This report shows why Southeast Asian countries need to consider fresh taxation policies after many struggled to finance massive public expenditure programs to combat COVID-19.

The second in a four-part series, it considers the impact of the pandemic on countries including Cambodia and Thailand to lay out steps policymakers can take to create healthier fiscal spaces. It illustrates the challenges around informality, collection, and progressivity, and details quick-fix measures designed to increase revenues. It emphasizes how preventing fraud, taxing wealth, and introducing environmental levies can help reduce poverty, tackle inequality, and contribute toward more sustainable growth.