Tourists to get VAT refunds from June 1

PHUKET TOWN: From June 1, tourists buying goods in Phuket will be able to get the value added tax (VAT) on those goods refunded when they leave the country. Khun Annop Buakruen, Chief of the Phuket Provincial Revenue Office, explained that tourists will be able to get refunds at four airports in Thailand — Bangkok, Phuket, Haad Yai and Chiang Mai. The procedure is simple, he said. When tourists buy goods from a shop with VAT refund status, they should ask for a VAT refund form (known in Thai as a Tor Por Sip), fill it in, and attach the tax receipt. Before leaving the country, they should take their purchases and the completed form to the customs desk in the airport. A quick check will be made to ensure the form and the goods match up; then the tourist will receive a refund in cash, or in the form of a draft or direct transfer into a bank account. There are a number of limitations: · No refunds will be allowed on purchases of less than 2,000 baht at any one shop; · Refunds will apply only on purchases totaling 5,000 baht or more; and · Refunds will only be given within 60 days of purchase date. Not all shops are eligible for VAT refund status, so it pays to check before buying. To qualify for VAT refund status, shops in Phuket must have a clean tax record and registered capital of at least one million baht. The current rate of VAT in Thailand is seven percent. Further information can be obtained from the Phuket Provincial Revenue Office, Tel: 214950 or 222911.