Excise Revenues Post Sharp Decline

PHUKET TOWN: Despite revenues generated through taxes on luxury yachts and golf fees, the Phuket Provincial Excise Department recorded a steep drop in collections during the most recent fiscal year compared to fiscal 1997. Department Chief Borvorn Chayakul reported that his office collected 190.3 million baht from October 1, 1997 through September 30, 1998, a decline of nearly 49 million baht from the previous 12-month period when 239 million baht was collected. Revenue from two additional categories – luxury yachts and golf courses – accounted for almost 16 million baht in new taxes during the most recent fiscal year. Golf fees produced 15.2 million baht, while excise taxes on yachts provided another 559,000 baht. But a steep decline recorded in motor fuel and oil products excise tax collections – the single largest revenue category – more than offset the intake from the two new categories. Taxes collected by the provincial department on motor fuel and oil products during fiscal year 1998 amounted to 169.4 million baht – down 38 percent from the previous year. Excise tax collections on beverages, one of the few bright spots for the department, rose to 2.3 million baht in fiscal 1998, up from 1.7 million baht a year earlier.