New Tax Proposal Takes Aim at Thailand’s Salty Food Obsession

Already a regional trailblazer in taxing sugary drinks, Thailand is now eyeing high-sodium foods — a move that could make it the first country in Asia to impose nationwide levies on both sugar and salt.

Officials are preparing a formal proposal for the new government to introduce a phased sodium tax on manufacturers of packaged food, according to Rachada Wanichakorn, deputy director-general of the Excise Department. The proposal follows Thailand’s 2017 sugar tax aimed at curbing obesity and marks a new push to combat salt-related diseases such as hypertension and kidney disorders.

“We want producers to reformulate their products ...