Thailand is choking under a cloud of illegal, untaxed smoke from smuggled cigarettes, according to the tobacco industry.
Thai Tobacco Trade Association (TTTA) director Thanyasarun Sangthong is worried about the health of the nation’s children. Only genuine cigarettes can keep them safe, she says.
Double trouble
Sales of smuggled cigarettes have increased online due to low operational costs – paying no tax is quite effective in this regard. There is also no telling what you might be smoking as the black market is not subject to inspection by police or customs.
Thanyasarun pouted…
“Illegal tobacco sellers can access as many different groups of customers as they want.”
Online trade in illegal tobacco doubled from July to September last year, she said, citing findings from her own survey. The finding was blamed on contraband cigarettes being smuggled over the border. More…
