Thai Property Tax Proposal Reviewed

[thaiwanderer]

Property taxes should be updated if only for the sake of revenue.

The system of 'assessed values' should be accurate - fancifully discounted currently.

Special provisions should be included to make aliens pay a high premium for having property in the Kingdom (usual dual pricing boo/horay discussion may arise from that but equality for aliens is not and should never be a high priority for the Thai giovernment).

Edited February 15, 2009 by thaiwanderer

[brahmburgers]

I am against this tax.

Being taxed on what you earn is more equitable than on an assessed value of what you own. It is the same as being taxed on non-realized profits, which is deeply "not right".

Also the crown would be exempt *frown* - talk about wealth redistribution...

If they pass this law, it will be a step more towards transforming the Thai society into a western sweatshop. Many will be forced to sell, of which many will probably not buy another property.

Thailand must avoid to become another "squeeze the max out" society, western style. Rents and Debts are tools for sqeezing out the poor... And property tax the best way to ensure they pay rent and alienate their time and freedom to be forced to work for a salary...

Of course, the prices will then rise further and better infrastructure, etc. will be built, the gdp will rise, people will work more... but this leads nowhere.

I hope they say no.

I am generally in favor of property tax. There must be a fair way to tax the rich who secure large and/or valuable tracts of land - much of it fallow farm land - and who wind up paying little or no taxes. In my region of northern Thailand, there are hundreds of such properties, and I doubt the cumulative taxes paid by absentee wealthy landowners is fifty satang. Perhaps the downside of such property taxes is that poor property owners would be compelled to pay taxes they honestly can't afford. Can legislation be enacted that taxes the wealthy and gives needed breaks to the poor (who reside on and/or farm the land)? - probably not.

Regardless of the way the new tax reform is drafted, the wealthy will find ways to wheedle out of paying it - as they always do. In the final analysis, the poor will continue being poor and the wealthy will continue slipping by their obligations. Thai authorities are loathe to bring any Thai VIP's to task - regardless of how culpable the VIP appears to be in a given situation.

Edited March 19, 2009 by brahmburgers

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

I see nothing wrong with a reasonable tax on property, as the government has to get money to support new and repairing old infrastructure. Where are they suppose to get the money if they need a new reservoir or a road improvement.

As far as some of the poor senors could not afford it, they can adjust the law to reduce or eliminate the tax for the destitute.

They have got along fine without it is a pretty feeble excuse for not needing it now. If you want to continue to have services you need to be willing to pay your fair share.