Politicians worth more

[rooster59]

Politicians worth more

By The Nation

 

File photo: Former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

 

AUDITOR-GENERAL SAYS 60 WHO HELD POSITIONS IN THE ABHISIT AND YINGLUCK GOV

 

POLITICIANS who held office in the Abhisit Vejjajiva and Yingluck Shinawatra governments who own assets worth more than Bt50 million will be scrutinised for any tax evasion, Auditor-General Pisit Leelavachiropas said yesterday.

 

Speaking at a seminar on efforts to tackle corruption in Thailand, Pisit said the Office of Auditor-General had recently sent a letter to the Revenue Department. It asked for an evaluation of the assets and liabilities of politicians who held office during the two previous governments to find out if they had any outstanding income tax dues.

 

The assets and liabilities of more than 100 former politicians were found to have fluctuated, resulting in more incomes that were taxable. The Revenue Department had to perform its duty in collecting taxes, he said, adding the Office also had a duty to oversee the work of the department.

 

He said at least 60 former politicians could be liable to pay back taxes and the move was not discriminatory. Earlier, the Office had also pushed for collection of back taxes on the sale of Shin Corp shares by former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

 

Pisit said the Office had also looked at the tax records of wealthy businessmen and large companies that were among the country’s richest to find out if they had paid taxes properly. 

 

These individuals and companies include those identified by the leaked Panama Papers, which revealed several Thai billionaires and big firms had set up offshore companies to evade taxes.

 

According to the Office, more than Bt10 billion in back taxes had been recovered over the past two years based on the records of the Revenue, Customs and Excise departments.

 

Pisit urged former politicians in the two previous governments to pay their back taxes voluntarily so that no penalties are levied when the Revenue Department re-evaluates their tax records and compares it with declarations on assets and liabilities they made to the National Anti-Corruption Commission while they held public office.

 

Most former politicians reported higher assets and unchanged liabilities or lesser liabilities with unchanged assets suggesting higher incomes while in office. However, the Office has focused mainly on those with more than Bt50 million in assets per person and the Revenue Department has been informed recently to follow up on the collection of back taxes.

 

To date, there has been no response from the Revenue Department so the Office will send a second letter to the department seeking urgency in taking action.

 

Meanwhile, the Office reiterated that the Revenue Department is empowered to collect back income tax on the 2006 sale of Shin Corp shares under Article 61 of the Revenue Code, which says that people whose names appear in an asset ownership document are liable to pay tax.

 

Pisit warned at the same seminar that the Revenue Department could face also investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Commission if it failed to pursue this tax case before the March 31 deadline.

 

Earlier, Revenue officials claimed they could not collect taxes under Article 61 because the statute of limitations had expired.

 

But according to the Office, former premier Thaksin is liable to pay back taxes on the sale of Shin Corp shares to Temasek Group of Singapore, even though he used his children as nominees in holding the shares while serving as prime minister.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30309532

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-03-19

[scorecard]

Starts with a photo of abhisit and a comment 'politicians worth more'.

 

Then no further mention of abhisit in the rest of the article.

 

What's the point?

[kannot]

id say Thai politicians are worth "0"..............on a  good  day

[jerojero]

And check out a few hundred Generals while you're at it. Equal opportunity.

[JAG]

And check out a few hundred Generals while you're at it. Equal opportunity.

Ah but their "asset base" is distorted by the need to put large proportions of their allocated budgets through their accounts. Makes it very difficult to get a clear picture of their true wealth...

Better to leave well alone.

[darksidedog]

If politicians in the Abhisit or Yingluck Governments are found to have become much more wealthy while in office, don't tax them, consider it corruption money and take it all.

Edited March 19, 2017 by darksidedog
typo

[Moonmoon]

well if the junta r truly going after both PTP and Democrats wealth, then its good reason for both to reconcile now, join hands and throw the Junta out.

