Thailand plans to shake off excessive sodium consumption

A salt tax in Thailand, which was slated to have come into effect this year but was deferred, could be implemented next year with a lead time of one or two years for industries to adapt.

This was disclosed by the president of the Nephrology Society of Thailand, Dr Surasak Kantachuvesiri, who also chairs the Thai Low Salt Network campaign.

A Thai person consumes an average of 3,636mg of sodium daily - about 1.5 teaspoons of salt - almost twice the 2,000mg recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

"It's in our culture to eat salty foods, fermented meats and fish sauce," said Dr Surasak.

Some 10 per cent of the population, more than seven million people, suffer from chronic renal failure, a possible result of high sodium intake.

Other diseases linked to excessive salt intake include high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes, which are also common in the kingdom.

Mr Thanaphon Dokkaeo, president of Kidney Disease Friends' Association of Thailand, said the current situation is concerning.

"Not only is the number of people who need dialysis increasing, we also see more people with final stage kidney failure," he added.

The government's goal is to cut daily sodium intake by 20 per cent within 10 years, which is in line with a sugar tax implemented in 2017 that led to a reduction in sugar content in sweet drinks.

A number of countries, such as Hungary, Portugal and Fiji, have implemented levies on processed or packaged food with high salt content, while others have adopted sodium reduction strategies, such as mandatory nutrition labelling, consumer education and industry regulations to encourage product reformulation.

But a salt tax in Thailand will face challenges, said stakeholders and observers, given that a packet of instant noodles - a staple in the country - already contains 80 per cent of the WHO's daily suggested intake. Some Thais have yet to be convinced about its effectiveness.

The popularity of instant foods and the need for high-sodium condiments in Thai cooking will make it difficult to convince manufacturers to reformulate existing successful products as it could affect their taste and sales, said Ms Siradapat Ratanakorn, a regulatory affairs consultant at law firm Tilleke & Gibbins's.

"Certain companies have tried to launch new products with less sodium, but they cannot adjust the top-selling product formulas," she said, noting that some might choose to pay the tax instead of reformulating their products if customers continue to insist on buying those with higher salt content.

Thai Food Processors' Association president Tust Thangsombat agreed that there was still strong demand for "traditional" and "authentic" products with higher salt content.

"It's like offering Coke Zero. People will still want the original product," he said.

Furthermore, not all firms would be able to reformulate their products and may push the burden of the salt tax to consumers, he added. But he believed there was little room for the industry to oppose the tax, especially as it has been touted as a measure "for the good of the people".

"If we oppose it, we will be branded as bad people," he said, adding that the "only good thing" was that the tax would not be imposed immediately as the industry was still recovering from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

While some firms already manufacture healthier products with lower sodium content, Mr Tust said the prices of such goods were usually higher as they are aimed at a niche group.

Dr Surasak said the proposed salt tax would affect only industrial food, such as instant noodles, savoury snacks and frozen meals.

"It will not affect basic products like salt or fish sauce," he said.

The dining habits of Thais will be another obstacle to reducing salt consumption.

Ms Siradapat noted that surveys show one-third of Thais eat out for their three daily meals, while three-quarters eat their lunch outside of their homes.

"The preferred food for the Thai population is street food available from small curbside vendors. There are not many healthy street food options," she said.

Dr Surasak said that street food contributed to nearly half of the daily sodium intake among Thais.

"Customers should ask for less salt or MSG when they order from street vendors. This is something consumers and vendors must work on together," he said.