Thailand Tobacco Monopoly (TTM) came into being in 1939, when the government took over ownership of Burapha Tobacco Limited Partnership and put the operation under the supervision of the Excise Department.
In 1943, the Tobacco Monopoly Act was enacted making cigarette production a state monopoly. At present, TTM operates three cigarette plants with a combined output of 22,032 million cigarettes a year. In 1990, TTM was selected Outstanding Factory of the Year.
For several years running, TTM recorded revenues in excess of 20,000 million baht annually. Particularly in 1994, TTM turned in over 25 billion baht to the state coffer as revenue, with net profit being registered at close to 4.5 billion baht for the year.
TTM has targeted a 2 percent sales growth a year, and expanded its market to several countries. It is now engaged in a joint venture with a private concern to market its products in Vietnam.
TTM has been promoting productivity for tobacco planters by advocating the integrated production system. Under the system, the planters would cultivate, harvest, treat, store and select the products and sell them directly to TTM. By this method, the planters would be assured of market and price stability.