Advice request on where and how to get a TIN, Chiang Rai area

[localexpat]

Hello

 

My overseas bank just sent me a letter advising me they need me to supply a TIN for Thailand, it is an international requirement.

 

I live on the ourskirts of Chiang Rai.

 

Could anyone please advise me where the Tax Office is in Chiang Rai.

 

Also if anyone has had any experience on obtaining a TIN, document requirement etc.

 

For Document the only one I seem to struggle with is proof of residence, I stay with my girlfriend at her house.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Cheers

[freeworld]

There are many tax offices, select the one nearest you https://www.rd.go.th/13846.html

 

Proof of residence for who, the bank asking or the tax office?

[IvorBiggun2]

Quote

In Thailand, foreign individual is required to obtain a Tax Identification Number (TIN) before they can pay personal income tax. This TIN is a unique identifier assigned by the Thai Revenue Department to each taxpayer, and it is used to track and manage tax obligations and payments.

 

[NorthernRyland]

Why does your bank care about taxes in Thailand? It's not their business where you're residing. 

[freeworld]

18 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

Why does your bank care about taxes in Thailand? It's not their business where you're residing. 

CRS The bank abroad is not interested in his taxes, they are requesting his TIN for their compliance.

[NorthernRyland]

24 minutes ago, freeworld said:

CRS The bank abroad is not interested in his taxes, they are requesting his TIN for their compliance.

What country is this? Maybe he's opting to pay taxes in Thailand instead of his home country? 

[IvorBiggun2]

1 hour ago, NorthernRyland said:

Why does your bank care about taxes in Thailand? It's not their business where you're residing. 

Yes it is . 

 

Quote

By law we have to maintain and report tax information about our customers.

 

[NorthernRyland]

13 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

Yes it is . 

 

 

What country is this? has Thailand requested that all banks must request a TIN for their customers?

[freeworld]

1 hour ago, NorthernRyland said:

What country is this? Maybe he's opting to pay taxes in Thailand instead of his home country? 

He mentions a bank abroad (most countries have signed up to CRS)

 

Maybe hes opting to pay taxes in Thailand or home country - That's not a choice, he would have to follow the law and treaties. If hes using an address in Thailand then the bank abroad assume he is resident in Thailand for tax and are now asking for his tax number (and perhaps the proof of address he mentioned in the OP)

 

It is a big business for Tax authorities and those contracting for the govt.

https://www.ey.com/en_us/tax/how-financial-institutions-can-stay-crs-compliant

[freeworld]

27 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

What country is this? has Thailand requested that all banks must request a TIN for their customers?

OP mentions a bank abroad which is now requesting his TIN, Thailand requested nothing.

 

[sometimewoodworker]

26 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

What country is this? has Thailand requested that all banks must request a TIN for their customers?

it is not Thailand that is making the request its the overseas bank and yes all overseas banks have or will ask this. 

For Thailand they do not require citizens or others to have a TIN, However you are required to pay tax if it is due, the fact that the Thai revenue department will basically ignore the 50% of the population who have so little liability making them file returns is of no revenue benefit is Thai a demonstration of pragmatism of saving money in enforcement and work for the RD.

[NorthernRyland]

4 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

it is not Thailand that is making the request its the overseas bank and yes all overseas banks have or will ask this. 

For Thailand they do not require citizens or others to have a TIN, However you are required to pay tax if it is due, the fact that the Thai revenue department will basically ignore the 50% of the population who have so little liability making them file returns is of no revenue benefit is Thai a demonstration of pragmatism of saving money in enforcement and work for the RD.

This must be Europe because I've never heard of this in the US. I don't see how it's any business of the bank where I reside X number of months per year and don't think US banks even concern themselves with taxes. Europeans always they say the left because it was nanny state, maybe this  is what they're talking about? 😂

[CharlesHolzhauer]

1 hour ago, NorthernRyland said:

What country is this?

The countries signed up to CRS

1 hour ago, NorthernRyland said:

Maybe he's opting to pay taxes in Thailand instead of his home country? 

If you are a tax resident of a country other than [your home country], provide the tax identification number (TIN) or equivalent. A TIN is the number assigned by each country for the purposes of administering tax laws.

If a TIN is not provided, list one of the three reasons specified (A, B or C) for not providing a TIN.
In the case of Reason B, provide an explanation why the TIN could not be obtained.

Reason A - The country of tax residency does not issue TINs to tax residents
Reason B - The individual or entity has not been issued with a TIN
Reason C - The country of tax residency does not require the TIN to be disclosed

If the individual or the entity are a tax resident of more than one other country, list all relevant countries.

 

You will receive annual inquiries from financial institutions until you either obtain a TIN or, in some cases, close your account.

[freeworld]

10 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

This must be Europe because I've never heard of this in the US. I don't see how it's any business of the bank where I reside X number of months per year and don't think US banks even concern themselves with taxes. Europeans always they say the left because it was nanny state, maybe this  is what they're talking about? 😂

The US has FATCA

[NorthernRyland]

1 minute ago, CharlesHolzhauer said:

If you are a tax resident of a country other than [your home country], provide the tax identification number (TIN) or equivalent. A TIN is the number assigned by each country for the purposes of administering tax laws.

If a TIN is not provided, list one of the three reasons specified (A, B or C) for not providing a TIN.
In the case of Reason B, provide an explanation why the TIN could not be obtained.

Reason A - The country of tax residency does not issue TINs to tax residents
Reason B - The individual or entity has not been issued with a TIN
Reason C - The country of tax residency does not require the TIN to be disclosed

If the individual or the entity are a tax resident of more than one other country, list all relevant countries.

 

You will receive annual inquiries from financial institutions until you either obtain a TIN or, in some cases, close your account.

