DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “WHO urges Cambodia to increase tobacco taxes” plus 1 more

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization on Tuesday urged Cambodia to increase taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products in order to raise state revenues and discourage smokers.

"Increasing tobacco tax will reduce consumption especially among the higher prevalence groups such as low-income and uneducated groups," Ayda A. Yurekli, coordinator for the WHO Tobacco Control Economics Unit, said here in a press briefing after a 2-day Workshop on Tobacco Taxation System.

She said that if the government increases a 10 percent tax on tobacco, it will reduce the prevalence by 2.5 percent to 5 percent.

"Moreover, tax increase will bring more revenues for the state coffer and will help reduce tobacco-related deaths," she said.

Speaking at the workshop, Hang Chuon Naron, secretary of state at the Finance Ministry, said that the government is considering the tax increase for tobacco.

He acknowledged that Cambodia is among countries that have low excise tax rate with the rate of only 10 percent on tobacco and is considered the lowest in the region and in the world, while other countries in the region have higher rate, such as Malaysia 25 percent, Laos 15-30 percent, Vietnam 65 percent and Thailand 85 percent.

Eng Ratana, deputy director of the Finance Ministry's Department of Large Taxpayers, said that Cambodia collected the taxes of 16 million U.S. dollars from tobacco last year and additional 11 million U.S. dollars in the first 8 months of this year.

The country has the population of about 14.5 million. Of the number, 7.5 million people are adults. According to a National Adult Tobacco Survey 2011, some 1.4 million adult Cambodians smoke cigarettes and other 550,000 people use smokeless tobacco (betel quid).

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- A delegation of China's National People's Congress led by Huang Xianzhong, vice-chairman of the Environment Protection and Resource Conservation Committee, arrived here Tuesday for a four-day visit to further enhance bilateral ties.

At Phnom Penh International Airport, the delegation was greeted by Souk Sam Eng, member of Cambodian National Assembly's Commission on Planning, Investment, Agriculture, Rural Development, Environment and Water Resources, and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Pan Guangxue.

During the stay, Huang will pay a courtesy call on the Acting- President of the National Assembly Nguon Nhel. He will also hold a meeting with Ai Khan, acting-chairman of the National Assembly's Commission on Planning, Investment, Agriculture, Rural Development, Environment and Water Resources, according to the schedule provided by the National Assembly.

Huang is also scheduled to meet with Cambodian Minister of Environment Mok Mareth.

The delegation will also visit the World Heritage site Angkor Wat Temple in Siem Reap province, located some 315 kilometers northwest of Phnom Penh.