Personal Tax Refund Nightmares

[drbrit]

I am due a considerable personal tax refund from Revenue Dept.  

They used to provide you with a cheque, but no longer I am told, and this causes extreme headaches for foreigners.

So for refund methods:

* PromptPay - unfortunately they will only do PromptPay to a Thai national ID number, not a phone number. So that's a no-go.

* Pay into a KTB account - I don't have one

* Pay into a temporary KTB account and use a KTB e-cards to withdraw cash from an ATM - also a lot of hassle, but KTB say they have run out of e-cards anyway.

 

So it looks like the only way to get your money is go through many hours of time to prepare necessary docs and open a KTB account and transfer out if it.

 

Adding to this - I am told KTB also need to see both your yellow tax slip from when you filed and your Tax ID card.  Guess what, my tax ID card is from a very long time ago and they have since changed to a 13 digit scheme and I didn't get any new card for that.

 

This i clearly an nightmare hassle to get your refund.  

 

Anybody know anything more about this or have any suggestions?

 

 

[drbrit]

Seems I am not the only one who has encountered this.     The recommendation is to get the KTB e-wallet card.  BUT - they have none left (you may be lucky if you waste time trying many branches)

 

[asiaexpat]

Took the letter from the Revenue Department to my local KTB and easily got the e-wallet card. I immediately withdrew all of it at an ATM. Not a big deal.

[drbrit]

6 minutes ago, asiaexpat said:

Took the letter from the Revenue Department to my local KTB and easily got the e-wallet card. I immediately withdrew all of it at an ATM. Not a big deal.

When was this?  And what did you need to provide?   They are saying they need BOTH the tax ID card (Mine is lost) and the PND91 yellow slip.

Friend of mine has tried a number of branches and they have no e-wallet cards left

 

 

 

[topt]

3 hours ago, drbrit said:

They are saying they need BOTH the tax ID card (Mine is lost) and the PND91 yellow slip.

Either it has changed or yet another make the rules up as you go along. All you should need from memory is your passport and the letter from the tax office.

[asiaexpat]

15 hours ago, drbrit said:

When was this?  And what did you need to provide?   They are saying they need BOTH the tax ID card (Mine is lost) and the PND91 yellow slip.

Friend of mine has tried a number of branches and they have no e-wallet cards left

 

 

 

I did this in May. All that was needed was the letter (has ID number on it) and passport (also provided pink ID but not needed.)

[Hotrats]

Maybe you should try a different branch of KTB Bank. I got my refund in May from my local KTB branch. All I needed was my passport and the letter from the Revenue Department. They put the money onto the e-wallet card which I then withdrew from the ATM. Was told I can use the same e-wallet card next year. You are correct about Promptpay; I have Promptpay, but it was set up using my mobile phone number, not my ID number, so couldn't be used to receive my tax refund.  

[John9]

I live in Jomtein, received tax refund in post, same problem so I went to KTB Bank in Central Festival Pattaya. All they asked was my passport copy, Tax refund had my address, opened account and credited refund in my account. I agreed to open account and get ATM card thinking it will be convenient in future to deposit refund. Just maintain minimum balance if you do not want to operate continuously but do use it once/twice a year to continue.

[bronzedude]

Is this refund only for short term fixed accounts? Or is it for any savings account. I just received my mid year interest from Bangkok Bank and this is the first time they have recorded the withholding tax on the record.

[skatewash]

4 minutes ago, bronzedude said:

Is this refund only for short term fixed accounts? Or is it for any savings account. I just received my mid year interest from Bangkok Bank and this is the first time they have recorded the withholding tax on the record.

It's for any withheld interest regardless of the type of account.

[Baerboxer]

On 6/28/2019 at 5:17 PM, drbrit said:

When was this?  And what did you need to provide?   They are saying they need BOTH the tax ID card (Mine is lost) and the PND91 yellow slip.

Friend of mine has tried a number of branches and they have no e-wallet cards left

 

 

 

 

I went to the KTB branch at Fashion Island. Extremely helpful lady. They wanted copy passport for ID and the Tax ID card. Used the e-card to withdraw the money. Simple, quick and easy.

