The Thailand Tobacco Monopoly (TTM), which virtually controls the country’s cigarette market, will increase prices following the bath substantial devaluation and an increase in value-added tax

Director Ms Pakinee Pattamasukhon said in an interview that the company’s production costs have soared by 10 per cent this year and are expected to rise between 16 and 20 per cent in 1998. As a result, the prices of king-size cigarettes would rise by two baht for a 20-cigarette pack, one baht for a pack of regular-sized cigarettes, two baht per pack of filter brands and one baht for filterless products. She added that cigarette sales were only slightly affected by the economic downturn. Retailers normally order 170 million cigarettes per day but the tax rise has slowed sales.