HANOI, VIETNAM – December 8, 2025 – Vietnam National Tobacco Corporation (Vinataba) hosted a high-level delegation from the Tobacco Authority of Thailand (TOAT) in Hanoi for a comprehensive working meeting. The discussions focused on the exchange of market information, tobacco industry management policies, and the exploration of future cooperation opportunities between the two parties.
Vinataba delegation included Mr. Ho Le Nghia, Chairman of the Board of Members, alongside other Board members, the General Directorate, and functional department Heads, as well as representatives from Thanh Hoa Tobacco Company. Thai delegation comprised Mr. Thongplew Kongjun, Chairman of the Board of Directors, members of the Board of Directors, General Director, Deputy General Directors, and representatives of specialized functional departments.
Both parties provided detailed overviews of their respective operating models, organizational structures, and domestic market landscapes. Vinataba presented Vietnam’s socio-economic outlook for 2025, highlighting the tobacco industry’s stable consumer base, with a projected smoking population rate of 20.8% among individuals aged 25-50. Vinataba reaffirmed its leading position in the Vietnamese tobacco market, particularly in the Kingsize and Demi segments. The corporation also noted positive outcomes in combating illegal tobacco sales, attributing success to decisive government directives and inter-agency cooperation.
Mr. Poomjit Pongpanngam, General Director of TOAT, outlined the dynamics of the Thai tobacco market, where TOAT holds a 53% market share and operates under the purview of the Ministry of Finance. Mr. Pongpanngam projected a significant decline in TOAT’s 2025 profits, primarily due to increased excise taxes, which now constitute 70-80% of the retail price, leading to a noticeable reduction in consumption. TOAT detailed its export capacities, including an annual supply of 2,000 tons of Virginia tobacco leaves, 1,000 tons of Burley tobacco leaves, and 3,000–5,000 tons of Oriental tobacco leaves. Thailand currently enforces a comprehensive ban on the production, sale, and use of e-cigarettes and imposes a tobacco harm prevention fee equivalent to 17.5% of revenue.
A key topic of discussion was the shared challenge of tobacco smuggling. Major General Srituchakhet Kruwatthanaseth, a member of the TOAT Board of Directors, emphasized the urgency of this issue for both nations. TOAT proposed collaborative efforts, including the sharing of distributor, retailer, importer, and exporter lists, to enhance the effectiveness of anti-smuggling and anti-counterfeiting initiatives. Vinataba responded by outlining forthcoming policy changes in Vietnam, notably the official ban on the production, sale, and use of e-cigarettes effective January 1, 2025, and the implementation of an absolute excise tax per pack of cigarettes from January 1, 2027. Vinataba expressed agreement with TOAT’s proposal for information coordination to improve market control.
The meeting concluded with a mutual commitment to maintaining direct dialogue, aiming to implement specific cooperation initiatives in trade, raw material supply, and the exchange of management expertise./.
