The Revenue Department collected 2.16 trillion baht in revenue over 11 months, bringing 5.6 new online stores into its system.

The Revenue Department revealed that cumulative revenue collection for the first 11 months of fiscal year 69 reached 2.16 trillion baht, and expects to exceed the annual target by 4-5 billion baht. They have brought 1.73 new businesses into the system, including 5.6 online stores. The department believes that new entrepreneurs are willingly entering the tax system.

On September 11, 2569, Mr. Somsak Anantawat, Director-General of the Revenue Department, revealed the results of the Revenue Department's operations for the fiscal year 2569, which marked another successful year in both revenue generation and the introduction of tax measures to support national development. The details are as follows:

In terms of tax administration, the Revenue Department has collected a cumulative total of 2,162,122 million baht in taxes as of August 2569, representing 88.35% of the estimated total revenue for the fiscal year, which is set at 2,447,100 million baht. The cumulative tax collection as of August 2569 is 144,373 million baht, or 7.2%, higher than the previous year, and 77,236 million baht, or 3.7%, higher than the budget estimate.

This is a result of higher-than-previous-year collections of Value Added Tax (VAT), corporate income tax, and personal income tax, exceeding budget estimates for all taxes. Between May and August 2569, a total of 977,632 million baht was collected, which is 98,294 baht or 11.2% higher than the previous year and 53,955 million baht or 5.8% higher than the budget estimates.

"The higher-than-expected tax revenue collection results from the implementation of revenue collection strategies utilizing data analytics and digital technology, combined with the government's economic stimulus policies, which led to expansion in domestic consumption and investment."

The tax collection results for September 2569, when combined with the cumulative tax collection for the first 11 months, are expected to result in total tax revenue for the fiscal year 2569 exceeding the previous year and the budget estimate by 40,000-50,000 billion baht, or approximately 2% above the target. Meanwhile, the Revenue Department has set a revenue collection target for the fiscal year 2570 at 2.51 trillion baht and expects to achieve this target.

Meanwhile, in managing tax collection for the fiscal year 2569, in addition to generating revenue for the government, the Revenue Department has also increased liquidity for businesses by providing Fast Track tax refunds, with approximately 40,000-50,000 billion baht already refunded.

Mr. Somsak revealed that, in the past, the Revenue Department has continuously surveyed taxpayers who were currently outside the tax system to bring them into the system in order to increase fairness in tax collection. During the first 11 months of the 2569 fiscal year, an additional 173,579 new businesses were brought into the system, exceeding the target of 149,026 for the entire fiscal year. Of this number, 56,091 were online businesses, exceeding the target of 55,125.

However, it is confirmed that the Revenue Department does not use data from the "Half-Price Plus" or "Thai Help Thai Plus" projects to collect taxes from small businesses. Currently, businesses are doing better and are aware that the Revenue Department has verifiable data, leading new entrepreneurs to decide to walk in and seek advice on paying taxes correctly.

"I believe the era of tax evasion is over, because the new generation of entrepreneurs are focused on company growth, revenue generation, and listing their companies on the MAI stock exchange, and they are not afraid to get rich."

The number of individual income tax filers has increased by an average of approximately 5% per year, representing an increase of about 400,000 to 500,000 taxpayers annually from the original base of around 12 million filers.

In recent years, the Revenue Department has been able to develop digital services that meet the needs of taxpayers, as evidenced by the increase in the number of users of various digital services, as follows:

1. e-Filing This represents 96.05% of all tax filings, an increase from 94.52% in 2568. This is partly due to the Revenue Department linking data with various agencies to prepare information for pre-filing personal income tax returns through the D-MyTax system.
2. e-Tax Invoice & e-Receipt There are 22,259 businesses using the service, an increase of 4,719 businesses or 26.90% from 2568. It covers 207,965 establishments, an increase of 8,810 establishments or 4.42% from 2568.
3. e-Withholding Tax There were 20,240 individuals with withholding tax duties using the service, an increase of 2,755 individuals or 15.76% from 2568.

In addition, new digital services will be launched in fiscal year 2569, such as expanding the tax return filing service via Open API to support forms P.N.D. 90, P.N.D. 91, P.N.D. 54, P.P. 30, and P.P. 36; expanding the e-Stamp Duty service for paper instruments (A.S. 4, A.S. 4a, and A.S. 4b) via website and Open API; and launching the e-Filing service for filing inheritance tax returns (P.M. 60).

Mr. Somsak revealed details of the tax reform plan, stating that some aspects of the plan remain confidential and are under study. The Revenue Department is providing technical and data support to respond to the overall policy direction of the Ministry of Finance and the government, including:

1. Personal income tax is currently under study for revising the tax structure and adjusting the criteria for various deductions to make them more appropriate.
2. The Thailand Individual Savings Account (TISA) project has conducted a policy study to promote savings, with this measure primarily focusing on the impact on individual income taxpayers.
3. Value Added Tax (VAT) and Corporate Income Tax: These are included in the study framework to prepare for restructuring to align with future fiscal policies.
4. The Revenue Department is currently carefully studying the issue of an overseas travel tax, which was originally governed by an Emergency Decree issued in 2526. However, due to significant changes in current circumstances and laws, the original law only applied the tax to Thai citizens, raising concerns about discrimination. Furthermore, any future implementation or collection of this tax would require enactment as a Royal Decree, necessitating careful policy and legal considerations in consultation with relevant agencies.

Read news related to the economic situation across Thailand here.