Thailand is pushing to introduce a "salt tax" targeting high-sodium foods, following its sugar tax implementation. The measure aims to reduce hypertension and kidney disease caused by excessive sodium intake, though concerns have emerged that the tax burden could disproportionately affect low-income households.
According to Bloomberg and other foreign media outlets on Sunday, Thailand's Excise Department under the Ministry of Finance is preparing to implement a phased salt tax on packaged and processed food manufacturers. The tax would apply differentiated rates based on sodium content per serving in products such as instant noodles, snacks, and ready-to-eat meals. Foods prepared and sold on-site, including fast food, would be exempt.
The salt tax is expected to follow a structure similar to Thailand's sugar tax, which was introduced in 2017 and fully implemented in April last year. The system would be designed so that higher sodium content triggers higher tax rates, while allowing manufacturers an adjustment period by applying lower rates to the highest-sodium products for at least six years.
Rachada Wanikakorn, deputy director-general of the Excise Department, said in a statement: "The goal is to encourage manufacturers to reformulate their products and gradually reduce sodium content." She added: "Unlike sugar, sodium doesn't have clear substitutes, so we expect implementation to be more complex than the sugar tax."
Rachada also stated: "The purpose of this tax is not to increase government revenue, but to create positive social effects and complement non-tax health policies."
Thailand's sodium consumption significantly exceeds World Health Organization recommendations. According to the 2024-2025 Thailand National Health Survey, average daily sodium intake among citizens aged 15 and older is 3,650 milligrams—nearly double the WHO recommendation of under 2,000 milligrams. The resulting increase in hypertension, kidney disease, and cardiovascular conditions costs an estimated 1.6 trillion baht (approximately 73 trillion won) annually in healthcare expenses.
A December study by Mahidol University projected that imposing a salt tax on instant noodles and snacks could reduce average daily sodium intake by 53 to 83 milligrams. Surasak Kantachuvesiri, an associate professor and nephrologist at Mahidol University, said: "Public health campaigns alone have their limits. We need to change the environment through taxation so that excessive saltiness doesn't become the default."
However, skepticism remains considerable. Critics argue that taxes cannot fundamentally change dietary habits and that the burden could fall disproportionately on low-income households, who tend to rely more heavily on processed foods. Thai cuisine emphasizes the harmony of salty, sweet, sour, and spicy flavors, with high-sodium ingredients like fish sauce being essential components of signature dishes such as som tam, tom yum, and pad thai.
Assessments of salt taxes previously introduced in Hungary and Colombia have also been mixed. Hungary has collected substantial revenue through its public health product tax, which includes a salt tax, but debate continues over whether consumption of unhealthy foods has declined meaningfully over the long term.
Meanwhile, health taxes are becoming a global trend. Currently, 117 countries including the United Kingdom and France impose taxes or levies on foods with excessive sugar content.