New tax proposal takes aim at Thailand’s salty food obsession

The move could make it the first country in Asia to impose nationwide levies on both sugar and salt.  Read more at straitstimes.com.

BANGKOK – Already a regional trailblazer in taxing sugary drinks, Thailand is now eyeing high-sodium foods – a move that could make it the first country in Asia to impose nationwide levies on both sugar and salt. 

Officials are preparing a formal proposal for the new government to introduce a phased sodium tax on manufacturers of packaged food, according to Ms Rachada Wanichakorn, deputy director-general of the Excise Department.

The proposal follows Thailand’s 2017 sugar tax aimed at curbing obesity and marks a new push to combat salt-related diseases such as hypertension and kidney disorders.

“We want producers to reformulate their products and gradually reduce sodium content,” Ms Rachada said.

The sodium tax is more complex than the sugar one, she said, because “sodium doesn’t have straightforward substitutes in the same way sugar does.”

The proposed tax wouldn’t apply to freshly cooked food, ready-to-eat meals or fast food, and would be based on total sodium content, not just salt.