Thailand now ranked 70th in worldwide survey on tax payment

BANGKOK, December 21 (TNA) - Thailand was ranked higher at the 70th place this year, out of 189 countries, in a latest worldwide survey on tax payment, up from the 96th position last year. Sira Intarakumthornchai, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PwC Thailand Co., told a seminar on the outlook of tax payment in Asia and the Pacific in 2014, held in Bangkok this week, that the latest survey found Thailand stood at the 70th position this year, surpassing China, India and Japan. Sira said the latest survey on worldwide paying tax standing also found Thailand was ranked the 5th among 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), after Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia and Cambodia. According to the CEO, Thailand's total tax rate was at 29.8 per cent in 2013, down from 37.6 per cent last year, as the Thai government had cut its corporate income tax rate to 23 per cent, from 30 per cent, and the top marginal personal income tax rate to 35 per cent this year. Besides, the CEO acknowledged, the Thai government has applied online tax payment to offer convenient payment and reach more taxpayers.(TNA)