烟草在线据《烟业通讯》报道编译　　泰国烟草专卖公司董事长Torsak Chotimongkol说，自从泰国两年前取消税务壁垒以来，泰国烟草专卖公司的市场份额就慢慢输给了进口卷烟。

　　据《曼谷邮报》的消息说，泰国国产卷烟仍然占据着76%的市场份额，但到今年年底时，外国卷烟的市场份额可能会增加一个百分点而达到25%。

　　Torsak说，泰国烟草专卖公司正试图收回被进口卷烟控制的中上收入人群的市场份额，与此同时，也保持自己在低收入人群中的根基。他说：“我们必须防止我们的市场份额被进口产品侵蚀，因为我们的利润本来就相当薄。”

　　Torsak说，泰国烟草专卖公司的卷烟占市场的33%，合法进口卷烟占市场的12%，走私产品占10%，手卷烟占45%。

　　手卷烟因泰国国产烟叶品种享有税收减免而迅速发展，泰国烟草专卖公司生产的烟草则按每公斤1000泰铢征税。

　　去年，泰国烟草专卖公司的总销量为360亿支，收入700亿泰铢，而今年的销量和销售额可能会与去年相似。

　　泰国副财政部长Tanusak Lekuthai说：“由于我们现在正试图打入日本、美国和欧洲市场，树立我们的品牌，如果泰国烟草专卖公司能扩大海外销售的话，我们的销售额可能会达到1000亿泰铢。”

Thailand: TTM Wary of Decreasing Market Share

　　The Thailand Tobacco Monopoly (TTM) has gradually lost market share to imported cigarettes since the country lifted the tax barrier two decades ago, says director-general Torsak Chotimongkol.

　　Local cigarettes still claim 76 percent of the market, but foreign cigarettes are likely to gain one percentage point to 25 percent by the end of this year, according to a story in the Bangkok Post.

　　Torsak said TTM is trying to regain market share in the middle- to upper-income markets dominated by imported cigarettes, while also keeping its low-income base. "We need to protect our share from imports, as our margin is quite thin," he said.

　　TTM cigarettes make up 33 percent of the market, legally imported cigarettes make up 12 percent, smuggled smokes contribute 10 percent and roll-your-own tobacco comprises 45 percent, said Torsak.

　　Roll-your-own tobacco has gained rapidly as a result of the tax waiver for local breeds of tobacco, while the tobacco produced by TTM is taxed at 1,000 baht a kilogram.

　　Last year TTM had total sales of 36 billion units for THB70 billion, and this year will likely be similar.

　　"If TTM can expand overseas, our sales may reach THB100 billion, as we are now attempting to enter into Japan, the U.S. and Europe to build up our brand," said Tanusak Lekuthai, deputy finance minister. Enditem