Alcohol more expensive in Thailand

Starting today, dinking alcohol in Thailand will cost you more. Yesterday, the cabinet approved new effective alcohol tax rates.

Singha is more expensive because of alcohol tax rates

The alcohol tax is broken into two parts – a tax on product value and a tax on alcohol content. The maximum tax for beer will be maintained at 60% of the product’s value, but the effective tax rate per litre of 100% alcohol content rose from 100 baht to 300 baht. The tax hike will drive up beer prices by about 3-7 baht per bottle. For wine, products worth less than 600 baht per bottle will be be exempt from the product value-based tax, while those priced above 600 baht will be taxed at 36% of the product’s retail value. In terms of alcohol content, all wine will now be taxed at 1,000 baht per litre of pure alcohol, up from 100 baht. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong expressed said “I want to assure you the tax restructuring for alcoholic beverages is not aimed at boosting state revenue, but is aimed at reducing the number of alcohol drinkers” Bangkok Post reported.