Thailand cuts back sugar in coffee and tea to tackle health crisis
With Thais averaging 21 teaspoons of sugar a day – triple WHO limits – officials urge cafes to cut syrup to lower diabetes and obesity risks
For many Thais, a meal does not feel complete without an iced coffee or tea so sugary it could pass for dessert. The government, concerned about the health consequences, wants them to dial it back.
Starting on Wednesday, nine major coffee chains across the country have pledged to cut the default sugar content in some of their drinks by half in a government initiative aimed at tackling excessive sugar consumption.
According to the Health Department, Thais consume an average of 21 teaspoons of sugar per day, more than three times the World Health Organization’s recommended limit of six teaspoons. Health officials warn that such high intake increases the risk of obesity, diabetes and other diseases.
The initiative is the first significant step to change consumers’ sugar consumption behaviour, said Amporn Benjaponpitak, the director general of the department.
Pakorn Tungkasereerak, the department’s deputy, said 2025 data show that about 45 per cent of Thais aged 15 and older are obese, while 10 per cent of the population has diabetes.
A survey by the Bureau of Nutrition found that a 650-millilitre (22-ounce) iced coffee contains an average of nine teaspoons of sugar, while a 300-millilitre (10-ounce) serving of bubble milk tea – an iced milk tea with tapioca pearls known as boba – can contain as much as 12 teaspoons.