Supreme Court orders Thaksin to pay 17.6 billion baht in Shin Corp tax case
The Supreme Court of Thailand ordered former Prime Minister (PM) Thaksin Shinawatra to pay 17.6 billion baht in personal income tax following a long-running dispute over the sale of Shin Corporation shares.
The tax dispute began after the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions ordered the seizure of 46 billion baht in assets gained from the Shin Corp share sale.
Between 2006 and 2009, the Revenue Department assessed tax on the transfer of Shin Corp shares held by Thaksin’s children, Panthongtae and Pintongta Shinawatra, who were considered his nominees. The department sought 17.6 billion baht in tax from Thaksin following the share transfer.
This led Thaksin to sue the Revenue Department and three relevant officials, claiming the tax assessment was unlawful. The officials named in the case were Pongsak Metaphiphat, Prapas Sanansilp, and Pisit Sriwaranan.
In July 2022, the Central Tax Court cancelled the tax assessment, ruling that the Revenue Department used an incorrect procedure, making the assessment invalid. In June 2023, the Specialised Appeal Court for Tax Cases released a verdict agreeing with the Central Tax Court’s decision.
The Supreme Court has overturned previous rulings and ordered former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to pay 17.6 billion baht in taxes over his concealed stake in Shin Corp.
The court found that Thaksin had transferred the shares to his children, Panthongtae and Pintongta, to avoid tax obligations while planning to take a political position that barred him from holding the shares directly.
The ruling stated the move lacked tax morality and violated the spirit of the tax law. It added the transaction served no real economic purpose other than to gain personal tax benefits, which ultimately obstructed proper tax collection.
As a result, the court upheld the Revenue Department’s demand for the full amount, including surcharge and interest.
Following the verdict, the Revenue Department said it is reviewing the Supreme Court’s ruling and preparing to enforce the order by collecting the 17.6 billion baht from the former prime minister. The amount will be recorded as state revenue for the 2026 fiscal year.
Meanwhile, Thaksin is also battling a separate legal case involving alleged violations of Section 112 of the Criminal Code, also known as the lese-majeste law. The charge stems from an interview he gave in South Korea in 2015.
Although the Criminal Court initially dismissed the case on the grounds that the interview occurred outside Thailand, the Attorney-General, Ittiphon Kaewthip, has filed an appeal.
Speaking to reporters after visiting her father at Khlong Prem Central Prison yesterday, November 17, Pintongta Shinawatra said Thaksin was saddened and hurt by the appeal. She added that the family remains committed to fighting the charge to prove the former prime minister’s innocence.
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