BANGKOK, 27 October 2013 The Finance Ministry will propose a 10% tax on green tea beverages, expecting to raise several billion baht in taxes each year.
According to newly appointed Deputy Permanent Secretary for Finance Rangsan Siworasat, the ministry has a plan to revise taxes on several items beginning next year. Topping the list is the green tea excise tax, which will be set at 10%. After the tax has been in effect, the Department will be able to collect several billion baht more in excise taxes each year.
Green tea beverage companies are currently exempted from excise tax since the government wants to promote the use of agricultural products.
Mr Rangsan added that the department had contacted the Thai Food and Drug Administration to run a check on the quality of green tea drinks in the market and found that most of them contained very small amount of green tea. The department would invite entrepreneurs of green tea beverages to meet again before the proposed tax went into effect in the 2014 fiscal year.