 

I see the plans for reconciliation now. Good Job Junta   

[Thechook]

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

If politicians in the Abhisit or Yingluck Governments are found to have become much more wealthy while in office, don't tax them, consider it corruption money and take it all.

And then hit Prayuth's brother and nephew.  It's a circle, every one at the trough pigs out.  Lucky for Prayuth and his crew they granted themselves for amnesty for all wrong doing whilst in power and the constitution has been rewritten to make it impossible for the military to loose power.

[Thechook]

3 hours ago, scorecard said:

Starts with a photo of abhisit and a comment 'politicians worth more'.

 

Then no further mention of abhisit in the rest of the article.

 

What's the point?

It makes it appear that it's not a personal vendetta against the PTP or the shins.  Sprinkle a little sugar and restore happiness and bring reconciliation 

Edited March 19, 2017 by Thechook

[worgeordie]

I think I can see some tax collectors,becoming unusually rich if this actually

goes forward.

regards worgeordie

[mtls2005]

Since tax collection of the sale of shares seems to be the current hot-topic, maybe just review any/all large-scale share sales over the legal period? /Not

 

The Auditor-General's idea sounds interesting, this wouldn't be the first time a junta has gone after unusually rich personages. My guess would be that they "discover" 97% PTP, and 3% other, which would be a coincidence I''m sure.

 

So many examples but one similar might be the National Peace Keeping Council (NPKC) circa 1991 and Army Commander Suchinda Kraprayoon's seizure of assets of the Chatichai government, later deemed "illegal".

 

Rinse, repeat but never, ever teach history.

 

 

[Get Real]

Yeah, horray! Think if it could be like that in every country. All that do not qualify for Bt 50 million in assets can get away with tax evasion!

I wonder how many people would declare thier assets?

[ratcatcher]

"Politicians worth more"

Politicians worthless.  No space between the words makes all the difference.

[SpeakeasyThai]

5 hours ago, scorecard said:

Starts with a photo of abhisit and a comment 'politicians worth more'.

 

Then no further mention of abhisit in the rest of the article.

 

What's the point?

 

6 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Politicians worth more

By The Nation

 

File photo: Former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

 

AUDITOR-GENERAL SAYS 60 WHO HELD POSITIONS IN THE ABHISIT AND YINGLUCK GOV

 

POLITICIANS who held office in the Abhisit Vejjajiva and Yingluck Shinawatra governments who own assets worth more than Bt50 million will be scrutinised for any tax evasion, Auditor-General Pisit Leelavachiropas said yesterday.

 

Speaking at a seminar on efforts to tackle corruption in Thailand, Pisit said the Office of Auditor-General had recently sent a letter to the Revenue Department. It asked for an evaluation of the assets and liabilities of politicians who held office during the two previous governments to find out if they had any outstanding income tax dues.

 

The assets and liabilities of more than 100 former politicians were found to have fluctuated, resulting in more incomes that were taxable. The Revenue Department had to perform its duty in collecting taxes, he said, adding the Office also had a duty to oversee the work of the department.

 

He said at least 60 former politicians could be liable to pay back taxes and the move was not discriminatory. Earlier, the Office had also pushed for collection of back taxes on the sale of Shin Corp shares by former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

 

Pisit said the Office had also looked at the tax records of wealthy businessmen and large companies that were among the country’s richest to find out if they had paid taxes properly. 

 

These individuals and companies include those identified by the leaked Panama Papers, which revealed several Thai billionaires and big firms had set up offshore companies to evade taxes.

 

According to the Office, more than Bt10 billion in back taxes had been recovered over the past two years based on the records of the Revenue, Customs and Excise departments.

 

Pisit urged former politicians in the two previous governments to pay their back taxes voluntarily so that no penalties are levied when the Revenue Department re-evaluates their tax records and compares it with declarations on assets and liabilities they made to the National Anti-Corruption Commission while they held public office.

