Junta discovers that sin taxes rely on efficient police force
Re: “Illicit cigarette use has doubled, major tobacco company study finds”, The Nation, yesterday.
The Nation: “Illicit cigarette use in Thailand has more than doubled, costing the country at least Bt3.6 billion a year in lost tax revenue, a study by the major tobacco company says.”
Well, who would have thought that a massive tax hike on an addictive product in a country with corrupt law enforcement would lead to an increase in black market products in the market?
What a shocker.
JonnyF
Exactly. It is also the effect of having uneducated/unqualified people in jobs making these stupid decisions. When the junta took over, a pack of popular foreign-branded cigarettes cost Bt65. They are now over Bt130 a pack. Stupid is what stupid does.
smedly
Agreed. Governments have these cash cows they think they can milk and milk, but then consumers get so fed up they will resort to illegal products on general principle let alone price. Nobody likes to feel they are having the pi$$ taken out of them.
baboon
ThaiVisa
