Tax-induced price hike

The days of being able to buy Thai cigarettes for 60 baht a pack will come to an end later this year, according to a Thai Visa News story.

The prices of all the cheaper brands produced by the Thai Tobacco Monopoly (TTM) will be increased to at least 93 baht from October because of an excise tax increase.

This means that smokers will have to pay an extra 33 baht per pack on five brands.

Cigarettes currently priced in the 90-baht range might also face a price increase.

The director of the TTM Daonoi Suthiniphaphan said this would pave the way for packs selling at 100 baht per pack.

She defended the increases by saying they were not aimed at increasing TTM profits. The new prices were merely in line with new excise tax rates.

Meanwhile, the Daily News reported that a 55 baht per pack cigarette recently introduced to compete with foreign brands would be one of those hit by the higher excise tax rate.