 

Most former politicians reported higher assets and unchanged liabilities or lesser liabilities with unchanged assets suggesting higher incomes while in office. However, the Office has focused mainly on those with more than Bt50 million in assets per person and the Revenue Department has been informed recently to follow up on the collection of back taxes.

 

To date, there has been no response from the Revenue Department so the Office will send a second letter to the department seeking urgency in taking action.

 

Meanwhile, the Office reiterated that the Revenue Department is empowered to collect back income tax on the 2006 sale of Shin Corp shares under Article 61 of the Revenue Code, which says that people whose names appear in an asset ownership document are liable to pay tax.

 

Pisit warned at the same seminar that the Revenue Department could face also investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Commission if it failed to pursue this tax case before the March 31 deadline.

 

Earlier, Revenue officials claimed they could not collect taxes under Article 61 because the statute of limitations had expired.

 

But according to the Office, former premier Thaksin is liable to pay back taxes on the sale of Shin Corp shares to Temasek Group of Singapore, even though he used his children as nominees in holding the shares while serving as prime minister.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30309532

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-03-19

Why 50 million? Why not 10 million. At what figure do you become a suspect of tax evasion?

[Sunderland]

Two simple questions for the present government:

1. What is the annual salary for a top general?

 

2. Where does the extra money, to pay for all the assets some generals have, come from?

 

Thank you.

[WhizBang]

Why do I get the feeling that this government is almost completely broke?

[mtls2005]

POLITICIANS who held office in the Abhisit Vejjajiva and Yingluck Shinawatra governments who own assets worth more than Bt50 million will be scrutinised for any tax evasion, Auditor-General Pisit Leelavachiropas said yesterday.

 

 

It is convenient curious that it will only be "politicians" who will be subject to scrutiny.

 

So military, judiciary, business, religion, "government" are evidently immune from the lure of tax evasion.

 

Amazing Thailand.

 

 

[Eric Loh]

10 hours ago, jerojero said:

And check out a few hundred Generals while you're at it. Equal opportunity.

Don't forget our hardworking police officers who have double or more income sources.

[ratcatcher]

2 hours ago, Sunderland said:

Two simple questions for the present government:

1. What is the annual salary for a top general?

 

2. Where does the extra money, to pay for all the assets some generals have, come from?

 

Thank you.

"Before his retirement at the end of September, the general received a 1.4 million baht ($43,000) annual salary as army chief. His assets include a Mercedes Benz S600L car, a BMW 740Li Series sedan, luxury watches, rings and several pistols."

Answers.

1. See above.

 2. Your guess is as good as mine.........

 

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/oct/31/thai-prime-minister-an-ex-general-is-millionaire/

[heybruce]

Due to some technical issue I can not "Like" any of the above posts, and there are some that I like very much.

 

The junta is doing a very good job of deflecting scrutiny of its own incompetence and the unexplained wealth of the generals by constantly pointing fingers at politicians who haven't been in power for three years.

 

As an aside, I have only found one update on human trafficker LtGen Manas that is less than 20 months old.  It seems there will be no media coverage of his trial, and no reason given for banning reporting on the trial.    http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2017/01/25/media-muzzled-on-human-trafficking-trial/

[robblok]

I hope they get some corrupt officials and some tax evaders.. would be real good to catch a few of those. 

[heybruce]

Due to some technical issue I can not "Like" any of the above posts, and there are some that I like very much.

 

The junta is doing a very good job of deflecting scrutiny of its own incompetence and the unexplained wealth of the generals by constantly pointing fingers at politicians who haven't been in power for three years.

 

As an aside, I have only found one update on human trafficker LtGen Manas that is less than 20 months old.  It seems there will be no media coverage of his trial, and no reason given for banning reporting on the trial.    http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2017/01/25/media-muzzled-on-human-trafficking-trial/

[rodney earl]

Politicians worth more. I CANT BELIEVE IT. ha ha!!!!