids who can't even walk 20 metres without fainting...

Edited October 10, 2015 by MockingJay

[Expat1]

That is not a bad idea actually, of course, under the assumption that the tax revenues will be put toward something that helps alleviate obesity and other sugar related problems or similar. Seeing the corpulent fat slobs from North America and Europe bouncing down the streets around here something needs to be done, that is a fact. Cigarettes have nicotine and other harmful substances and they have taxes assigned so why not this.

BTW, for those of you that don't wanna live in a nanny state in North America or Europe, bad news, you already do. So we might as well get some positive use out of it. One thing is for certain and that is placing a satang an ounce tax on sugar won't bring about the nanny or even socialist state anywhere in Asia. I think you're safe.

Edited October 10, 2015 by Expat1

[CLW]

Referring to some posts here, Thailand and education, sorry that just doesn't work...

So how you gonna force them?

Taxes and fines. They want it, they deserve it.

Maybe with the tax you can treat the type 2 diabetes patients in a few years. Oh wait, they will protest and ask for government money like always...

[thaimelody]

that is so socialistic...........raise the taxes on everthing that can harm yourself so the goverment can be richer is just stupid.

what pepole but in their own mouth is their own Choice and their own problem..

maybe we should ban or have huge taxes on everthing that are dangeros. eg knifes,fork,glass bottles,shoes,Chairs,stones,computers,tables++++++

it's not the goverments job to tell us what to do....

What a retarded thing to say. My body, I can smoke, My body, I can drive drunk, my body, I can snort coke. Who picks up the hospital tab for your free will?

You can choose free will when you pay the risk tax associated from it. Pay the tax get the benefit from it.

[chilli42]

I am all for healthier living. The cost to the country of food/beverage like this are staggering - lost work time, health care costs etc. However, a tax on soda is not the way to get there. Why not on fruit juice as well? It has as much or more sugar and calories. Why stop at soda, how about cookies, chocolate bars? Where would it end? Maybe he best way to get there would be how it was approached for tobacco. Ban all advertising and at the same time mount a public service campaign about the evils of sugar - featuring soda. If you can get teens to believe it's not cool to drink soda the problem will be largely solved in a generation or two. Clearly the political barriers would be punishing (sugar producers, tv stations, farmers, producers etc). Also, let's face it, people do what they want not what is in their best interest. It's a black and white case that smoking kills but many smoke and many new smokers start each day in full knowledge of this fact. You can't save people from themselves. Finally, the problem with the idea of a tax is that it puts more money in the hands of the government and we have ample proof around the world that government has the fiscal discipline of a 6 year old .... be that in Greece, buying submarines or channeling money to friends and relatives.

[craigt3365]

Well how big is a supersized soda-drink which comes with a Macmeal or so in the USA? That's more then a litre i would guess. Then it's not strange they want to stop people buying it.

Thailand doesn't have those huge drinks like the "big gulp" or whatever americans call it.

But yes thai are addicted to sugar and are getting fat.

BS. Go to any mall and they sell HUGE cups of soda for only 25 Baht or so. In the US, it's many times more than that. Either way, not good.

I just walked through a major grocery store. The isle labeled "snacks" was about 80 meters long. Two isles, stacked on both sides with chips, cookies, and misc "bad for you" snacks. Can't blame the US for everything.

Just most things when it comes to unhealthy eating !

Have you ever eaten at a Thai restaurant. Hard to find an item that isn't either deep fried or stir fried. Thai's consume lots of sugar:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/859291-health-ministry-launches-campaign-to-reduce-sugar-consumption-among-thais/

Thai people consume an average of 30 kilogrammes of sugar per head per year or more than 20 teaspoons a day which is three times higher than the amount recommended by the World Health Organisation.

Unfortunately, most countries have very unhealthy eating habits. Not just the US.

[masuk]

Across the board sin taxes. Starting with alcohol. That's the root of problems on an International level.

It's not 'sin taxes' so much as pre-paying what it will cost the community a few years down the track. In Jakarta, the country's largest hospital is specifically for cancer cases. Being a mostly Muslim country, drinking is not the problem it is in Thailand, but they make up for that in their very cheap clove cigarettes.

When I was running a class one evening for senior English students in Jakarta, I asked them to work in pairs and list the largest cause of deaths in their country. They trotted out the party line of HIV, TB, and about ten other serious illnesses.

When I told them that in fact it was smoking, and the average age of death in their country amongst males was 51, almost all of them defended this by telling me that the cigarette industry employed thousands of people.

Of course, I was then able to switch to all the professions from surgeons to grave diggers who would be involved, and they really added to their vocabulary that night!,

I've been retired a few years now, but all my colleagues who were smokers have now stepped off this planet.