Bangkok, Thailand – Thailand is preparing a proposal to introduce a phased tax on high-sodium packaged foods in a move that aims to support broader efforts to address salt-related health disorders, such as hypertension and kidney disease.
According to Rachada Wanichakorn, deputy director-general of the Excise Department, officials are drafting a formal proposal for the new government that would impose a tiered sodium tax on manufacturers. The plan follows the country’s 2017 sugar tax, introduced to slow the prevalence of obesity across the country.
“We want producers to reformulate their products and gradually reduce sodium content,” Wanichakorn said.
She noted that designing a sodium tax presents more challenges than the earlier sugar levy. “Sodium doesn’t have straightforward substitutes in the same way sugar does,” she said.
The proposed measure would apply to packaged foods based on total sodium content per serving, rather than salt alone, meaning it would also cover sodium from preservatives and additives such as baking soda. Freshly cooked food, ready-to-eat meals and fast food would be excluded.
Authorities previously identified instant noodles, frozen meals and savoury snacks as significant contributors to sodium intake. In 2022, products classified as high in sodium accounted for nearly 20% of the total market value of ready-to-eat and semi-finished foods in Thailand.
Surasak Kantachuvesiri, associate professor at Mahidol University, who is also a nephrologist, said fiscal measures could complement public health campaigns. “Public health campaigns can only do so much to change people’s tastes. We need legal measures and taxes to reshape the landscape, to make extreme saltiness no longer the norm,” he said.
He added that Thailand could set a regional precedent. “Sweetness and saltiness can be addictive. Emotions often outweigh reason. We need an environment that makes healthier choices easier.”
The proposed tax would follow a tiered structure, with rates increasing based on sodium content. The initial phase would impose a low rate targeting only the highest-sodium products for at least six years, giving manufacturers time to adjust.
