Thailand's D S I Accepts V A T Refund Fraud As Special Case

[webfact]

DSI accepts VAT refund fraud as special case
By Digital Media



BANGKOK, June 10 – The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) on Monday accepted a case in which 30 private companies allegedly filed Bt2.6 billion in false claims for VAT refund as a special case for further investigation.

The cases were submitted to the DSI by the Ministry of Finance, said Tarit Pengdith, DSI director-general.

The DSI will also ask the state-owned Krung Thai bank, responsible for VAT refunds, to freeze the accounts of all the companies.

Further investigation will be conducted to scrutinise other companies which are suspected of being involved in such frauds.

The investigation came after the arrest of a major falsified tax invoice scammer and inspection of seized evidence of counterfeit tax invoices for goods valued almost Bt3 billion.

It is the biggest such case in two years.

The arrest followed a tip about a fraudulent tax invoice business ring, which caused heavy tax losses to the state.

Violators are subject to imprisonment of three months to seven years and a fine of Bt2,000 to a maximum of Bt 200,000. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-06-10

[webfact]

DSI ready to seize assets of VAT fraudsters

BANGKOK, 10 June 2013 (NNT) - The Department of Special Investigation is preparing to seize assets of 30 companies implicated in a large-scale tax fraud.

The department launched an in-depth probe after the Finance Ministry found evidence of fraudulent value-added tax (VAT) refunds worth 2.6 billion baht.

Investigative teams have found all 30 companies guilty of filing false tax returns and are sending notifications to banks handling their accounts to confiscate the asset.

The DSI has appointed deputy chief Siwaporn Chuenchitsiri to be in charge of the case as investigators are working out the amount of tax the companies have illegally claimed.

Generally, punishment for non-compliance with VAT-filing regulations allows for a maximum imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine of up to 200,000 baht.


-- NNT 2013-06-10

[Tatsujin]

They might want to increase the "penalties" at some point . . . they are kind of laughable . . . but that's pretty much the same across the board here, no incentive to do things legally and minimal penalties (generally) for cheating, lying, thieving etc.

[worgeordie]

Who says crime does not pay ...in Thailand it seems to,the profits of this scam

greatly out way the penalties ,so no deterrent.

regards Worgeordie

[Thai at Heart]

The biggest in two years. Only in the billions of baht.

What happened last time or is it still in court?

[OzMick]

The biggest in two years. Only in the billions of baht.

What happened last time or is it still in court?

2 years - the BIB would still be waiting for them to come in to answer the summons.

[hellodolly]

Well it is a good idea.

I think they are going after them for two reasons one they need the money to buy rice to sit around and spoil.

Also they don't want to let the public know what they are really doing persecuting prosecuting those pesky guys who do not believe them. I think the public is getting a little suspicious and they need to do some distraction work.

[bigbamboo]

Oh dear, more bad news on the fraud and corruption front.

At this rate no one will even lend Thailand a pot to piss in.

[alfalfa19]

Isn't the entire VAT program a gigantic scam? I've never been able to collect a single baht.

[NongKhaiKid]

The biggest in two years. Only in the billions of baht.

What happened last time or is it still in court?

2 years - the BIB would still be waiting for them to come in to answer the summons.

This summons nonsense is a wonderful way to do nothing but make it look as if an enquiry is being looked at. Are DSI officers too afraid to leave their officers because it's the rainy season ? An investigation, and the bigger it is the more important it is, has to be chased but here so called investigators wait for it to come in.

It doesn't matter who is being dealt with the fact they get face by being able to be interviewed when it suits them is a luxury bordering on neglect of duty. Well it would be almost anywhere but here.

[chainarong]

Isn't the entire VAT program a gigantic scam? I've never been able to collect a single baht.

Alfalfa, you need to buy something first.

[A Member]

If DSI have actually swung into action there must be Democrats involved.

[drdoom6996]

They might want to increase the "penalties" at some point . . . they are kind of laughable . . . but that's pretty much the same across the board here, no incentive to do things legally and minimal penalties (generally) for cheating, lying, thieving etc.

Unless your not on the PTP's side. Then get your wallet out. These politicians and BIB can smell an extra baht of corruption 10 kilometers away.

[hyperdimension]

Where is the list of these 30 companies?