No More Tax Refund Checks?

[Jadam]

The revenue department has begun sending people letters stating that they will no longer issue checks to refund overpaid income tax.  The options that they are giving to receive a refund are:

1.  Use "Prompt Pay" (last time I checked you need a Thai ID card to apply)
2.  Open a bank account at Krungthai bank to have it deposited

3.  Use Krungthai bank e-Money or e-Wallet (which I would assume also require having a Krungthai account).

 

So basically if I want my refund I'm obligated to open yet another bank account with that specific bank and pay the associated fees.

 

I can understand the need to save money by not cutting checks (it is costly to issue millions of checks every year) but why not offer to transfer to another bank?  I would be happy to pay a 30 baht fee for the revenue department to deposit my refund in my existing bank account.  

In my opinion, there is no incentive for them to make it easy for people to get their refund; if the process is too difficult, some people won't bother to get small refunds and the money will remain in the revenue department coffers!

[briley]

I applied for my refund last month as was told I would get a letter that I take to Krungthai bank who will give me a card to withdraw the money from the ATM. Does sound a little convoluted ......................

 

I actually have got Prompt Pay but the person at the office said I could not use it - I think because she said only Khun Thai could have prompt pay!

[Bert got kinky]

Hi Jadam,

 

I have just been through this process (last week) and it was surprisingly easy.

I went to my local Krungthai bank, gave them my tax refund letter, passport & work permit and about 10 minutes later they issued me with a ‘PromtCard & PIN.

No new bank account needed & I have never had a Krungthai account.

 

The money was in the ‘PromtCard’ account and I was able to draw it straight away.

I did leave some of the refund in the account to keep the ‘PromtCard’ open for next year’s refund.

 

One important detail about the ‘PromtCard’, it can only be used in a Krungthai ATM.

 

Hope that this helps.

[briley]

So Prompt Pay and Prompt Card may sound the same but they are not actually the same thing?

 

Waiting for my letter, due any time now.

[Bert got kinky]

32 minutes ago, briley said:

So Prompt Pay and Prompt Card may sound the same but they are not actually the same thing?

 

Waiting for my letter, due any time now.

 

So Prompt Pay and Prompt Card may sound the same but they are not actually the same thing?

That appears to be the case.

From what I can find on the web, ‘PromptCard’ is Krungthai whereas ‘PromptPay’ is Siam Commercial Bank.

 

Attached scan of my card (w/o acc #) shows the difference in the ‘PromptCard’ & ‘PromptPay’ logos.

 

 

 

[briley]

I have PromptPay with Bangkok Bank - I am under the impression it works with all banks and anyone who wants payments made through that system.

 

Sounds like Income tax is using a special thing through Krungthai bank.

[Crossy]

30 minutes ago, briley said:

I have PromptPay with Bangkok Bank - I am under the impression it works with all banks and anyone who wants payments made through that system.

 

Madam got her refund via PromptPay to her SCB account.

 

I have PP with Bangkok Bank too. It seems that foreigners can only register one PP account (using your mobile number) whereas the locals can have many using their ID card number, not sure about foreigners with ID cards.

 

[Crossy]

58 minutes ago, Bert got kinky said:

From what I can find on the web, ‘PromptCard’ is Krungthai whereas ‘PromptPay’ is Siam Commercial Bank.

 

My SCB debit card has the PromptCard logo.

 

PromptPay is a government initiative that's supposed to make inter-bank transfers seamless.

[topt]

3 hours ago, Jadam said:

3.  Use Krungthai bank e-Money or e-Wallet (which I would assume also require having a Krungthai account).

 

So basically if I want my refund I'm obligated to open yet another bank account with that specific bank and pay the associated fees.

No you don't need a Krungthai account and as others have said easy to take even small amounts of money out once you have the e-card - as long as you have a KT bank near you.......

 

Been mentioned in 3 or 4 previous threads that I am aware of -

 

[NiwPix]

I went through this a couple weeks ago.

supposedly my accountant selected promptpay transfer ( she asked for my promptpay number and said the refund should arrive in my bank account “soon” ). Well, about 2 weeks later I received a check in the mail for my refund. And had to go to a KT Bank. Went to the one at central. Took about 1.5 hours until the teller figured out how to give Khun farang his money without him opening up another account.

as others have mentioned, I also got the prompt card. Was immediately able to withdraw the “entire” amount. 

Minimum denomination is 100 baht. My refund was xx,x25 baht. Wasn’t able to withdraw 25 nor 20 baht. Teller said I could load up another 75 baht and then withdraw 100. I declined. Was afraid to have to wait forever....for 25 baht.

