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Christmas cheer about to get more expensive?
Plans are in the works to hike taxes on alcohol in Thailand, according to one report
Come next Christmas, drinkers in Thailand might be paying a higher price for their alcoholic beverages. Just in time for the holidays, bad news for those in Thailand who like to indulge in a few drinks. The details are still a bit murky on this one but today’s Nation reports that a source in the Thai Finance Ministry says the government is planning to raise the excise tax ceiling on alcoholic beverages in preparation for the implementation of the Asean Free Trade Area on January 1.
“The planned hike should help prevent cheaper foreign-made alcoholic drinks being dumped in the Thai market once liberalization is in place,” says the report.
From January 1, several types of products -- including alcohol -- will benefit from the Asean zero import tax rate, allowing an influx of cheaper beer and liquor from within the region, says The Nation.
Meanwhile, the Bangkok Post reports that sales of alcohol will be banned around schools and colleges if draft laws under the Alcohol Beverage Control Act 2008 are approved.
No surprises there. But one of the four draft laws has us really intrigued: a ban on the sale of smoothies mixed with alcohol due to their popularity with teenagers. Should this law pass, expect blender sales to go though the roof so people can make the illegal but oh-so-yummy drinks in the privacy of their own homes.
“The planned hike should help prevent cheaper foreign-made alcoholic drinks being dumped in the Thai market once liberalization is in place,” says the report.
From January 1, several types of products -- including alcohol -- will benefit from the Asean zero import tax rate, allowing an influx of cheaper beer and liquor from within the region, says The Nation.
Meanwhile, the Bangkok Post reports that sales of alcohol will be banned around schools and colleges if draft laws under the Alcohol Beverage Control Act 2008 are approved.
No surprises there. But one of the four draft laws has us really intrigued: a ban on the sale of smoothies mixed with alcohol due to their popularity with teenagers. Should this law pass, expect blender sales to go though the roof so people can make the illegal but oh-so-yummy drinks in the privacy of their own homes.
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