Three tax departments told to improve tax collection

 

 

BANGKOK: -- The Finance Ministry has instructed Customs, Revenue and Excise departments to improve their tax collection after combined tax collection of the three departments for the first quarter of 2017 fiscal year (from last October to December) has fallen short of target by 1.1 percent.

 

Combined tax collection of the three departments for the first quarter totaled 524 billion baht which was broken down into 366 billion baht of revenue tax (exceeding target by 0.5 percent), 132 billion baht of excise tax (1.6 percent below target) and 25.6 billion baht of customs tax (18 percent below target).

 

But total revenue for the government for the first quarter, including earned by state enterprises, amounted to 552 billion baht, representing 5.2 percent above from target.

 

Mr Krisda Jinavijarana, director of Fiscal Policy Office, said it was expected that increased excise revenue from tax restructuring as a result of the enforcement of a new excise law such as calculation of excise tax based on retail prices instead of ex-factory prices would help supplement tax revenue shortfall of the other departments.

 

Excise department chief Somchai Poonsawat said the department had introduced new excise tax regarding environment conservation and would increase tax for non-alcoholic drinks based on the content of sugar. Sweet drinks which are now free from taxation for the sugar content will in the near future be taxed depending on the amount of sugar content.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/three-tax-departments-told-improve-tax-collection/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-02-27

Okay, go after Thailand's richest and set some examples. Easy, right? 

This is what happens when a country spends more than it earns and has been living off reserves. It is clear this announcement is dressed up as a formal notification of impending tax increases. Tax on booze is already in the pipeline and soon there will be sugar tax to name just a few. Someone has to pay for the submarines, planes, trains and tanks and it seems like it will be the general public.

Additional/increased taxes can bring inflation and there can be unpleasant fiscal reactions if that occurs. 

42 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

Okay, go after Thailand's richest and set some examples. Easy, right? 

Are you suggesting a tax on earnings from corruption and brown envelopes and even tea money?