I hope next year i get it via promptpay :)

[CMBob]

The new system is a bit weird (in the past, I either received a check in the mail or, more recently, a direct deposit into my SCB account) but it sorta works with a couple of minor hiccups.  As some have noted, you don't have to open up an account at that bank (I didn't), they'll give (no charge) you an e-money card loaded with your refund amount, and you simply take the e-money card and insert it into one of their ATM machines and withdraw the funds.  The two minor hiccups:

(1)  I'm not totally ignorant but I simply couldn't figure out how to use the e-money card on the Krungthai ATM machine.  I went back into the bank, told them my problem, received a few rolled eyes (meaning I got that "geez, he's gotta be pretty dumb" look), and then a teller came out and showed me how to withdraw the funds.  I'd note....with some glee....that it took the teller several attempts to make it work (hmmm.....guess I wasn't so lame after all...haha). 

(2)  If your refund doesn't exactly end in a round number based on 10 or 20, you're going to lose the odd change. My refund happened to be 4,208.18 baht and the teller explained to me that it was impossible to ever obtain the 8.18 via an e-money card and the ATM machine.  A minor irritation....mainly because the bank will ultimately keep that amount...that I presume only affects those (like me) that don't have or want a Krungthai bank account.

[bbz404]

19 hours ago, Jadam said:

The revenue department has begun sending people letters stating that they will no longer issue checks to refund overpaid income tax.  The options that they are giving to receive a refund are:

1.  Use "Prompt Pay" (last time I checked you need a Thai ID card to apply)
2.  Open a bank account at Krungthai bank to have it deposited

3.  Use Krungthai bank e-Money or e-Wallet (which I would assume also require having a Krungthai account).

 

So basically if I want my refund I'm obligated to open yet another bank account with that specific bank and pay the associated fees.

 

Already been through this as well. I took the chance to open a savings account with KrungThai. Helps in tax refunds and you can pay your speeding tickets through the mobile app without any additional fees.

 

Also, savings accounts are free. There are no "associated fees".

 

[Cheops]

On 3/11/2019 at 3:22 PM, Bert got kinky said:

gave them my tax refund letter

What is this letter?

 

The status of my tax refund shows that payment is in progress and that I need to register for Promptpay or something, but I didn't receive any letter yet.(see screenshot)

 

Do you think I can just take a print out of my filed tax refund and go to Krungthai bank to make such a E wallet card? 

 

Or should the status progress to the last step (1 more) and they will send me that tax refund letter? 

[Bert got kinky]

TBH, I’m not sure of what the process is to get the letter and unfortunately I no longer have a copy of the letter to show to you.

My company’s HR manager handles my tax returns/claims and she gave me the letter after she had done all of the hard work.

She did inform me that she did have to phone the tax office and chase them up and later that week we got the letter.

 

 

Edited March 13, 2019 by Bert got kinky

[Cheops]

4 hours ago, Bert got kinky said:

TBH, I’m not sure of what the process is to get the letter and unfortunately I no longer have a copy of the letter to show to you.

My company’s HR manager handles my tax returns/claims and she gave me the letter after she had done all of the hard work.

She did inform me that she did have to phone the tax office and chase them up and later that week we got the letter.

 

 

This morning I went to Krungthai bank and I asked them the process.

They said they needed the letter which has a barcode which they need to transfer the money in the E-wallet card. 

The woman at the bank was very helpful and asked the status of my tax refund after which I showed above message.

She then called the tax office for me and asked the actual status.

Seems the tax office just sent the needed letter with barcode today, so I expect I get it friday.

The woman at Krungthai was very helpful.

 

I still couldn't find this exact process on the Tax office website though ????

Maybe it's somewhere, but I didn't find it so far. I just found out how to do through this forum-thread.

[orientalist]

On 3/11/2019 at 3:01 PM, briley said:

I applied for my refund last month as was told I would get a letter that I take to Krungthai bank who will give me a card to withdraw the money from the ATM. Does sound a little convoluted ......................

 

I actually have got Prompt Pay but the person at the office said I could not use it - I think because she said only Khun Thai could have prompt pay!

 

From what people have said in other threads, the Tax Dept will only do a Promptpay  refund to foreigners if they have Promptpay based on a Thai ID (through having a tabien baan). They ignored my phone-based Promptpay last year - without telling me why - and sent a cheque after 45 days. This year I am trying again with my Thai ID.

[HampiK]

2 hours ago, orientalist said:

 

From what people have said in other threads, the Tax Dept will only do a Promptpay  refund to foreigners if they have Promptpay based on a Thai ID (through having a tabien baan). They ignored my phone-based Promptpay last year - without telling me why - and sent a cheque after 45 days. This year I am trying again with my Thai ID.

You were able to register your Promptpay with your ID from Tambien (6...) ?

