ThaiBev Group continuously monitors regulatory and legal changes in Thailand and other countries where we operate our businesses by tracking law changes through being a membership of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Trade of Thailand, and the Federation of Thai Industries and receives updates from external legal advisors, as well as seeking legal information, and news from the websites of government agencies such as the Secretariat of the Prime Minister, the Secretariat of the Cabinet, the Secretariat of the House of Representatives, the Thai government Gazette, the Office of the Council of State, and the Revenue Department. In 2024, several new laws which related to the growth strategies of ThaiBev Group have been issued. ThaiBev Group has adapted to regulatory changes to align with the strategies of ThaiBev Group as follows:
This Ministerial Regulation came into effect on February 23, 2024. It adjusts excise tax rates on wine and sparkling wine made from grapes, fruit wine containing grapes or grape wine, and traditional local fermented liquor. The adjustments are as follows:
- Wine and Sparkling Wine made from grapes: The ad valorem tax rate is adjusted as follows: The rate for products with a suggested retail price not exceeding 1,000 Baht is increased from 0% of the suggested retail price to 5% of the suggested retail price. The rate for products with a suggested retail price exceeding 1,000 Baht is decreased from 10% of the suggested retail price to 5% of the suggested retail price. The specific tax rate is also reduced from 1,500 Baht to 1,000 Baht per liter of pure alcohol.
- Fruit wine containing grapes or grape wine, with an alcohol volume exceeding 7%, or those with an alcohol volume up to 7% but in a container size larger than 0.330 liters: The ad valorem tax rate is reduced from 10% to 0% of the suggested retail price.
- Traditional local fermented liquor, with an alcohol volume up to 7%: The ad valorem tax rate is reduced from 10% to 0% of the suggested retail price.
- Fermented liquor containing distilled spirits, with an alcohol volume exceeding 7%: The specific tax rate is increased from 150 Baht to 255 Baht per liter of pure alcohol.
The Notification of the Ministry of Finance also exempts import duty for all types of wine under the following tariff classifications: class 22.04 (wine made from fresh grapes and grape must) and class 22.05 (vermouth and wine made from fresh grapes flavored or scented with plants or aromatic substances).
Due to the adjustment of excise tax rates and the exemption of import duty, which may motivate some consumers to change their alcohol consumption behavior, ThaiBev Group has planned and formulated appropriate business strategies. These strategies focus on consistently maintaining the quality and standards of our existing products and continuously developing new products to offer more options to consumers, increasing the variety of products and creating brand recognition for our products.
This Royal Decree took effect on August 21, 2023, under this Royal Decree, the digital platform service operator that possesses any of the characteristics listed in this Royal Decree required to notify to the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (“ETDA”) prior to the commencement of the business. The operator shall also adhere to the rules for operating digital platform service business and comply with the regulatory oversight as specified in Chapter 2, which the digital platform service operator shall annually notify the update of the required information to the ETDA, within 60 days from the end of its fiscal year and notify the ETDA within 30 days from the date of the change in information, if there is any change in the information related to the digital platform service operator, the name of the digital platform service, the type of digital platform service, and the channels of digital platform service, such as URLs or applications.
The digital platform service operator that is in operation on the day prior to the effective date of this Royal Decree shall notify the ETDA of their business within 90 days from the date the Royal Decree takes effect which was November 18, 2023. For small digital platform service business, a simplified notification shall be submitted to the ETDA by August 20, 2024. ThaiBev Group, which has applied the digital and technology to strengthen organization and build competitive advantage, reviewed our operations of digital platform service businesses and notified to the ETDA in accordance with the rules and within such legal time frame. Additionally, ThaiBev Group has implemented measures for governing and monitoring relevant digital platform service operators to ensure that they notify any changes and/or updates
to the ETDA within legal time frame.
Furthermore, ThaiBev Group will raise awareness among executives and employees regarding ETDA requirements and timeframe.
This Notification took effect on April 8, 2024, it limits
the rights to collect personal data related to criminal records that are not conducted under the supervision
of competent authorities as per the Personal Data Protection Law allowed. The data controllers are only permitted to collect such data when authorized by law or with the explicit consent of the data subject for limited purposes as follow: consideration of recruitment, or the examination of qualifications, prohibited characteristics, or the assessment of the suitability of individuals for any position, or the examination of qualifications or prohibited characteristics for granting permission, approving, certifying, endorsing, providing opinion, considering, considering for an appeal, filing complaints, proceeding, paying, receiving welfare, or providing other services to individuals only.
ThaiBev Group, values and respects privacy rights to personal data, has instructed business units that collect personal data to review the necessity of retaining such records. Additionally, they are required to implement appropriate measures to ensure compliance with this notification such as amending work application forms
and providing security measures of such data according
to the legal standard. ThaiBev Group shall retain personal data related to criminal records within the retention period as defined by law and once the retention period has expired or the data is no longer necessary, the personal data shall be appropriately erased, destroyed, or anonymized. Furthermore, measures for monitoring and review these actions shall be in place to mitigate organizational risks and protect the rights and freedom of the data subjects.