Thailand
Thailand: Cabinet set to consider tax assistance steps
State aid measures for struggling taxpayers, including deadline extensions for filing income taxes, a 90% reduction in land and building taxes and a reduced 0.01% fee for property transfers and mortgages, are scheduled to go before the cabinet next week.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha made an announcement on his Facebook page on Friday that the tax measures will be considered at Tuesday’s meeting.
Gen Prayut told the Finance and Interior ministries to prepare the details and propose the measures to the cabinet for approval at the meeting.
He had a meeting on Friday with economic ministers including Deputy Prime Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow, Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, and Danucha Pichayanan, secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Council to discuss aid measures to support individuals and businesses affected by the pandemic.
Gen Prayut pointed to the new “Rao Chana” (We Win) financial aid scheme as a way to help people reduce expenses. Last Tuesday the cabinet approved 210 billion baht in aid to help those affected by the outbreak.
Under the Rao Chana scheme, the government provides a total of 7,000 baht per person over two months to 31 million people affected by the pandemic.
Recipients must meet a set of criteria in terms of annual income and bank savings. Those with an annual income exceeding 300,000 baht and with savings of more than 500,000 baht as of Dec 31 of last year would not qualify for the assistance.
Others ineligible for the financial aid are subscribers of the social security system, government officials and employees of state enterprises.
Registration for the scheme is open from Jan 29-Feb 12 at www.เราชนะ.com.
Recipients will not receive cash — the scheme uses a model similar to the co-payment subsidy programme known as “Khon La Khrueng”, with funds transferred via the Pao Tang app and used to buy food, drinks and other essential items.
Pornchai Theeravet, a deputy spokesman of the Finance Ministry and Fiscal Policy Office adviser, said despite criticism on social media regarding its complexity and limited coverage, the government wants the scheme to help the local economy.
Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2055667/cabinet-set-to-consider-tax-assistance-steps