[exemplary21]

On 6/28/2019 at 8:38 PM, topt said:

Either it has changed or yet another make the rules up as you go along. All you should need from memory is your passport and the letter from the tax office.

 

It hasn't changed at all. Passport, letter and bankbook is all you need.

[yankee99]

I set up prompt pay with my phone and kasikorn online took 5 minutes 

[GreasyFingers]

Will be interesting to see what happens with my next refund if this is everywhere as I received a cheque this year. Maybe the pink ID card can be used for PromptPay.

The silly thing is Kasikorn will not deposit the cheque into my account but Krungsri will.

[Skeptic7]

Another money grab by the money grab experts! AND making it more and more difficult to get the refund is par for the Thai course, since if they gave a shit...this is the time they should be making it simpler, as many more will need to claim tax refund due to this silly new tax grab. Funny that this tax grab happening now...just as new Imm rules require big, long term money in the bank?  

[CMBob]

On 6/28/2019 at 6:09 AM, asiaexpat said:

Took the letter from the Revenue Department to my local KTB and easily got the e-wallet card. I immediately withdrew all of it at an ATM. Not a big deal.

Did the same thing in Chiangmai and, like you said, rather easy.  All they wanted to see was the letter from the Revenue Department and my passport (likely to simply verify I was the person mentioned in the tax refund letter).  Within 5 minutes or so, they gave me the card and I took it to their ATM machine and withdrew the money.  

I suppose it wouldn't have been so easy if the given KTB branch had none of the cards as I had no desire to open an account with KTB nor did I have Prompt Pay set up.

[mahjongguy]

2 hours ago, GreasyFingers said:

The silly thing is Kasikorn will not deposit the cheque into my account but Krungsri will.

But it's not a cheque, just a letter authorizing Krung Thai (not Krungsri) to pay you that amount. Krung Thai Bank (KTB) is state-owned so they were chosen to be the sole provider of this function..

[thaiowl]

I had two refunds due (from 2017 and 2018). I have a pink ID card and tried to set up PromptPay for my SCB account. However, because my passport number (not my Thai ID number) was registered with SCB at the time the account was opened, I could not open a PromptPay account with SCB. So I opened a KTB account and a PromptPay account using my Thai ID. The account opening process was pretty quick. The refund from 2017 was manually credited to my account and the refund from 2018 was automatically credited.

[moontang]

KTB has become the peasant bank.. However, the process was handled somewhat professional and easy.. Had to forfeit 30 THB, but next year I will add enough to make it a number divisible by 100.  

 

I was able to open the tax free account at cimb for those over 55, a one year fixed.. I knew she was going to say only for Thai peoples.. I told her to get on her phone, four calls and twenty minutes later, it was done.  The banks are huge feet shooters when it comes to dealing with expats, specifically retirees.  There is certainly a price to be paid for loss of confidence in them.  

Edited June 30, 2019 by moontang

[GreasyFingers]

10 hours ago, mahjongguy said:

But it's not a cheque, just a letter authorizing Krung Thai (not Krungsri) to pay you that amount. Krung Thai Bank (KTB) is state-owned so they were chosen to be the sole provider of this function..

Mate, it was a cheque.

[drbrit]

22 hours ago, yankee99 said:

I set up prompt pay with my phone and kasikorn online took 5 minutes 

Yes but unfortunately, The Revenue Department will not do PromptPay to any phone number.  Only to PromptPay linked to Thai National ID numbers (which is not possible for most farang)

[musicscene]

I have withholding tax taken from my BKB account. It’s not a lot but I am beginning to think that I should reclaim it. Can anybody explain what I need to do. I have a pink ID card. Many thanks 

[Pib]

7 minutes ago, musicscene said:

I have withholding tax taken from my BKB account. It’s not a lot but I am beginning to think that I should reclaim it. Can anybody explain what I need to do. I have a pink ID card. Many thanks 

In January 2020 go to you Bangkok Bank branch to get a tax withholding letter (it reports/confirms the amount of tax withholding for 2019).  Then take that letter along with your body and passport/pink ID card/etc., to your local tax revenue office between Jan-Mar 2020 (the normal tax filing window) to file for a tax refund.  You will get your tax ID number also issued at that time.  The tax revenue office will help you fill out the refund request...they'll probably fill out most of the forms for you and you just sign where they tell you to sign.  It not hard at all.

