Finance Ministry Probes Alleged Tax Avoidance By Santika Pub

[george]

Finance Ministry probes alleged tax avoidance by Santika Pub

BANGKOK: -- The Finance Ministry has launched a probe into taxes paid by bosses of the Santika pub, which was destroyed in a fire on New Year's Day that killed 64 people.

The move could lead to legal changes if the government moves to stop people taking advantage of a loophole in current laws and collect more tax.

Deputy Finance Minister Pruekthichai Damrongrut set up a committee Thursday to determine if bosses of the notorious nightclub sought to evade paying tax.

He said the committee should come up with conclusions within 15 days and the fact finding would be used to close a loophole in excise tax laws in case entertainment operators seek to utilise that weakness in the legislation.

-- The Nation 2009-02-12

[skippybangkok]

Finance Ministry probes alleged tax avoidance by Santika Pub

BANGKOK: -- The Finance Ministry has launched a probe into taxes paid by bosses of the Santika pub, which was destroyed in a fire on New Year's Day that killed 64 people.

The move could lead to legal changes if the government moves to stop people taking advantage of a loophole in current laws and collect more tax.

Deputy Finance Minister Pruekthichai Damrongrut set up a committee Thursday to determine if bosses of the notorious nightclub sought to evade paying tax.

He said the committee should come up with conclusions within 15 days and the fact finding would be used to close a loophole in excise tax laws in case entertainment operators seek to utilise that weakness in the legislation.

-- The Nation 2009-02-12

Seems everyone trying to get their share of the pie now...... sad.

[noahvail]

Finance Ministry probes alleged tax avoidance by Santika Pub

BANGKOK: -- The Finance Ministry has launched a probe into taxes paid by bosses of the Santika pub, which was destroyed in a fire on New Year's Day that killed 64 people.

The move could lead to legal changes if the government moves to stop people taking advantage of a loophole in current laws and collect more tax.

Deputy Finance Minister Pruekthichai Damrongrut set up a committee Thursday to determine if bosses of the notorious nightclub sought to evade paying tax.

He said the committee should come up with conclusions within 15 days and the fact finding would be used to close a loophole in excise tax laws in case entertainment operators seek to utilise that weakness in the legislation.

-- The Nation 2009-02-12

I'm confused. They can't be charging them with tax avoidance, can they? I thought avoidance was legal, and that evasion was illegal. Well, maybe they can charge them with both.

[IMA_FARANG]

Finance Ministry probes alleged tax avoidance by Santika Pub

BANGKOK: -- The Finance Ministry has launched a probe into taxes paid by bosses of the Santika pub, which was destroyed in a fire on New Year's Day that killed 64 people.

The move could lead to legal changes if the government moves to stop people taking advantage of a loophole in current laws and collect more tax.

Deputy Finance Minister Pruekthichai Damrongrut set up a committee Thursday to determine if bosses of the notorious nightclub sought to evade paying tax.

He said the committee should come up with conclusions within 15 days and the fact finding would be used to close a loophole in excise tax laws in case entertainment operators seek to utilise that weakness in the legislation.

-- The Nation 2009-02-12

Oh yeah, sure,

I wonder if they know who the real owners are?

Wasn't one of the "owners" found to be parking cars? At least his name was on documents showing he was one of the "owners" wasn't it?

I think we all know that in Thailand the real owners will be influential people with financial and political clout. And they don't pay taxes. They are above that, or so they feel.

For that reason, I expect the "investigation" to fizzle out quietly.

I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think so.

In this case I would love to be proved wrong.

[Thai at Heart]

Not a great start when they aren't even sure whether they evaded or avoided tax.

[Old Man River]

Finance Ministry probes alleged tax avoidance by Santika Pub

BANGKOK: -- The Finance Ministry has launched a probe into taxes paid by bosses of the Santika pub, which was destroyed in a fire on New Year's Day that killed 64 people.

The move could lead to legal changes if the government moves to stop people taking advantage of a loophole in current laws and collect more tax.

Deputy Finance Minister Pruekthichai Damrongrut set up a committee Thursday to determine if bosses of the notorious nightclub sought to evade paying tax.

He said the committee should come up with conclusions within 15 days and the fact finding would be used to close a loophole in excise tax laws in case entertainment operators seek to utilise that weakness in the legislation.

-- The Nation 2009-02-12

I'm confused. They can't be charging them with tax avoidance, can they? I thought avoidance was legal, and that evasion was illegal. Well, maybe they can charge them with both.

Good catch. I doubt the newspaper reporters know the difference.

[fobuff]

Tax avoidance in Thailand... You have got to be kidding me,,,

:D

Fobuff

[samgrowth]

Tax avoidance in Thailand... You have got to be kidding me,,,

Fobuff

On this subject, just ask Thaksin.

[dee123]

TAX AVOIDENCE!!!!! IF IT WERE NOT SO TRAGIC IT WOULD BE HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!! the "backhander" must have allready changed hands!!

Edited February 13, 2009 by dee123

[Insight]

^ Some "backhander" must of occurred for this one to happen:

SANTIKA PUB FIRE

DSI not given Santika inferno case

By The Nation

Published on February 19, 2009

The Special Cases Committee yesterday did not order the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to look into the Santika Pub fire as expected, but instead gave it the job of looking allegations of there being a humantrafficking gang behind the influx of Rohingya boat people.

Deputy PM Suthep Thaugsuban presided over the committee's monthly meeting yesterday, at which they considered 21 cases proposed for the DSI to take over. The cases include the Santika Pub inferno, the Rohingya people, the 6,000rai encroachment in Ratchaburi's Suan Phung district and the 253rai encroachment in Kamphaeng Phet province's Mae Raka national forest reserve. At the meeting, DSI also reported investigation results in 502 cases, of which 353 have been completed, while 149 are still continuing.

At the meeting, the panel only handed the Rohingya and Mae Raka cases over to the DSI.

Also yesterday, deputy police commissionergeneral Jongrak Chuthanont told the committee how far the police had gone with its investigation into the Santika fire, adding that if the case was taken over by the DSI, they would have to start the probe over again. So, the Special Cases Committee decided against handing the case over to the DSI, and let the police continue with their investigation.

Decision making as ridiculous as this ("allegations of there being a humantrafficking gang behind the influx of Rohingya boat people") is reminiscent of the Thaksin era...