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ThailandIn the article we talk about how you can save money on purchases in Thailand using the Vat Refund system. You will learn what you need to do to get the tax back, how and where it is returned and in what form you will receive the money.. Well, if something remains unclear or you just want to talk about the topic of holidays in Thailand, we invite you to our 💬 Thailand travel chat.
Why do tourists need a Vat Refund in Thailand
The VAT Refund or TAX FREE system in Thailand allows tourists to save a lot on expensive purchases by returning up to 7% VAT tax when leaving the country. I.e. if you buy something relatively expensive while in the country as a guest / tourist, you can get up to 7% tax back when leaving the country, included in the price of the product. The refund amount is determined by the table and is not always 7%, it's just the maximum bar.
Taking advantage of this refund is quite simple! You do not have to run through the instances and fill out numerous pieces of paper, everything is done at the international airport when flying home or to another country. However, it is still worth arriving at the airport a little early before departure in order to have time to arrange everything and get the money.
However, remember that the import of items and things into the Russian Federation, as in any other country, is also limited. Theoretically, if you import purchased expensive items, besides for sale purposes, you must declare them and pay customs duties upon entry into the Russian Federation or another country. So do not abuse the tax refund when leaving, otherwise you may get problems when entering home. We advise you to read more about the customs rules of Russia for tourists here.
So, how to use Vat Refund in Thailand:
Conditions for tax refund
To get a tax refund on purchased goods, you, of course, first need to buy something. However, in order to receive a refund, purchases and you must comply with such conditions:
- You are not a resident of Thailand and a member of the flight crew from Thailand;
- No more than 60 days have passed from the moment of purchase of the goods to the moment of departure;
- You are leaving Thailand through one of the international airports;
- You have made a purchase/purchases in stores marked with a VAT refund sign for a total amount of at least 2000 baht within one day (61.34 see Thailand's currency and exchange rate). You can make several purchases in one store for at least 2000 baht, or purchases in different stores for at least 2000 in each, for all the tax will be refunded.
- The amount of all your purchases on the checks submitted for refund must be at least 5000 baht (153 USD)
Where the tax is refunded
Payment can only be received at international Suvarnabhumi airports, Dong Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hat-yai, Utapao, Krabi or Koh Samui when leaving the country for home or to any other country.
The general procedure that needs to be done to refund the tax
- Make a purchase in a store marked with a VAT refund sign within one day for at least 2,000 baht. There are a lot of such stores, especially in Bangkok, you just need to carefully look at the presence of such a sign when buying, or ask the seller. You can make as many purchases as you like, the main condition is that there should be at least 2,000 baht in one day. When buying, ask the seller for the P.P.10 form and checks, they will give you everything without any questions. The form will have to be filled in with your personal data in English (Latin), as in your passport. It is very desirable to keep the packaging of the goods, and ideally to take it out packed at all.
- No later than 60 days after the purchase, when leaving the country at the special VAT Refund counters at the international airports of Suvarnabhumi, Don Muang, Chiang Mai, Phuket, HatyAi, Utapao, Krabi or Koh Samui, present the P.P.10 form and checks to the customs inspector. This must be done before check-in and baggage check-in, so that the inspector confirms the presence of the purchased items in your luggage. Sometimes they do check their availability, so be prepared to get them out of the luggage. If everything is in order, your documents will be stamped, after which you can go to check-in for the flight.
- After registration and passport control, when you find yourself in the international zone, you need to contact the VAT refund desk again with the documents, where you can receive the payment. The refund amount is paid in cash in baht, and a refund of more than 30,000 baht is transferred to a plastic card or a bank check is issued. You will be charged 100 baht for processing a payment by plastic card or check). If you receive cash and you will not need it in the future, you can exchange it here at the exchange offices for international currency, or spend it in Duty Free stores.
What should I do if I didn't have time to receive my payment due to long queues
Yes, sometimes it happens that after registration and passport control, you will not have time to receive payment due to long queues, although the documents have already been checked by customs officers and stamped in your hands. This problem is solvable. To do this, you can send documents by mail, and attach money transfer data to them, preferably the number of a Visa or MasterCard bank card, and the details of the bank account linked to it. Documents must be sent to the address:
- Vat Refund for tourist Office
- The revenue Departvent of Thailand
- 90 Phaholyothin 7, Phayathai,
- Bangkok 10400, Thailand