Thai influencers and YouTubers targeted by Revenue Department
The Thai Revenue Department aims to boost its tax revenue by targeting Thai YouTubers, online influencers, and online vendors. It believes that those who earn a livelihood online should pay their due taxes and predicts a yearly intake of 2.2 trillion baht as a result.
The Director of the Revenue Department, Lawaron Saengsanit, acknowledged the shortcomings of the current tax system in regard to online and social media-based careers. He stated that the department is taking steps to modernize the tax system to better accommodate the evolving nature of business in the digital age.
Lawaron said…
“With more businesses being operated online, it is important that our tax system keeps up with the trend. We want to encourage online business owners and influencers to report their revenue and pay taxes in accordance with the law.”
Lawaron urged online businesses and people who work in the online industry to register with Revenue Department. He said…
“Reporting to Revenue Department is not as scary as you think. Our department would guide everybody on how to legally operate the businesses and pay taxes. The process is a lot more convenient right now because we have an online platform and an e-tax system. Over 200,000 taxpayers from the online industry joined us last year.”
Lawaron predicted that the department would collect 2.2 trillion baht in taxes this fiscal year. He reported that in the first four months of the collection period from October 2022 to January 2023, the department had already earned 60 billion baht more than its target.
Lawaron attributed the rising tax revenue to the revival of Thai tourism, particularly with the reopening of China’s borders. He expressed confidence in reaching the tax target for this year and stated that there was no cause for concern.
In Thailand, anyone who earns income from sources within the country is required to pay taxes. Thailand’s tax rate ranges between 0%-35%, and individuals who have to pay tax are the ones who earn 150,000 baht and above per year.
Aside from the personal income tax, value-added tax (VAT) is another main source of the Revenue Department. Thailand has a 7% VAT rate, which is applied to the sale of goods and services in the country.