 

Now you could go to your local tax revenue office "now" just to get a Thai tax ID number issued.  Then provide the tax ID to your Bangkok Bank branch and that will stop the tax withholding for Bt20K or less interest earned per year.     

[skatewash]

14 minutes ago, musicscene said:

I have withholding tax taken from my BKB account. It’s not a lot but I am beginning to think that I should reclaim it. Can anybody explain what I need to do. I have a pink ID card. Many thanks 

First task is to find the location of your local Thai Revenue Department office.  The one I went to in Phuket was remarkably helpful, walking me through the steps to get a Tax ID and filling out the Personal Income Tax Return for me (a copy of which I saved so I could fill in the form myself -- only the amounts change from year to year).  Of course, I did this in January (January - March is the usual period for filing tax returns), but I imagine you could go apply for your Tax ID anytime of the year.

 

Come January you will need to visit your banks and obtain from them a statement of tax withheld for each account you have.  Take these to the Revenue Department office and they can help you enter them into a Personal Income Tax Return.  You file your return at the office.  Wait a few weeks (4-8) and you will get your refund check in the mail (used to be a check, but from reading the other replies in this thread it may now be a letter or voucher that you need to take to the Thai government owned bank to get your refund paid).

The first year is a big learning curve, but easy enough if you're able to get them to help you.  Following years are pretty easy, just a visit to your banks and one to the Revenue Department.  It's even possible to file online but you would need to be comfortable reading Thai or have a Thai help you with that.

Edited July 1, 2019 by skatewash
and Pib already answered the question in the time it took me to write this ;-)

[lelapin]

I visited my local office in Jomtien 8 weeks ago and followed the procedure outlined by other posts.

When I had heard nothing, I went along last week to check what was happening.

I was given a new form with questions about what government and private pensions I was receiving from England and whether I was paying any tax on them.

On completion I was told I will hear from them again soon.

I will not hold my breath.

Edited July 1, 2019 by lelapin

[mahjongguy]

Bookmark this link. It shows the status of your withholding refund, though you may need some Thai assistance. Use the link only in Microsoft Edge.

http://www.rd.go.th/publish/27942.0.html

[Wake Up]

11 hours ago, Pib said:

In January 2020 go to you Bangkok Bank branch to get a tax withholding letter (it reports/confirms the amount of tax withholding for 2019).  Then take that letter along with your body and passport/pink ID card/etc., to your local tax revenue office between Jan-Mar 2020 (the normal tax filing window) to file for a tax refund.  You will get your tax ID number also issued at that time.  The tax revenue office will help you fill out the refund request...they'll probably fill out most of the forms for you and you just sign where they tell you to sign.  It not hard at all.

 

Now you could go to your local tax revenue office "now" just to get a Thai tax ID number issued.  Then provide the tax ID to your Bangkok Bank branch and that will stop the tax withholding for Bt20K or less interest earned per year.     

Sometimes people post very helpful information for all to share. This is one of those posts. Thank you Pib. ????

[Sheryl]

On 6/30/2019 at 4:51 PM, yankee99 said:

I set up prompt pay with my phone and kasikorn online took 5 minutes 

 

Can you describe how?

 

I don't find anything on the K+ app menu

[YT3k72Em]

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

 

Can you describe how?

 

I don't find anything on the K+ app menu

Other Services. -> PromptPay

[Sheryl]

Other Services. -> PromptPay

Got it, thanks (I had not thought to open Banking first).

Did you do this using Thai ID card no? And have you since gotten tax refund?

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app