Thai taxation hell

[pepi2005]

I've just left the country for a few months (!), only to be 'welcomed' with remarkable 'late payment fines' because I didn't pay the land tax for my condos 'in time'.

 

Turns out, there is a physical LETTER dropped into postboxes containing a few non-trivial instructions on payment in Thai language (my wife had to handle it), but if you're out of the country of course you won't receive this letter and find yourself confronted with some severe financial punishment (I heard horror stories of condo owners who missed payment for longer than 1 year).

 

Isn't there any way to have these government offices send bills through email? That would be the minimum service one could expect for these quite remarkable and new money grabs. How do you guys handle that?

[OneMoreFarang]

In how many countries do the authorities send official correspondence and invoices per email?

 

You could ask someone to open your mailbox from time to time and scan the documents and send them to you. That's how people do that all over the world since many years.

 

And of course, official correspondence in Thailand will be in Thai language... 

[Orinoco]

You could  have visited the tax office before you left.

How much is the bill 1000-3000 bet not more ?

 

[Tom H]

You wont get a bill by email in your home country. And your home country would not translate a bill in Thai as well.????

[whereyougo]

I missed payment 6 months ago and paperwork lost. Its only 1000 baht. What horror stories you heard on such small amounts ?

[Orinoco]

5 minutes ago, whereyougo said:

I missed payment 6 months ago and paperwork lost. Its only 1000 baht. What horror stories you heard on such small amounts ?

Same,  was fined 400 baht back in January at city hall pattaya, big deal.

[sezze]

22 minutes ago, Tom H said:

You wont get a bill by email in your home country. And your home country would not translate a bill in Thai as well.????

If i want ( actually i have to say that i don't want ) they put all bills in my home country in a mailbox and don't send them by postal note . Won't be in Thai of course .

[pepi2005]

I have to admit I might have been pampered by my home country, where I can see all the blackmail money I owe to the state in an online interface and can pay off my debts directly.

 

Thanks for the input guys, I'll ask management to keep an eye on those letters! ????

[nigelforbes]

We never see a bill, just a direct debit receipt for each bill and it works like clockwork, electric, water, Social Security payment, Internet, mobiles, etc., We keep eight months of bill payment money in one account for this purpose plus we transfer X to that account each month to cover all payments, also by standing order. It's not rocket science, although it might be for some.

[scubascuba3]

29 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

We never see a bill, just a direct debit receipt for each bill and it works like clockwork, electric, water, Social Security payment, Internet, mobiles, etc., We keep eight months of bill payment money in one account for this purpose plus we transfer X to that account each month to cover all payments, also by standing order. It's not rocket science, although it might be for some.

but he was asking about the property tax?

[nigelforbes]

4 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

but he was asking about the property tax?

No different, put it on a direct debit!

[scubascuba3]

2 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

No different, put it on a direct debit!

you have yours on direct debit?

[nigelforbes]

4 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

you have yours on direct debit?

We have a house, we don't pay condo tax, oddly! But I did just pay my annual health insurance invoice to CIGNA the same way though if that's where you're headed. 

 

Also, my bank, UOB, let's me set up payments in advance for the entire year, they can be random or recuring monthly, the customer sets the amount and the month. As long as the bank knows the payee details, it can easily be done.

Edited November 7, 2022 by nigelforbes

[In Full Agreement]

2 hours ago, Orinoco said:

Same,  was fined 400 baht back in January at city hall pattaya, big deal.

 

Some people make out like 50 baht is a fortune.

 

[ChaiyaTH]

3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

In how many countries do the authorities send official correspondence and invoices per email?

Ehmmm most western european countries, estonia, soon also others.

 

 

Anyway, to the OP, for these issues you can use the 'calendar' function on your phone too. If you have many properties there are serviced address services too that could scan or psychically forward mail.

Doubt you would get this issue by being a few weeks late, just you to blame here.

Edited November 7, 2022 by ChaiyaTH

[HauptmannUK]

What condo tax is this?  My wife owns a condo we use part of the year and a couple she rents out to Thais. Also two houses in Udon.  I've only ever known her pay the condo common fees - no government taxes....?

[Sparktrader]

2 hours ago, Tom H said:

You wont get a bill by email in your home country. And your home country would not translate a bill in Thai as well.????

You can pay house rates online.

[scubascuba3]

27 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

We have a house, we don't pay condo tax, oddly! But I did just pay my annual health insurance invoice to CIGNA the same way though if that's where you're headed. 

 

Also, my bank, UOB, let's me set up payments in advance for the entire year, they can be random or recuring monthly, the customer sets the amount and the month. As long as the bank knows the payee details, it can easily be done.

It's a property tax not just condos, if you haven't received a bill probably you'll get a backdated one plus charges

[nigelforbes]

42 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

It's a property tax not just condos, if you haven't received a bill probably you'll get a backdated one plus charges

Owner occupied house are exempt from property tax, I'm pretty sure. https://www.tilleke.com/insights/new-land-and-building-tax-act-thailand/

 

The tax on houses applies only to those valued over THB 50 mill, we're just a little bit under that figure, only by about THB 45 million, phew, close shave that.

Edited November 7, 2022 by nigelforbes

[scubascuba3]

1 hour ago, nigelforbes said:

Owner occupied house are exempt from property tax, I'm pretty sure. https://www.tilleke.com/insights/new-land-and-building-tax-act-thailand/

 

The tax on houses applies only to those valued over THB 50 mill, we're just a little bit under that figure, only by about THB 45 million, phew, close shave that.

Only if it's your sole property in wife's name, if company name you have to pay, plenty of threads on it

[nigelforbes]

14 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Only if it's your sole property in wife's name, if company name you have to pay, plenty of threads on it

It is and it is......buying a house in a company name is illegal and which idiot would do that. Plenty of threads on that too.

[Tom H]

Which country is that where you get your “admin” bill by an email?

Edited November 8, 2022 by Tom H