Thailand’s Excise Department is considering to introduce tax on sodium in food following the success of the sugar tax in reducing consumption.
The Department’s Director-General Ekniti Nitithanprapas is in the process of discussion with various stakeholders including medical experts and representatives from the Health Ministry on a possible sodium excise tax.
Ekniti said the excise tax will be based on doctors’ recommendation on the safe daily consumption level for sodium in each person. It was earlier found that an average Thai consumes 3,600g of sodium per day, far higher than the prescribed safe limit of 2,000g.
Raising the tax level could encourage consumers to eat less salty foods, similar to what happen to sugary drink consumption after the imposition of tax. However, Ekniti mentioned that the excise tax on sodium will only be enforced on convenience foods like instant noodles and not on cooked street foods, as controlling the latter will be an impossible task.
