Hua Hin Live
24 August 2012
FREE weekly issue 19 4
Sudoku English Corner Hua Hin Golf A Red Becomes Blue
cigarettes & alcohol watch out for retailers taking advantage of tax hike
hua hin, THAILAND Tax rates on liquor and cigarettes were increased in Thailand this week, and already reports have been emerging that unscrupulous retailers and other outlets across the country have taken advantage to hike their prices by a lot more than they should. While there is a knock-on effect between the various taxes that are payable on these items, the only things that should be affected are as follows: White spirits up from 120 baht to 150 baht per litre of 100% alcohol content; Blended spirits up from 300 baht to 350 baht per litre of 100% alcohol content; Brandy up from 48% to 50% by value; Cigarette excise taxes up from 85% to 87%. Beer, imported whisky and wine are completely unaffected by these announcements. Experts estimate that the new prices per-bottle of white spirits such as Lao Khao, which is consumed mostly by low-income earners, should be around 5 to 8 baht more, and not more than 10 baht. The major brands of blended spirits to be affected will be Blend 258, a local brand which is the market leader, along with Hong Thong, Mekong, and Sangsom. These are likely to rise by between 15 and 20 baht per bottle, while a slightly lower increase should be seen on brandy. Officials estimate that store prices for Marlboro cigarettes should increase by eight baht per pack, six baht for Mild Seven cigarettes and six baht for Krong Thip cigarettes. Imported cigarettes from China could rise in price by as much as 20 baht per pack, after factoring in the increase on other taxes such as value-added taxes and import taxes, officials said. If you encounter any excessive profiteering from the tax changes, or have any other comments or opinions, why not share them on the AWOL Forum? Go to www.awolonline.net/forum to vent your spleen!
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