3
The Siamese Government engage to take all necessary measures to prohibit and prevent the sale of spirits manufactured in Siam which may be deleterious to the public health.
ARTICLE IV.
Agreement between the Governments of Siam and Great Britain for regulating the Traffic in Spirituous Liquors.
Signed at London, April 6, 1883.
THE Government of His Majesty the King of Siam and the Government of Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, being desirous of making satisfactory arrangements for the regulation of the traffic in spirituous liquors in Siam, the Undersigned, duly authorized to that effect, have agreed as follows :-
ARTICLE I.
Spirits of all kinds not exceeding in alcoholic strength those permitted to be manufactured by the Siamese Government in Siam may be imported and sold by British subjects on payment of the same duty as that levied by the Siamese excise laws upon spirits manufactured in Siam; and spirits exceeding in alcoholic strength spirits manufac- tured in Siam as aforesaid may be imported and sold upon payment of such duty and of a proportionate additional duty for the excess of alcoholic strength above the Siamese Government standard.
Beer and wines may be imported and sold by British subjects on payment of the same duty as that levied by the Siamese excise laws upon similar articles manufactured in Siam, but the duty on imported beer and wines shall in no case exceed 10 per cent. ad valorem.
The said duty on imported spirits, beer, and wines shall be in substitution of, and not in addition to, the import duty of 3 per cent. leviable under the existing Treaties; and no further duty, tax, or imposition whatever shall be imposed on imported spirits, beer, and wines.
The scale of excise duty to be levied upon spirits, beer, and wines manufactured in Siam shall be communicated by the Siamese Government to Her Majesty's Agent and Consul-General at Bangkok, and no change in the excise duties shall affect British subjects until after the expiration of six months from the date at which such notice shall have been communicated by the Siamese Government to Her Majesty's Representative at Bangkok,
ARTICLE II.
The testing of spirits imported into the Kingdom of Siam by British subjects shall be carried out by European officials nominated by the Siamese authorities, and by an equal number of experts nominated by Her Majesty's Consul. In case of difference the parties shall nominate a third person, who shall act as umpire.
ARTICLE III.
The Siamese Government may stop the importation by British subjects into Siam of any spirits which, on examination, shall be proved to be deleterious to the public health; and they may give notice to the importers, consignees, or holders thereof to export the same within three months from the date of such notice, and if this is not done the Siamese Government may seize the said spirits and may destroy them, provided always that in all such cases the Siamese Government shall be bound to refund any duty which may have been already paid thereon.
The testing of spirits imported by British subjects, and which may be alleged to be deleterious, shall be carried out in the mauner provided by Article II.
Any British subject who desires to retail spirituous liquors, beer, or wines in Siam must take out a special licence for that purpose from the Siamese Government, which shall not be refused without just and reasonable cause.
This licence may be granted upon conditions to be agreed upon from time to time between the two Governments.
ARTICLE V.
British subjects shall at all times enjoy the same rights and privileges in regard to the importation and sale of spirits, beer, wines, and spirituous liquors in Siam as the subjects of the most favoured nation; and spirits, beer, wines, and spirituous liquors coming from any part of Her Britannic Majesty's dominions shall enjoy the same privileges in all respects as similar articles coming from any other country the most favoured in this respect.
It is therefore clearly understood that British subjects are not bound to conform to the provisions of the present Convention to any greater extent than the subjects of other nations are so bound,
ARTICLE VI.
Subject to the provisions of Article V, the present Agreement shall come into operation on a date to be fixed by mutual consent between the two Governments, and shall remain in force until the expiration of six months' notice given by either party to determine the same.
The existing Treaty engagements between Great Britain and Siam shall continue in full force until the present Agreement comes into operation--and after that date, except in so far as they are modified hereby.
Should the present Agreement be terminated the Treaty engagements between Great Britain and Siam shall revive, and remain as they existed previously to the signature hereof.
ARTICLE VII,
In this Agreement the words "British subject" shall include any naturalized or protected subject of Her Britannic Majesty; and the words "Her Majesty's Consul" shall include any Consular officer of Her Britannic Majesty in Siam.
In witness whereof the Undersigned have signed the same in duplicate, and have affixed thereto their seals.
Done at London the sixth day of April, 1883, corresponding to the fourteenth day of the waning moon of the month Phagunamas, of the year Horse, Fourth Decade, 1244, of the Siamese Astronomical Era.
(L.S.) (L.S.)
PRISDANG. GRANVILLE.
68
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.