Publication: An Economic Analysis of Tobacco Control in Thailand
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2003-10
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2013-05-30
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Revenue from taxation of tobacco products accounts for more than 5 % of total government revenue in Thailand. The Thai tobacco industry is less significant: in 2000 it employed only 0.67 percent of the total agricultural workforce, and only 0.11 percent of all manufacturing workers. Until 1996, tobacco prices increased more slowly than prices of other consumer goods. After 1996 the trend reversed as tax/price policies were used to discourage smoking. Smoking prevalence is higher among men than women (50 percent and 3 percent respectively) and higher in rural than urban areas (26 percent and 18 percent respectively). Price and income elasticity of tobacco demand are analyzed. They vary across income categories and between urban and rural areas. Overall, price elasticity is -0.39 and income elasticity is 0.70, similar to estimates for many other middle-income countries. Earlier studies that estimated health costs due to tobacco use are reviewed. Two main policy recommendations are made: to continue to use tax policy to reduce tobacco use and future health costs, which will also raise government revenue, and to enforce existing tobacco control measures better.
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“Sarntisart, Isra. 2003. An Economic Analysis of Tobacco Control in Thailand. HNP discussion paper series;. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/13727 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
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