 

I don't know which countries these are but do you mean all the retirees from those countries have requested TIN's since years ago? I never heard about this until now and all this tax talk came up. 

 

[NorthernRyland]

2 minutes ago, freeworld said:

The US has FATCA

ok that makes sense they want foreign banks to report them so they can tax their citizens but why banks want some tax number in another country makes no sense to me unless they're planning on telling Thailand about your deposits and help Thailand tax you.

[CharlesHolzhauer]

3 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

I don't know which countries these are but do you mean all the retirees from those countries have requested TIN's since years ago? I never heard about this until now and all this tax talk came up.

You could find the countries in the Wiki publications. I don't know if all retirees have requested a TIN but I have one. I heard about this long before the tax talk came up.

[CharlesHolzhauer]

5 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

but why banks want some tax number in another country makes no sense to me

CRS

[freeworld]

8 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

ok that makes sense they want foreign banks to report them so they can tax their citizens but why banks want some tax number in another country makes no sense to me unless they're planning on telling Thailand about your deposits and help Thailand tax you.

Not because they want Thailand to tax you. The OECD countries are the instigator of this and want all financial information transparent to tax authorities to ensure taxes are being paid according to the law and they have some control over this to reduce money laundering and tax evasion.

[Yorkshire Tea]

5 hours ago, localexpat said:

My overseas bank just sent me a letter advising me they need me to supply a TIN for Thailand, it is an international requirement.

 

so far my banks have accepted a declaration that no TIN is needed.

"not required to be registered for tax in Thailand".  

[sometimewoodworker]

2 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

This must be Europe because I've never heard of this in the US. I don't see how it's any business of the bank where I reside X number of months per year and don't think US banks even concern themselves with taxes. Europeans always they say the left because it was nanny state, maybe this  is what they're talking about? 😂

Well every Thai bank will require you to file a statement that you are or are not a US taxpayer (all us citizens are) because of the reporting requirements of the worldwide reach of the US tax authorities, so you haven’t heard of it for the US because you are already being reported by the Thai banks.

[IvorBiggun2]

3 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

What country is this? has Thailand requested that all banks must request a TIN for their customers?

As far as I know it's currently the UK. I received a request, written in red, saying urgent requirement to provide a 'TIN' number. I don't know what one is so I sit and wait.

[NorthernRyland]

3 hours ago, freeworld said:

Not because they want Thailand to tax you. The OECD countries are the instigator of this and want all financial information transparent to tax authorities to ensure taxes are being paid according to the law and they have some control over this to reduce money laundering and tax evasion.

I guess I don't understand what the  IN is. I thought it was used for only filing taxes in Thailand. I can understand them wanting to know about your overseas bank accounts but anything to do with taxes in Thailand doesn't make sense, unless they allow you to pay taxes in Thailand and not to them.

 

I think in the US if you're not present 11 months or something you can file in another country but you can't pay less then you would owe to the US government. Some crap like that.

[localexpat]

Hello

 

Many thanks to all who contributed to my question concerning TIN.

 

Let me answer a couple of questions raised.

 

Why do I need a TIN : My Bank of 40 years in Europe area sent me reminder letter based on my address with them in Thailand asking me to supply them with a Thailand TIN.

 

Why do they need it : It is a Legal requirement for Banks in Europe, UK, Switzerland etc to  have their clients advise them of their TIN for their country of residence. If they cannot obtain it from their client after some warnings accounts are suspended and then cancelled.

 

Did I get my TIN : Yes, this morning from Chiang Rai revenue office, very helpful staff, needed copy passport, bank book, blue house book of my girlfriend. Amazingly they came back after a few minutes to tell me I already had  a TIN from some work I did in Thailand 30 to 40 years ago. This was before the age of computers so their record keeping is excellent. They updated my address and corrected my originally recorded date of birth. They gave me my upto date TIN document, laminated. No charge. Excellent. So my Europe bank sorted and I can used my Laminated TIN for proof of address etc.

 

I also know to open a bank in UK now besides proof of address they with ask you for a TIN, failure to supply they will not allow a new Bank Account.

 

Hope this helps

 

Regards

[Andycoops]

It is my understanding that the Thai revenue department have a tax office in the local Amphur offices, usually in the same building as the one that issues ID cards, in my experience.

[SiSePuede419]

Here's the shocking part...

Banks have no idea what country you live in, full or part time.

Banks only know your declared "street address" and your declared "mailing address".

If either of those is in Thailand, then the Bank knows you live in Thailand.

Otherwise, they have no idea.

You could be making money in Bangkok hand over fist in your phone scam.

Your phone scam company could be issuing you W-2 or 1099 income statements, your Bank will never know.

Because your Bank only knows what you tell them.

You're welcome.

Any more questions, feel free to ask. 👈

[Surasak]

1 hour ago, Andycoops said:

It is my understanding that the Thai revenue department have a tax office in the local Amphur offices, usually in the same building as the one that issues ID cards, in my experience.

That is for local business/property tax, not income.

[wardje]

I had the question from my Belgian bank to provide a TIN number in the country of residence (Thailand).

I was in the Revenue office (in Korat) yesterday, have to go back today with some paperwork.

 

I will give an update on what they need and how long it takes.

 

[Lacessit]

The tax office is in Uttarakit Road, Chiang Rai.

[wardje]

Update on my previous post

 

For the Korat office Region 2 in the city:

 

Documents needed:

-Passport face page, visa page and pages with entry stamps since the last 180 days

-completed application form

-Some proof of income, in my case statements from the Thai bank for the last 3 months with highlight of incoming funds

 

15 minutes later I walked out with the Tax Identification Card, which has the TIN number on it.

 

Completed the document from the Belgian bank, made a scan of the card and sent all by email to the Belgian bank. Done..