New Alcohol Excise Tax Pending

New alcohol excise tax pending
Published on February 17, 2010

Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij supported the Excise Department's ongoing restructuring of liquor taxes, hoping that the new structure will protect local producers from free trade agreements.

However, the structure should not be overprotective that it becomes a non-tariff barrier. In his speech delivered to the department on its 78th anniversary, Korn said it must weigh if the structure should be based on alcohol content or production cost.

Department Director General Areepong Bhoocha-oom said in the first month after Asean FTA, there is no irregular import of alcohol and cigarette products. He noted that if imports are huge that they affect the country's revenue, excise taxes could be raised.

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