21.   The news of the impending tax rise has already started a mini-boom in private demand as consumers buy big-ticket items before the increase.

22.   The tax rise comes at a time when consumer confidence is at its lowest level in nearly two years and sales at department stores are slowing.

23.   The wealthy in Europe are less perturbed by tax rises or nebulous employment prospects, while demand from the U.S. and the important Asian markets remains strong.

24.   Other tax rises would hit cigarette smokers and income tax.

25.   PROVISIONAL legislators have urged the Financial Secretary not to carry out his threat to remove some tax concessions in the Budget if they reject the fuel tax rise.

26.   An oil tax rise will help improve the current account and foreign exchange rate and will subsequently bring down the high interest rates which are strangling business activity.

27.   He said the government will consider tax rises and spending cuts later this month.

28.   However, consumers are not expected to shift to diesel significantly because the oil tax rise is minimal.

29.   Imported beer and soft drinks underwent identical tax rises.

30.   In its last days, the Chavalit government announced an oil tax rise only to backtrack overnight because of opposition from the main coalition partner, Chat Pattana.