[asiaexpat]

I have a Pink Thai ID and Yellow Tabien Baan which shows my ID number. That number was used to file tax report but PromptPay registration would not accept that number. Could not register.

[AGareth2]

On 3/11/2019 at 2:02 PM, Jadam said:

3.  Use Krungthai bank e-Money or e-Wallet (which I would assume also require having a Krungthai account).

no need to have an account

I went and got a prepaid card and went outside to the ATM and cleared it out 

[orientalist]

22 hours ago, HampiK said:

You were able to register your Promptpay with your ID from Tambien (6...) ?

Yes, in my case it is a blue tabien baan and my ID begins with 8 because I have PR. I believe the ID begins with 6 if you have the yellow one. But this number must be already on file with your bank.

 

[orientalist]

10 hours ago, asiaexpat said:

I have a Pink Thai ID and Yellow Tabien Baan which shows my ID number. That number was used to file tax report but PromptPay registration would not accept that number. Could not register.

The trick is your bank must have your Thai ID on file. I was knocked back by K-bank but had no problem with CIMB because I had used my tabien baan to open the account with them. With Thanachart, when I opened my e-savings account I asked them to link it to a Promptpay based on my Thai ID. I subsequently changed that to Promptpay using my phone number when I registered at CIMB.

 

I think you'll need to talk your bank into putting your tabien baan on file as well as your passport.

[orientalist]

On 3/13/2019 at 7:19 PM, orientalist said:

 

From what people have said in other threads, the Tax Dept will only do a Promptpay  refund to foreigners if they have Promptpay based on a Thai ID (through having a tabien baan). They ignored my phone-based Promptpay last year - without telling me why - and sent a cheque after 45 days. This year I am trying again with my Thai ID.

Well, it didn't work. After 2 months they just sent me a Kor 21 letter that I have to take to Krungthai Bank.

 

I suspect the problem is that my tax ID is not the same as my Thai ID. I've had the tax ID for 35 years. When I got PR the tax IDs had not yet been switched to match national ID. When that happened, there was no mechanism in place for me to switch, so it never happened. I guess I would have to go and request the change at the central Tax Office. Not sure I can be bothered.

[scoutman360]

I got my refund put on a Krungthai Prompt Card, thanks to the recommendations on this thread. However, it didn't go easily.

 

The first branch told me that they don't issue Prompt Card and sent me to another branch. The next branch insisted I show them a copy of my "Tax ID Card" which I don't have and never had (although I do have a tax ID number). Then, finally, the 3rd branch copied my passport and work permit and in 15 minutes I walked out with my new Prompt Card.

 

I have since depleted the card and deposited all the cash into my Bangkok Bank savings account. Nothing is simple around here.

Edited June 18, 2019 by scoutman360

[hodgefw]

18 hours ago, scoutman360 said:

Then, finally, the 3rd branch copied my passport and work permit and in 15 minutes I walked out with my new Prompt Card.

If you don't mind my asking, where was this? I'm in Bangkok and running into a similar issue.

 

The Krung Thai branch in Empire tower wanted my Tax ID card (worked here a long time, never had one). I think I will check the Silom complex next (I work in Sathorn). I have the paperwork, my passport, my work permit(which is linked to my Tax ID#), I know my Tax ID#, but still no luck at the first place I checked.

 

Thanks for verifying that some will work without a physical Tax ID Card.

Edited June 19, 2019 by hodgefw

[YT3k72Em]

I used the Krung Thai headquarters in Ploen Chit. They put it into by KTB account with no id necessary.

I brought my passport just in case, but since the name on the letter matched the name on the account that was good enough.

[scoutman360]

On ‎6‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 11:38 AM, hodgefw said:

If you don't mind my asking, where was this? I'm in Bangkok and running into a similar issue.

 

The Krung Thai branch in Empire tower wanted my Tax ID card (worked here a long time, never had one). I think I will check the Silom complex next (I work in Sathorn). I have the paperwork, my passport, my work permit(which is linked to my Tax ID#), I know my Tax ID#, but still no luck at the first place I checked.

 

Thanks for verifying that some will work without a physical Tax ID Card.

 

Siam Square branch.

 

[YT3k72Em]

Has anyone ever seen a Tax ID card?  any links to a picture of one? I'd be interested to see what they look like.

[HampiK]

5 hours ago, YT3k72Em said:

Has anyone ever seen a Tax ID card?  any links to a picture of one? I'd be interested to see what they look like.

 

The size is about similar size as an ID card. above you see front and back of the card. It's made of paper, so nothing special. But TAX revenue office told also can use the Pink ID, as the number on both are the same for me.

Edited June 21, 2019 by HampiK